BYOB Buzz: Cafe Bella

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Their eats: Though first-time restaurant owner Hector Pena calls his new Logan Square eatery "a coffee shop with gourmet healthy eating," the term "coffee shop" doesn’t quite do Cafe Bella justice. For starters, a four-year vet of longtime Chicago special-occasion go-to spot Ambria, Cesar Casas, is in the kitchen.

Casas’ weekday menu at the bright, airy 35-seat cafe includes light appetizers such as skewers (chicken, steak, shrimp or veggie), ceviche, quesadillas, salads and sandwiches such as the signature Caribbean chicken ($5.95), a spicy jerk- and herb-seasoned chicken breast topped with yellow squash, zucchini, roasted red peppers, lettuce, tomato and onion served on ciabatta.

For now, Cafe Bella is serving just a handful of dinner entrees on weekends (Friday-Sunday) only. Options change weekly, but one dish Casas says is likely to return is a braised lamb shank served with orzo ($12.95). Call mid-week to hear dinner specials for the upcoming weekend.

"We plan on expanding in the future," Casas says, hinting at plans to eventually turn the cafe into more of a bar and bistro. "We’re testing the waters for now." In other words, get in while you can, and while it’s still BYOB.

Your drinks: Provenance Food and Wine is a smart place to get a wine recommendation before heading to any Logan Square BYOB. Owner Tracy Kellner says a bottle of Eldredge Vineyards Riesling 2007 ($14.99) from Clare Valley, South Australia, is a perfect partner for the Caribbean chicken sandwich, noting the wine has just enough sweetness on the finish to complement spicy jerk flavors. For a more robust entree like the lamb shank, Kellner recommends a bottle of Reserve des Vignerons Saumur 2005 ($12.99), a 100 percent cabernet franc from a co-operative in France’s Loire Valley with sweet tobacco notes and enough tannin to match up to a rich, meaty dish. Cafe Bella does not charge a corkage fee.

Emily Hiser Lobdell is a Metromix special contributor. metromix@tribune.com