Hot Springs has a great variety of privately-owned, non-chain restaurants. These places are thriving because of excellent customer service, atmosphere and of course great food. One place that I had the pleasure to visit that excels in all these areas is Luna Bella.

Luna Bella is Italian-American cuisine in a relaxed and comfortable setting. I’d heard great things about them, so being a lover of Italian food, I was excited to try it.

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Walking through the door, my date and I were met with a smile and handshake from the owner. We were introduced to Linda, our server. After being taken to our seats, we placed our drink orders. Immediately after bringing our drinks, Linda supplied us with Luna Bella’s house made bread and butter and explained, in detail, the specials of the night. It is always a pleasure to have a server who is knowledgeable of the menu and takes pride in serving the customer.

I decided to have fried calamari for an appetizer. It was excellent, lightly battered and fried to a tender golden-brown and served with sauteed green onions, tomatoes and mushrooms. My date decided to have Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo, and I chose the Veal Scallopini for my entree. I had to have a bite of the fettuccine, which was perfectly cooked with a flavorful and creamy Alfredo sauce. My own dish was incredible, fork tender veal with sauteed jumbo shrimp, mushrooms all sitting on top of creamy mashed potatoes — and those potatoes could be the best I have ever eaten. My entree was also served with the vegetable of the day, a sauteed medley of green beans, yellow squash, artichoke hearts, and carrots. Levels upon levels of flavor. These were not dainty little plates at all; I have a big appetite, and I was completely satisfied.

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As we sat and enjoyed the the atmosphere, discussing our wonderful meal, I remembered the dessert special our server had described to us earlier: Dark chocolate cake with butter cream icing, made in house. I took a piece with us to enjoy later at home. Truly amazing food. I did have one problem with the evening, the dining room was a little chilly when we arrived. But before I could ask the hostess to turn up the heat, I noticed her directing one of the servers to do so.

My overall experience at Luna Bella was amazing. From Linda, our server, to the atmosphere, the food and the greetings from the owner as well as the handshake when we left. Many more trips to Luna Bella are in order. If you are in the Hot Springs area and want a great dining experience, take a trip out to Luna Bella.

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