Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, is a growing and evolving city. One can look at the ever expanding restaurant scene as proof of that.
With options increasing to satiate the demand of the local food enthusiasts, as well as the visiting guests searching for an experience away from home, there is a restaurant that combines the best of three worlds that create unforgettable memories: Bella Madallena.
Bella Madallena restaurant can be described in three words: Food, Company, Dance.
From the moment you walk into Bella, as its guests have come to call it, you may feel that its make up is of a restaurant plucked from the beach side and dropped in the middle of the city. This, however, gives it a comfortable and unique atmosphere. Its open concept keeps the atmosphere fresh, both in the daytime and when the sun comes down.
Bella is split into a bottom section with a smooth concrete floor and a large and beautiful mango tree that stretches beyond the upper deck. With its succulent in-season mangos, the guests are protective over the tree that has become as much a character of the space at any time of day than anything its owners could dream up.
The top deck is lined with a lounge area on one end that sits on a soft but sturdy wooden floor, and bar on the other just in front of a dark red concrete space for when the salsa and kizomba beats fill that air and the guests take a break the delicious food to work up a bit more appetite and the dance floor.
Food
The food from Bella was inspired by the cuisine from a region in Portugal called Madeira. However, Bella has pleasantly spun it into “Madeira Without Boarders” as it has craftily incorporated the taste of its cuisine with subtle differences to mirror its supposedly out of place look in the middle of the city that just works.
One needs to look at Bella’s signature bread, Bolo do Caco, as the perfect example. The sweet potato based bread, infused with chamomile and other herbs serves as a base for all of its burgers, sandwiches and pizzas. It is a difference that is experienced with delight and keeps part of Madeira alive in those dishes. It also makes a divine garlic bread on its own or a as a quick toast to go with your coffee.
The picanha and espetadas (filet skewers) will make avid meat eaters’ tongues dance as the tastes invade their senses. Perfectly cooked and served with a choice of sides, the main fish dish, Dourada, is unlike any seafood available. It will have you licking the fish bones before you notice that it is done.
Bella’s signature drink, Poncha, is the highlight of the Bella Experience. The star within the cocktail is passion fruit (granadilla tree fruit). The fruit’s zesty taste balances well with the spirit and the touch of brown sugar mix. It is so popular that some guests order bottles to go. No wonder Bella runs out of glasses serving upwards of one hundred Poncha drinks on any given Thursday and nears seven hundred a month. Poncha’s taste lends itself well on a sunny summer day or a winter evening with the option of the Poncha Pescador (Fisherman’s Poncha), a warm delight.
Company
Familial atmosphere, with the excitement of new friends and the comfort of friendly company. That is the Bella way.
Whether you come in for a quick bite or would like to host a dinner or a party, the Bella staff engage with the guests and help them feel like they are in their home away from home.
Dance
The only aspect of Bella that rivals its delicious food is the amazing dance nights. Starting on Wednesday, Bella kicks off a night of Latin music in what has been dubbed “Quarta Latina” or Latin Wednesdays. The upper deck is closed off for those who want to have dinner and spin the night away with some spicy salsa, tango, swing, and bachata.
On Thursdays, Bella hosts its Kizomba night (“Quinta Kizomba”) extravaganza. Kizomba is a popular dance in Mozambique and Bella hosts a night where the guests come and eat and slide to the popular rhythm and beats of this popular African couple dance genre that also includes semba and urbankiz. Both the lower and upper deck are open for what is becoming a popular Thursday event in the city.
The events are hosted by Dance Spot, a dance school that resides in the building next to Bella. Teachers are available for newbies that want to get a feel for the dance. The friendly atmosphere creates a sense of belonging and engagement between all guests as it is a safe place to dance no matter the level.
So Bella Madallena invites you to come glide to Latin music, gyrate to kizomba, jump to international and local beats, feast on incredibly relaxing food shared with great company, while sipping on a delicious one of a kind Poncha.
You may wonder if it really is one of a kind, but once you experience Bella Madallena, you will appreciate that it is a true gem. And when you are done with the Bella experience, like all our guests, you will realize that there is no better way than the Bella way!
