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A Taste of Tuscany in Central

-by Michael Staton, statonfacts@live.com

Restaurants that claim to serve authentic Italian cuisine are not uncommon in South Carolina. Even if you find one, it’s hard to find a chef that will take some chances and come up with appetizers and entrees that play on the identity of established dishes.

However, one such restaurant is in our metaphorical back yard and has been for some time now. Villa Novella in Central has been churning out some seriously tasty dishes that are truly original—but very Tuscan in nature—under the supervision of head chef and owner John Robinson. 

ATMOSPHERE

The atmosphere at Villa Novella works well because it is separated into several different rooms. You feel as though you can find a nice corner to relax in and hide out from the stress of work and in-laws. The true star of the restaurant is the bar with an outdoor patio that overlooks the front lawn and stone pathways.

SERVICE

Dave took care of us on the night of our visit. He was extremely courteous and knowledgeable of the food. Two people on the kitchen staff even came out to ask about the quality of food. We were the last people to leave the restaurant and still received great service instead of being ushered out.

FOOD

We started our meal with a creamy trout dip accompanied by crisp bread. The trout flavor was strong but did not linger and this was a great way to start the meal. We had a second appetizer of fried brie cheese topped with local honey and a cranberry balsamic vinegar. This may have been the best thing I had all night, as the sweet, near-overwhelming flavor up front was tempered by the crispy, fried texture of the brie and the tender cranberries.

Next, we received a small sampling of some different pasta that Villa has to offer. These included homemade gnocchi in a bleu cheese cream sauce, lobster ravioli in a roasted red pepper sauce and angel hair pasta with truffle oil and button mushrooms. Homemade gnocchi is extremely hard to find, which is why this pasta stood out.

We tried two main courses. The bleu cheese crusted lamb lollipops were served in a hearty balsamic sauce. The lamb was grilled crisp on the outside but retained a succulent medium rare on the inside. The lamb had a peppery after-bite that paired well with the sweet balsamic.

The other main course we tried was Etna’s Eggplant, named after the famed volcano in Italy. The dish looks like it is erupting with zucchini, onions, roasted red peppers and mushrooms in a cream sauce. The vegetables are so fresh they seem to pop in your mouth, while the slightly spicy polenta on the side works well with the cream sauce.

We finished with a sweet peach crème brulee and homemade limoncello liqueur. We were offered other desserts that surely would have been more filling but we only had room for the crème brulee.

If you want a homey, relaxed atmosphere and some truly original food that is familiar enough to not intimidate, try Villa Novella. It’s probably the closest you’ll get to true Tuscan flavors in the upstate.

Villa Novella

217 W Main Street, Central, SC

864-639-0076

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