Have you had one of those days where you want nothing more than to put on your pajamas and curl up on the couch? Is the thought of going out to eat not appealing right now, yet you have nothing in your pantry to fix? Even worse, can you not muster up the energy to prepare a meal, and then clean up your own mess? Or, are you like me and have a bodybuilder husband who is eating you out of house and home and you are just plum tired of cooking? Are you tired of the same old take out choices? You don’t have to resort to those Chinese takeout containers or a big greasy pizza. You have options, wonderfully delicious gourmet options!
K’Bella Gourmet Carry Out is often an overlooked choice. I disregarded it for a long time. When it opened over 4 years ago, I just deemed it as another so-called gourmet carry out. We already had one just right across the street, and I wasn’t crazy about it so I quickly filed KBella under the same category. However, I kept passing it over and and over again, between walking into the gym, into the yoga studio, going to the grocery store… I kept passing it. With the hubby working at the gym right next door, he was the one who discovered it first. It was almost like a secret obsession for him. These little black containers kept appearing at the house and I kept asking him where they were from. My hubby was cheating on my cooking, ironically with another cook named Kristen! He ranted and raved about Swedish Meatballs, Aged Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese, Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Blue Cheese Meatballs, and of course these incredible brownies K’Bella makes (Can you tell the hubby loves stinky cheese?). That’s when I had to go check out this little hidden gem for myself!
The place may be petite, but it has big personality. When you walk in, you may be greeted by Chef Kristen or any member of her family, from husband, mother, mother-in-law, and even her 6-year old daughter from whom the restaurant gets its name. It’s definitely a family affair. On any given day, you will walk in and find countless choices of entrees, sides, soups, wraps, and desserts. Never can you walk in two days in a row and find the same thing because Chef Kristen Vogel-Sicilia keeps things constantly changing and seasonal. Sometimes you can walk in twice in the SAME day, and see new selections! Only the freshest ingredients are used for K’Bella’s dishes.
Typically, a customer chooses one entrée and two sides, which will cost you $8-$10. I especially like it because I can make healthy choices, vegetarian choices, or simply blow it out the water, like I did the other day with an almost half-foot stack of Sicilian Eggplant Parmesan – hands down the best Eggplant Parm I have ever placed into mouth! K’Bella allows you the choice to indulge or to keep it healthy, or even a little of both, for a very reasonable price. K’Bella has quickly become our go-to lunch and dinner of choice, never even looking back to those days of swinging through the drive-thru or stopping in for a quick bite of Mexican. All you have to do is run in, pick out your entrée and sides, and take it home to reheat when you are ready to eat. Amazingly, all of K’Bella’s dishes reheat perfectly. I’m not sure what Chef Kristen’s secret trick is to keeping all of those meats moist and tender after being microwaved at home, but whatever it is, it works!
In my few months of sampling K’Bella Gourmet Carry Out, I have developed some favorites, like:
- Chicken Stuffed with Mushrooms and Goat Cheese
- Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Potato Soup
- Tilapia Stuffed with Crab
- Salmon topped with a Tomato Basil Aioli
- Spaghetti with Sundried Tomatoes, Basil, and Goat Cheese
- Blue Cheese and Red Onion Black Eyed Peas
And every time I go in, I add a new favorite to the list. When we tell Chef Kristen how much we liked something, it magically appears in the cases a few days later!
Whether you are looking for a quick dinner at home, you’re trying to impress a date with “your cooking”, or you need lunch to take to work tomorrow, K.Bella is definitely your place to go for tasty, generous, gourmet meals at take out prices. She even does catering! I was lucky enough to be standing in the restaurant the other day when a new bride and groom came in praising K’Bella for their wedding food. You HAVE to go try this place. K’Bella is located on Charlotte Roadon WhitemarshIsland, nestled between Jalapenos, Anytime Fitness, and Publix. They are open Monday through Saturday from 11:00am to 8:00pm and on Sundays from 12:00pm to 6:00pm. Check out their website for ever-changing daily specials: www.kbellagourmetcarryout.com
Don’t make the mistake I did; don’t pass this place by anymore!
Written by Kristen Davis
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