Aunt Bella’s: Ridgewoods Aunt Bellas tempts with pasta. 64-02 Fresh Pond Road, Ridgewood

By Robert Stanley

Aunt Bella’s Restaurant

64-02 Fresh Pond Road
Ridgewood
718-366-5100

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. Well Aunt Bella’s family restaurant of Ridgewood is surely proof of that. This very tiny restaurant space on Fresh Pond Road in Ridgewood is perfect example of that adage. Concealed behind an aging dining room is a kitchen serving wonderful, traditional Italian food.

If you’re in the mood for pizza, pasta, sandwiches or a tempting daily special, Aunt Bella’s will not disappoint you. On the night of my visit two extremely efficient waitresses bustled around the room serving food and turning tables with scientific precision.

Upon my arrival we were quickly greeted, seated, offered menus and beverage orders were taken. Although the wine list is limited my companion and I selected wines by the glass which was delivered with two slices of thick Italian bread coated with balsamic vinegar and chopped tomatoes. The bread was fresh and the toppings were quite tasty.

In addition to pizza, pasta, sandwiches and baked dishes Aunt Bella’s also offers a daily specials which are listed on a table card. We decided to share a cold antipasto salad along with an order of sweet mussels marina for appetizers. For our dinners my companion chose Pasta Calabrina from the special menu and I selected Shrimp Parmigiano from the printed menu.

After a short time our waitress delivered the antipasto salad. The portion size was more then enough for two. Although piled high on the plate with the usual ingredients of cheese, meat and vegetables, I would suggest Aunt Bella consider adding fresh mushrooms to enhance this otherwise delightful dish.

Along with our salad course the waitress delivered the order of mussels. This dish would prove to be the star of the show. The huge portion was perfectly opened, perfectly cleaned and perfectly placed in a large bowl. The mussels placed around the outside of the dish were wading in marinara sauce while those stacked toward the center were covered with a thicker, chunky, tomato-rich marinara. Each mussel was of ideal size and sweetness. After finishing every mussel you’ll want to linger over the dish and soak up the rich sauce with fresh Italian bread just like we all do at home.

My companion’s entree of Pasta Calabrina was a colorful presentation of pasta and vegetables served in a large white pasta bowl. A combination of garlic, mushrooms peppers and broccoli served over penne pasta with a touch of pecorino Romano was wonderful. Resting in a light buttery garlic sauce the complimenting flavors were delightful. This is a dish you may want to try to duplicate at home.

Although not nearly as dramatic as the pasta Calabrina, my order of Shrimp Parmagiana lived up to my expectations. A nice serving of medium size shrimp, thickly coated with melted parmagiano were delivered with a side dish of pasta. Each shrimp was well seasoned and tender while the al dente pasta was cooked to perfection and coated with a thick marinara sauce. This proved to be a very delightful dish.

The dessert menu offers very traditional choices, however, being much too full from dinner, my companion and I opted for a simple cup of coffee and espresso. Both were served hot and fresh ending what proved to be a wonderful home-style Italian meal.

The Bottom Line

Don’t judge this restaurant by its decor, but by its food. If you want a simple but good dish of pasta or pizza, Aunt Bella’s is a good choice. They also do a bustling take out business so you may want to add their number to your list — 718-417-5100.

Chef’s Choices

Mussels Marinara: Medium size sweet mussels served in a chunky marinara sauce. Appetizer…$ 7.95, Dinner…$10.25

Chicken Verdi: Boneless chicken baked in sherry sauce topped with broccoli and melted mozzarella cheese…$10.95

Pasta Calabrina: Sautéed peppers mushrooms. garlic and broccoli served with a touch of pecorino Romano…$8.95

Hours of Operation: Mon, Tues, Sat-3PM-11PM, All others-noon-11PM

Cuisine: Italian

Seating: 35

Service: Fair

Reservations: No

Parking: Street

Dress: Casual

Credit Cards: All majors except AMX