Bella Vie

 So now I'm taking restaurant recommendations from my daughter.  Jen and Matt enjoyed a dinner at Bella vie a few weeks ago, and so Drew and I decided to give the place a try.

We were seated outside, on the deck, right with a great view of the water.

We saw something swimming around, but never got a clear look at what was swimming -- just their backs broke the surface of the water.

But you don't go to a restaurant only for the ambiance.  You go for the food.

Our meal began with bread, of course  -- Drew loved the artisan bread with butter, while I enjoyed the  bruchetta. 

Appetizers  --Drew had the baked clams.

Those are whole Little Neck clams, not chopped. 

I had tomato and mozarella caprese:

I drank prosecco, Drew had sangria.

By the time our entrees arrived, it was too dark to take a picture,  Drew had Duo of Duck -- Duck Breast, Duck Leg Confit, Butternut Squash Puree, Mixed Vegetables, Pomegranate Gastrique.   You don't see duck on the menu in most restaurants, and Drew loves duck, so he was ecstatic.

 I had Veal Franchese -- Veal Scaloppine, Mashed Potato, Mixed Vegetables, Lemon Veloute.  The veal was tender, with just the right amount of lemon (sometimes the lemon can be overpowering), and the mashed potatoes were incredibly creamy.

And apparently the local waterfowl think Bella vie is a nice place to dine...

We capped off the night with dessert, something we rarely order, but the chocolate layer cake was absolutely decadent...and one slice was very shareable.