My wife and I were looking for a quaint and cozy private restaurant for our first outing together since the lifting of Covid restrictions. We took a leap of faith and broke away from take-out mode. We were generously invited to do a review of Restaurant Bellissimo in Dorval. The restaurant is in a bustling section of Lakeshore Drive with a few shops encompassed by residential homes. If you live in the area, Restaurant Bellissimo is within walking distance of the Dorval City Hall. Well, centralized, Restaurant Bellissimo has a steady flow of local customers. There is a parking lot in the vicinity that offers plenty of free parking in the area. Hassle-free, no need to circle around to find a spot.
Do not let the front facade fool you, it looks small but as soon as you enter the restaurant unveils itself into a large concept restaurant with an upstairs for parties of up to 100 and a private terrace outside. Downstairs you have an area where musicians play on Friday and Saturday to seated patrons along with a musician on the terrace on Thursday evenings to delight the crowd. We wanted to dine outside. In the middle of the terrace was a serene fountain flowing with water creating a Zen mood. We were seated under an elongated tent with lights that created a unique atmosphere where the wind flows gently through, we were protected from the elements.
We were greeted by our host who happened to be the owner of this fine establishment Robert Tiseo. Before buying Restaurant Bellissimo with his current restaurant manager and friend Nicola, they both dabbled in other restaurant ventures such as pizzerias and other venues of the like. They honed their restaurant skills to finally buy Restaurant Bellissimo in 2019 from the retiring original owner. One thing that Robert is that he exudes passion and has pride in his family. The restaurant and staff are considered family to him, and his own family also helps with the restaurant. They have their own herb garden in the terrace area that Robert’s father-in-law comes to water and tends to it. Everybody in the family chips in. Robert lives just a few blocks away and it’s a group effort at Restaurant Bellissimo with the customers always at heart. Restaurant Bellissimo has been in the area for 15 years plus. Robert continues to work with his longstanding executive Chef Reza and all support staff in an effort to continue delighting the savory hunger of their clients by continuously working on improvement.
Restaurant Bellissimo caters to traditional Italian dishes. You can begin your course with the soup of the day and accompany with entrees such as salads, fried calamari, eggplant au gratin with parmesan, and twelve garlic escargots au gratin. They have a vast array of pasta meals to pick from such as Spaghetti Bolognese, Penne Salsiccia Rapini, Ravioli al Aragosta, Fettuccini Primadonna, Linguini Gigi, Tortellini Papalina, Linguine Pescatore, Penne Provocanti, Manicotti Fiorentina, and Lasagna a la Romana. Not into pasta? You can order different plates of chicken, meat, and fish which are served with seasonal vegetables and roasted potatoes. If you are a bit more adventurous you can order Chef’s Inspiration. Last, but not least there is pizza. You have 5 different choices to pick from. I guarantee that you will have a hard time ordering, you will have to ask your waiter to come back because you can’t make up your mind with such a selection.
We were offered wine from their extensive wine list. I abstained from wine due to being the designated driver. We stayed true to our roots and picked Coca-Cola, one Diet-Coke, and the other regular Coke. We are not wine connoisseurs; they have wines for everyone that will satisfy each individual taste.
I am more of a traditionalist when it comes to dining out. It was going to be either pizza or lasagna. My wife was surprised I did not pick pizza. I had the Lasagna a la Romana, which is a traditional lasagna, with meat sauce. My lasagna was everything I expected. It was above the standard fare you will find at restaurants that throw lasagna as part of their pasta menus. I really enjoyed the delectable soft noodles and cheese. My favorite part of the lasagna is the crunchy cheesy top.
My wife was a bit more adventurous with her pick. She had the Pollo Parmigiana which was breaded chicken, tomato sauce au gratin, and served with seasonal vegetables and roasted potatoes.
Now for dessert, we had cake. I had a slice of Tiramisu that just melted into my mouth with heavenly delight. I can honestly say if, given the whole cake, I would gladly devour it. It was that good. Best Tiramisu cake I had in a long time. My wife had a slice of cheesecake. She makes a mean cheesecake at home; she swears this was better than hers. I will take her word for it because she did not offer to share a piece with me. So, I am guessing it was that good. Then again, I did fake offer my Tiramisu slice.
We stayed a bit longer and soaked in the atmosphere of the terrace that reminded us of a European courtyard with herb plants around the premises.
Restaurant Bellissimo is a great place for a romantic meal together with your significant other, and family meals with great choices for everybody. Even for the picky little family members. Need space for large gatherings, they have enough room to cater to your special needs. I can honestly tell you that the staff made us feel right at home. We left in high spirits with our whole experience. My wife and I found our new dining hideaway.
Restaurant Bellissimo is located at 484 Lakeshore Dr, Dorval, Quebec. You can dine-in, use a curbside pickup or get delivery. The phone number is (514) 631-7074. You can easily view their whole menu at restaurantbellissimo.com/#menu. Finally, you can also use your favorite ordering apps such as doordash.com, skipthedishes.com, and ubereats.com to order. Trust me they have all their bases covered to make your eating experience a unique and happy one.
Review by Tony Medeiros (Publisher)