Requiem for a Restaurant – Vita Bella, Oaks, PA

by artfuldiner on April 4, 2016

in Breaking News, Opinion, Restaurant Event, Wining and Dining

Photo Credit: Gary Puleo & Times Herald

Photo Credit: Gary Puleo & Times Herald

According to statistics, an estimated 60 percent of restaurants go out of business within the first three years of operation; 44 percent bite the dust within the first year. Unfortunately, Vita Bella – 1570 Egypt Road, Oaks, Pennsylvania – is the latest local restaurant to fall victim to the cruel numbers game.

As noted in Christine Letchinger’s The Anatomy of Restaurant Failure: Dead Man Walking, the reasons for restaurant failure are legion; and, in many cases, are already in place even before a given eatery opens its doors. This was, sad to say, surely the self-destructive theme played out at Vita Bella.

The independently-owned restaurant’s concept – serving up made-from-scratch Sicilian dishes from old family recipes – was certainly a good one… Their marketing strategy, however, left a great deal to be desired and ultimately proved their downfall. For while Vita Bella’s strong suit was obviously their authentic upscale cuisine; they chose to present themselves primarily as a brick-oven pizzeria.

And plopping another pizzeria down in the middle of beautiful downtown Oaks is very much like – if you’ll pardon the expression – carrying coals to Newcastle. There is certainly no shortage of Italian restaurants/pizzerias in the immediate Oaks area; several within a stone’s throw of the ill-fated Vita Bella.

The scenario went something like this: People would pop in for a slice or pie, take one look at what they considered elevated menu prices – never imagining the culinary gems just waiting to be gleaned from the kitchen – and promptly exit stage left. And having that fancy-schmancy pizza oven front row center only reinforced potential patrons’ impressions of Vita Bella as an over-priced pizza joint.

But there were other problems as well. When the restaurant first opened, the owners’ young children were very much in evidence, taking over the counter space and generally running amuck at will throughout the restaurant. This, once again, had run-of-the-mill pizza joint written all over it… and also discouraged serious diners from settling in the dining room.

And this space also had its shortcomings. It had a less-than-attractive unfinished look and wasn’t particularly comfortable or conducive to upscale dining. In general, everything about the character of Vita Bella belied the superior quality and careful preparation & presentation of the cuisine. And the owner, Alessandro Lascaro – a seasoned restaurateur – should have known better… but the entire enterprise seemed intent upon shooting itself in the foot from the very outset.

Vita Bella’s former space in the Oaks Shopping Center is now inhabited by Basilico Family Restaurant & Pizzeria, which, unfortunately, promises yet another Italian/American menu populated by the usual culinary suspects.

Bon Appétit!

TAD

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