|
|
|
Feature
Article |
|
|
If you like opera music while feasting
on Italian cuisine, this is the place for you. If you don't like
Opera music - don't worry - the food will distract you plenty.
Truth be told, you probably won't even notice anything coming out
of the speakers until you're done eating. In fact, you may forget
to talk to anyone at your table once your dinner is served - it's
that good.
In Italian cuisine, the size of the portions are often as
important as the flavor, but the flavor has to be great to justify
eating such a large traditional portion. At Ciao Bella, the
portions and the flavor satisfy, to say the least. If you can
brave an entire plate of say, Siciliano, Cioppino, Fettuccini
Alfredo, Veal Saltimbocca, Chicken Picatta, Eggplant Parmigiana,
or your traditional Lasagne, tortellini, spaghetti or raviolis,
then you will look upon your empty plate amazed at how much you
ate - probably without saying a word. And if you can't get through
it all, you'll still wonder how you ate as much as you did, but
you'll be happy the next day when you see that shimmering to-go
box in your fridge!
All this tremendous cuisine, all these traditional Italian dishes,
and it all started in a little place called...Zamora, Micoacan,
Mexico?
That's right, Jose Vega moved from Zamora to California at the age
of 14 where he learned the restaurant business, literally, from
ground up. Jose started out as the low man on the totem pole in
some high-end restaurants in Southern California and the Central
Valley, and always found himself rapidly moving up the chain of
command, gravitating more and more toward the kitchen. While
working his way up, Jose learned the business side, the serving
side, and especially the chef side. Jose gained mastery of Italian
cuisine, being influenced by many great cooks, including his own
brothers.
Rafael and Alberto, excellent chefs in their own right (you can
sample their work at De Vega Brothers in Manteca and in Stockton),
took Jose under their collective wing and taught him everything
they knew, often while working together at the same restaurants.
Rafael, Alberto and Jose all owned De Vega Brothers restaurant in
Manteca until Jose decided, now that he had seen the restaurant
business from just about every angle imaginable, he should go it
alone and start his own place in Stockton, taking his younger
brother, Hector, and older sister, Mimi, with him to help run
operations of Ciao Bella.
Together, Jose, Hector and Mimi pack full houses regularly, going
through about 20-40 veal entrees a day, and an astounding 50
gallons of marinara, and 60 gallons of meat sauce every week - all
made from scratch! They also stock about 70 diff rent wines,
plenty to accompany and enhance any dish on the menu. In fact,
this past September 14th, Ciao Bella hosted a charity, full house
wine dinner that was a huge success. 100% of the proceeds of the
event were donated to Saint Mary's Dining Hall for this upcoming
Thanksgiving where Jose himself will be to help serve the needy.
it took a long time and a long journey for Jose Vega (and his
siblings) to get where they are, but, fortunately for us, the wait
is over. Now all that's left to do is to go to Ciao Bella and
order up something proper. You can even have Ciao Bella cater an
event, and they even do carry out tray for those in-between
occasions. Take in the opera music, take in the food, take in some
wine... some more food.. some more wine... you get the drill. |
|
| |
|
FUZIO
Wine Tasting Event 3/24/09 Featuring Watts Winery |
|
|
|
|
