A Table in Tuscany

The creators of Chester’s Chophouse bring Tuscan fare to Wichita with Bella Donna.

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If at first the menu at Bella Donna seems foreign, that’s because it is. There are five sections: antipasti, insalata, primi and secondi. “It’s kind of classical Italian in its setup,” says Head Chef Douglas Pitts.

I strolled into the new restaurant on a recent Tuesday night. The eatery’s Tuscan design, with gold-colored walls and dimly lit rooms, made the space warm and inviting. Some diners sat at the wraparound marble bar at the center of the restaurant, while a cluster of others chatted on brown couches near the entrance. Couples talked over lit candles at the tables. At the back of the restaurant, a kitchen with a large window revealed scurrying chefs and occasional bursts of flames.

Then there was the food. At first, the dishes seemed as foreign as the rest of the menu: pesce di giornate (grilled whole fish with salsa verde), tonno alla griglia con orzo (grilled tuna steak, orgo and orange gremolota) and capesante all’ aspelto (scallops, shaved fennel, corn, tomato and saffron basil butter). But upon closer inspection, it became clear that the menu was just a lighter version of traditional Italian cooking, with plenty of lean meats, fresh produce and special seasonings.

I started my meal with tricolore romaine ($7.95), a salad made with romaine lettuce, endive, radicchio, gorgonzola and honey roasted walnuts. The fresh ingredients, especially the endive and radicchio, added an extra kick to the salad. For the main course, I ordered scallopini bitello ($20.95)—veal medallions, marsala and mushroom sauce. Chicken marsala is a personal favorite when I go to other Italian restaurants, but the tender cut of veal paired with the creamy marinade was something entirely different. The sauce added a zest that you don’t typically expect with beef. For dessert, I ordered a glass of lemon custard ($8), a pleasant way to polish off the meal.

The price was $35 for the three-course meal (not counting two glasses of wine) and the staff was very friendly, going so far as to remember my name. With classically inspired Italian dishes made from fresh ingredients, an inviting atmosphere and a touch of Tuscany, Bella Donna offered a fresh take on the typical Italian dining experience.


Q & A with Bella Donna’s Head Chef, Douglas Pitts

Hobbies: Swimming, biking and running. (During the interview, Pitts wore a T-shirt he got from running in the Just About Kids 5K Run.) He rides his bike to work every day and regularly jogs at the YMCA. “I remember that on Day 1 in culinary school, the instructor said don’t think that standing on your feet for 12 hours per day is exercise.”

Cooking Tool: A Japanese knife given to him from a man researching the history of knives for a book. “ It’s unlike any other knife that I’ve ever had.”

Cookbook: Pitts has an extensive cookbook collection, but his favorite is Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking. “It tells the science behind cooking, and why things happen the way they happen. That’s probably the book I read more than any other.”

Book: The biography of Alice Waters—the renowned chef who owns Chez Panisse, a California restaurant with a fixed-price menu that changes daily and incorporates ingredients from farmers’ markets.

Magazine: Art Culinaire. It’s a quarterly, hardbound magazine read almost exclusively by hardcore foodies.

Music: Pitts owns an iPod that he listens to while running and biking. “It has all sorts of stuff on it, like Pearl Jam and Modest Mouse.”

Vacation: San Francisco. “I went just to eat and enjoy myself.”

Favorite Meal: Sushi or sashimi.

Cooking Tip: Use salt.

Click to the next page for a recipe from Douglas Pitts, head chef at Bella Donna...