I visited Isabella’s this Sunday (4/19) with three of my friends. The first thing that struck me was the homage to the old Isabella’s in the Vestibule – the walls were yellow and the painting of Isabella hung on the wall. However, this is the ONLY remembrance of the past. The new restaurant is chic, metro, funky, and very sleek. It is decorated in muted grays with minimal decor. There is a great lounge section with funky Zebra stools in the bar area. There is a back room with a fireplace that can be curtained off for private parties. And the best part is that they kept the old Meriwether’s bar which keeps the place feeling like home to those of us who miss it.

Okay – on to the really good stuff. Besides having excellent service, we were treated to some culinary delights that will keep this self-proclaimed culinary snob coming back for more.

Our first course was a little decadent for a Sunday afternoon, but we wanted to celebrate and decided to start with cocktails. Anyone who has been to Isabella’s before knows that they offer amazing Bellinis and this was the perfect way to start our brunch.

Of the four of us who ate, three ordered the Italian Eggs Benedict served on Rosemary Focaccia, with Pancetta, spinach, and a basil hollandaise. I LOVE eggs Benedict and this one ties for my most favorite EVER. The bread was nice and crusty, the pancetta added the perfect balance of salt, the eggs were cooked to perfection, and the hollandaise was light with a subtle hint of basil. We all cleaned our plates!

One guest got the Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes and I can happily report that these are not your Mother’s pancakes. They were huge, fluffy, loaded with blueberries and yummy!

Reviews of Isabella’s Italian Trattoria:

http://www.10best.com/

http://www.yelp.com/