Vela
by Frank quattrone
With all the construction underway in the burgeoning borough of Doylestown, it was inevitable that an attractive new restaurant would soon sail into view. And in a bustling new shopping center, that expectation has been fulfilled with the emergence of Vela. Ostensibly named after its location on Veterans Lane, Vela, translated from the Italian, also means “sail,” “sailboat,” or “sailing.” What could be more apt for a restaurant offering such a smooth, comfortable dining experience.
Entering the building, one is immediately taken by the big, bright, airy space, with its sleek, modern bar, cozy banquettes, and chess-like arrangement of round and square tables. The simple elegance of the space is enhanced further by the gray- and white-backed chairs that are easily the most comfortable I have experienced in more than thirty years on the dining beat.
Chef-owner Donna Ewanciw, aware that most of Doylestown’s fine older restaurants have a darker, Old World ambiance, chose this location because it offered a brightness, an openness her appreciative guests have already praised. The ageless graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (Class of 1981) — whose bright blue smiling eyes reveal the warmth emanating within — describes it as a “cosmopolitan country feel.”
But the culture she has set out to create is that of hospitality. “We want Vela to have a welcoming feel. I’ve trained the staff carefully to be attentive and respectful so that our guests can enjoy a great meal in a comfortable environment.” True enough, on the cool winter evening of our first visit, we heard that pleasantly infectious buzz of happy guests chatting away with their companions and servers as they dug in to the chef’s deliberately limited menu for a meal they’d never forget.
A thirty-year veteran of acclaimed restaurants including DiLullo Centro, Toto, Moonstruck, and, most recently, Blue Bell’s Radice, Chef Donna has not lost her touch. She insists, “I still love the kitchen. I de-stress there. It just feels right. I know I’m a good cook [her words — “chef” would be far more appropriate]. But with Vela, I really want to make a connection and give back to the great community of Doylestown.”
And so, to the menu. True to her previous experience, there is a decidedly Italian flair to many of the dishes. A vegetarian now, she generally offers three meat items, some world-class seafood, and inspired pastas, and is more than willing to create a vegetarian dish not on the menu when so requested.
We started our meal with the chef’s signature hearty pork meatballs in a homemade tomato sauce topped by pecorino. Like the meatballs, Chef Donna’s pastas never disappoint. Our second course featured Italy’s famed wide Pappardelle, served inventively with thinly sliced scallops (a pleasant surprise for us seafood fanciers!) and shiitake mushrooms in a butternut squash purée; and another signature dish, homemade Gnocchi served with sweet peas, basil, and mint in a light cream sauce, topped with crispy pancetta bits — both immensely satisfying dishes that, somehow, did not make us feel stuffed.
To complement our dinner choices, we asked our amiable server Freddy Carfagno for a recommendation. The one-time owner of a hoagie emporium near Doylestown’s County Theater and a former server at Sullivan’s Steakhouse, he was right on the money with his suggestion of the Parolvini Montepulciano, one of the fine mildly dry reds produced in the Abruzzo region of east-central Italy, where my maternal grandparents were born.
It proved to be a most congenial companion for our entrées. Eve raved about her Veal Short Ribs, braised with an amazing rutabaga risotto garnished with a minced parsley, lemon peel, and garlic gremolata in a veal jus. I too enjoyed my Corvina, one of the evening’s specials, a sweet white bass-like fish, served with an escarole, fennel, and potato mix in an aromatic saffron seafood sauce. Two elegant dishes.
Believe it or not, as the chef’s light touch was once again in play, we still had room for dessert. Donna, who still enjoys preparing fresh desserts herself each day, regaled us with her house specialty, a mainstay on all her sweet treat menus, a lovely Blueberry Crisp served with juicy whole berries topped with vanilla ice cream. And I had a ramekin of Pot de Crème, a rich chocolate custard topped with whipped cream and clusters of chocolate.
Vela also boasts an extensive wine list and several beers on draft or by the bottle, not to mention some wildly original cocktails, like fast favorite Smoke on the Water, a blend of Monkey Shoulder Scotch, Cherry Heering, and Sweet Vermouth with a misting of Laphroaig.
So the word is out: Since its opening last summer under the watchful navigation of Chef Donna Ewanciw and her partner husband Joe Vahey, Vela has already experienced smooth sailing that presages a long and fruitful journey amid Doylestown’s bustling dining scene.
Vela Restaurant is located at 140 Veterans Lane, Doylestown, PA 18901; 215-230-8352; www.veladoylestown.com. Open for lunch Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Dinner: Monday – Thursday, 5 – 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 – 11 p.m. Closed Sunday. Happy Hour: Monday – Friday, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Vela can accommodate a range of private and semi-private party events in an attractive flexible space, including full buyouts.