Bello by Sandro Nardone — Restaurant in Newport Beach

Edit: apparently this restaurant has a Michelin star. Maybe I just got really unlucky that day.

I will preface this by saying that I don't like to leave bad reviews, but I feel like because of the money involved, it is necessary to give people a heads-up. We had been looking forward to trying Bello as it is in our neighborhood and looked pretty fancy. The fact that it was usually pretty busy seemed to be a good sign, and the reviews on Google made it seem like a safe bet. Today, we took the plunge. We tried to call ahead and make a reservation, but nobody answered the phone. Not a problem, we thought. So, we went there and they were busy as usual, which was expected. However, bar seating was available, which was fine with us. The staff quickly attended to us and seated us, which was nice. However, the tables were distractingly wobbly, and apparently fixed to the floor, just far enough from the bench seating to be uncomfortable. The lighting was just low enough to be slightly bothersome, and the music slightly loud enough to make discussion around the table a little difficult. We ordered drinks. I had an Old Fashioned that was expensive, so I was hoping for something special. When it arrived, another small let-down. 85% of the drink was a single ice cube. Initial taste was too strong, so I let the ice melt a little. Second sip was perfect. I waited too long and every sip after that it felt like it was really watered down. That huge ice block did no favors to the drink other than to look interesting. My wife had a pink drink that had some foam on top with crushed ice. Same thing, it was strong, then good for about a minute, and then weak. My daughter had a pineapple virgin daiquiri that she liked very much. My daughter and I split one of the Wagyu beef entrees, and my wife had a seafood pasta dish. The steak was the smallest I had ever been served, which, considering the price, was disappointing. It was sliced into about 8 bite sized pieces. The top two bites were fantastic, but then things went downhill fast. The rest of the meat was marred by a strip of tough gristle and fat that made it a tough chew. Probably 20% of the steak was left on the plate when we were done. My wife ate her small pasta meal and commented that she could do just as good at home. I had a taste of it and agreed. Ok, maybe we ordered the wrong dishes, we thought. Let's try dessert, maybe that's where Bello is strong. My daughter loved her tiramisu. I loved my espresso martini, 10/10, would order that again. The cheesecake was another miss, I'm not sure how to describe it, other than it was not a kind of cheesecake that I was familiar with. Some kind of deconstructed thing with bits of pear and whipped cream. It was ok, I guess. My wife had a very dense chocolate pie that I did like. It paired with the espresso martini very nicely. When the bill came, it felt a little like we had been taken for a bit of a ride. We were drawn in by the fancy appearance, and then processed through the experience just uncomfortably enough that we were subtly encouraged to leave quickly and open our seats for another set of people to be separated from their money in the same manner. There are many very good, heck, I'll just say it, better restaurants in Newport Beach at this price point. We left wishing Bello was better, and concluding that just wasn't worth revisiting. My apologies to the people who work at Bello, but I feel that constructive criticism is better than no criticism at all. At least maybe you are now aware of some issues that could...

Had super high expectation for Farm based on pictures, reviews, and menu. If I could I would give 3 and a half, with the potential for a 4+ as we get further along the opening of businesses during the lockdown.

COVID reopening issues: They were not offering any of their craft cocktails, and after reading all of the great reviews about them one of our guests (the birthday girl) was looking forward to trying one. But they unfortunately don't offer them right now, even though there is a full bar open. We were told that they are in the middle of revamping all of their specialty cocktail menu, so they neither offered the ones they did before, or any new ones. They said you could just order a normal cocktail and they would make it. It just seems weird that while your creating a new cocktail menu that you would not offer the current ones in the meantime. Also, they only had diet coke and sprite and no other sodas.

Could just be a COVID issue in terms of different bartenders or massive time and cost of prepping the bar for specialty cocktails. I expect this to not be an issue moving forward and that the new menu will be fantastic.

Food: The food was good. Octopus (pulpo) was out of this world good, as advertised in many other reviews. We got ours cooked a bit more crispy. Which works out well because its served over some delicious sauteed greens with a sauce and that is wet, so the dish is not too dry with a bit more of a cook on the octopus. Gorgonzola salad was also super good, they do not skimp in the cheese. Dare I say maybe too much gorgonzola? Nah, I would never! Pizzas I thought were extremely wet and soggy and were OK taste wise. I like a thin crispy crust though, and the rest of our table seemed to really like them. The pasta was good, very al dente, but at a place like this I expected it to be better than good. Based on reviews and the modern Italian theme I just had crazy high expectations for the pasta especially. Flavors were great though so if I go again I will ask them to cook it a little more, although....

A warning, we were told that the kitchen chef's will not make any changes to anything on the menu. We tried to get gorgonzola on the side when we ordered the salad so that my wife could share some of my salad and because she does not like blue cheese, but were told that they would not do that for us.

Service + Overall: The service was great, everyone was very good to us and generally had a warm and inviting vibe. We were checked on by multiple people and when we had some issues with a wine we ordered they quickly and very willingly took care of it and made everyone happy. Our waiter was great and very funny.

I expect, as restaurants all struggle with reopening, that Farm can and will iron out issues. I appreciated everyone there and we had a great...

PURE BLISS!! No words to describe the sensations of savory flavors, textures, delightful twists in Chef Nardone's cuisine. This is the perfect spot for a date night, a family night out, or a special celebration like ours. We were celebrating our honeymoon and looking for a delicious Italian restaurant. Little did we know that we were about to have our hearts filled with happiness and our palates delighted.

We started with the crudo. Amazingly fresh. As you savor the subtle flavors, a pop of lemon brightens your taste. It's flavorful with none of the bitterness one normally expects from a lemon.

Next, we selected the pork belly. The crispy textures we enjoyed were crunchy and light, combined with the heat of of the spicy peppers and the perfectly cooked pork made the dish a treat. We eat a lot of Korean cuisine, and then Onions, fresh mint, and basil, reminded us of the freshness we enjoy from banchan, which brought a freshness to the dish.

For the pasta, every dish looked incredible with a twist. I would have ordered multiple pastas per person if we had the stomach space for it. All of their pasta is made fresh in house, and you absolutely can taste the difference.

We started with the Amatriciana. Pasta was cooked to perfection. The pork brought a lovely depth of flavor and texture - another delightful surprise as you experience the dish. I recommend closing your eyes and really enjoying the flavors and textures.

Next was the Norcina - a beautifully light dish with perfectly cooked pasta seasoned with truffle and porcini mushrooms, with the pasta cooked to perfection. We savored every bite, hoping the next would not be our last.

For dessert, we finished with two experiences. The first was a vanilla gelato served as an affogato. The gelato was light yet smooth, and perfectly paired with the espresso. Next, our favorite, a beautifully prepared light yuzu custard topped with pistachios and black sesames, and maraschino cherries. I wanted to lick the plate!! As you enjoy each spoonful, the brightness of the yuzu with the burst of sweetness from the cherries brought layers and layers of flavors.

We are planning to bring our parents, relatives, friends, and guests who are willing to journey with us from LA to visit here. I can promise you will go away with a happiness that goes beyond the food and exceptional customer service. We can't wait to visit again and go on another culinary adventure. Bravissimo! Thank you for making our honeymoon dinner one we will...