Vela Restaurant

05/28/08

Wellesley gem

by chimingin at Citysearch

Rarely do I make an effort to write reviews but Vela deserves the time. 5 of my friends and I ate here for dinner on a Wednesday night and all of us loved it. Our group tries a different restaurant (or return to a favorite) once a month and Vela is one of the best we've been to. Parking was so easy - right out front and meters turn off at 6 p.m. First, the hostess and waitstaff were all very welcoming and friendly. Not stuffy at all. The service was impeccable - waitstaff was very knowledgable and efficient. My guage for good service is if my water glass is kept full and it was :) Now for the food - my friend got the mushroom lasagna appetizer - layers of thin potato around tons of baby mushrooms in a balsamic glaze sauce. We all tried it and were very jealous. A bunch of us got salads that were of a generous portion and not dripping in dressing. All very fresh ingredients - beets, goat cheese, fresh parmesan on one of them. Another person got the cheese trio and the waiter explained what the origin of each cheese was as he served it. For the main courses, you can get half orders of the pasta (which are all homemade). I got the fettucine with shrimp that was amazing. And the half portion was a perfect size. Two people got the salmon entree - huge portion. Both of them really enjoyed it. The steak with mushroom risotto was delicious too. Good wine list - all ranges of prices.

Overall, the price was more than reasonable for the extremely high quality of service and food.

• Pros: Fresh, homemade food. Friendly, accomodating service. Easy parking
• Cons: Decor could be a little less plain

10/02/07

Vela in Wellesley

by bostongirl13 at Citysearch

Really solid place?the food is authentic, perfectly prepared and an overall great value. I see no reason to drive into the North End with this kind food practically at my doorstep-chef/owner Frank Santonastaso really knows his stuff. All their pastas and breads are made in-house, which elevates my opinion of the place that much more. Every Sunday, they have family-friendly Pasta Night: bring in the entire family and they'll serve upscale pasta dishes to the adults, and mix-and-match pastas to the kids (along with carafes of milk and juice!). Very cute concept, indeed.

• Pros: Authentic Food (especially their pastas), Parking, Great Owner