Port O' Bella

Basile soon joined the family business, opening Antonio's in Golden Gate with two of his brothers. But when his family returned to the North, Basile stayed, married and opened his own restaurant, Taste of New York, in Fort Myers. He was 23.

Soon he opened Basile's next door, then a second Taste of New York in Bell Tower. "They were mostly pizza places. Very casual," he says.

But as Basile got older, the casual pizza place had lost its appeal. He wanted to open a fine dining establishment. He also wanted to dabble in real estate.

His dreams were fulfilled when he built Bella Rosa Shops, a small strip plaza on Daniels Parkway just west of Interstate 75. The centerpiece is his restaurant, Bella Rosa Italian Grill. "I knew this was the place to be, especially with the expansion of the airport," Basile says. "The whole area is booming for business."

What we ate: Italian specialties fused with a Mediterranean flair. With so many items on the two-page menu, it was difficult to decide. Do we go with familiar favorites-Caesar salad, pizza, veal parmesan, stromboli, chicken marsala-or try something new? We decided to venture into unfamiliar territory, starting with the imported prosciutto de Parma ($9). Served on an elegant logoed dish were thick slices of mozzarella and beefsteak tomato and roasted red peppers drizzled with balsamic and basil oils. A tasteful and recognizable combination, perhaps, but it was the succulent prosciutto that gave the appetizer an added sweetness.

While waiting for our entrées, rigatoni bolognese ($8) and macadamia nut-crusted grouper, one of the day's specials, we indulged in warm, soft, garlic rolls that you pull apart with your fingers. A delightful-and fragrant-twist on the typical bread loaf.

The rigatoni was served just as pasta should be-in a deep bowl. With its small bits of veal, beef and sausage blended in a pomodora sauce, the dish was surprisingly light. It was topped off with Parma and Romano cheeses.

The grouper, served on a bed of perfectly textured risotto, was one of the best examples yet of what is becoming a Southwest Florida menu staple. The crunchy exterior didn't overpower the fish, and the berry cream sauce was an ideally sweet complement.

Unable to resist dessert, which includes cannoli, a key lime tart, white cake with orange icing, cheesecake and more (all $5), we selected the cassada cake, a white cake with white icing. The enormous slice came to the table looking like a piece of art (created by an in-house pastry chef) and was made even more decadent by the chocolate-chip topping and cannoli filling.

Atmosphere: Basile credits his wife, Rose, with the interior. "She has a flair for design," he says. Rose excelled at bringing the look and feel of Italy to Fort Myers, using deep reds, gold gilded mirrors, elaborate murals on the walls and ceilings (a countryside scene encompasses one wall), and statuary. We dined inside the dome, a circular area in the middle of the dining room defined by columns and wrought-iron railings. Suspended in the middle of the room is a grand crystal chandelier, an impressive piece. If privacy is what you crave, high-backed booths lining the walls outside of the dome offer an intimate gathering place. There is also seating outside around the fountain on those cool, fall days and evenings, as well as a bar inside.

Service: Though it was busy, we were seated promptly, and each dish arrived at the table in a timely manner.

Power Quotient: The dining room bustled with businesspeople, but we could still comfortably speak with one another at the table. "This is the meeting ground for business owners, real estate agents, bankers and developers," Basile says. Corner booths provide room for larger parties and the ability to work.

Bella Rosa Italian Grill

8911 Daniels Parkway in the Bella Rosa Plaza, Fort Myers. 561-6969. Lunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday and Sunday. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. Monday-Sunday. Credit cards.