Ken Stewart’s Tre Belle |  1911 N. Cleveland Massillon Rd. | Bath, OH

Friday was a day for celebration, as I received some exciting news—I accepted a new job! You’re looking at (or reading) the new digital content coordinator for Elk & Elk. Side note: I wouldn’t have gotten the job without a certain marketing wizard. Thank you, Megan Valentine!

I spent the afternoon googling nice restaurants close to my condo in Broadview Heights, as I wanted to take Tiffany somewhere nice and surprise her with the good news. I stumbled upon Ken Stewart’s Tre Belle (pronounced Tray-Bellay) in Bath. The reviews were solid. The menu looked impressive. The location was less than 20 minutes away. Good enough for me.

Located in the center of Bath, Tre Belle features a robust menu of Italian entrees, cocktails, beer and wine. Highlights include wood-fired pizzas, spaghetti and meatballs, baked cavatappi bolognese and Tuscan macaroni and cheese. The restaurant sports a charming Italian theme and has an atmosphere that is both intimate and lively.

“We should have kept the dude we had last year.” Those wise words were spoken early in the evening by Brandon, our server at Tre Belle, during a conversation about the Browns’ coaching situation. With that, I knew Tiffany and I were going to have an enjoyable dining experience.

We started our meal with an order of burrata, which was fresh, soft and creamy. Keep in mind, though, that I’m a simple Midwesterner. Prior to Friday, I had never tried burrata. Tiffany, conversely, was quite familiar with it. She noted that—while still tasty—Tre Belle’s version should have been warmer. And wouldn’t you know it, she was right. According to everyone’s favorite source—Wikipedia—the dish is supposed to be served at room temperature. Ours tasted like it had just come out of the refrigerator.

Next came the main courses—Italian nachos and a half-pepperoni, half-banana pepper wood-fired pizza. We were fans of both. With the nachos, Tre Belle puts a fun twist on a traditional dish. They feature fresh-baked pasta chips, banana peppers, sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella and marinara sauce. Plentiful and fresh, the toppings paired well together. I was impressed with the chips as well—they were sizable and crunchy. As for the pizza, no complaints. It had an attractive presentation, soft dough and ample cheese and toppings. What can I tell you … I’m a sucker for a wood-fired oven.

Italian nachos and a wood-fired pizza … you’d think we’d have stopped there. Nope. Two-dessert Tiffany struck again. Side note: I’m not an innocent bystander when it comes to dessert. While I “blame” (wink, wink) Tiffany for always ordering dessert, I happily indulge in whatever she gets. Plus, I’m following the advice of my grandma, who said to “always save room for dessert.” Being the health nuts we are, we ordered zeppole (fried dough) and cheesecake. Both dishes delivered. They were light, flavorful and delicious. How can you go wrong with fried dough and cheesecake? You can’t.

I’m excited to return to Tre Belle. I love its location—it’s tucked away on Cleveland-Massillon Road but still close to Summit Mall and southern suburbs like Broadview Heights, Hinckley, Richfield, Brecksville and Independence. While the parking lot gets crowded, they do offer complimentary valet. Prices are a tad high, but I’m willing to pay for location and atmosphere. And as I mentioned before, the servers are geniuses. (In all seriousness, the staff on our visit was outstanding.) See you in Bath … cheers!