Belana

What's it like?

Before I share my experience at Belana, I have to disclose that I’ve heard Roy Harlan’s name dozens of times since moving to Fresno, and set a higher standard of expectations than I would have had this not been his restaurant.

When I walked in the door, my eyes were immediately drawn left of the host station to the towering wine rack, the copper palm tree and the brick oven. Unfortunately, they eventually found their way back to the right, and into a storage area that (I think) should have been a little more blocked off.

I was quoted a 20-25 minute wait (good for them for being so busy); we ended up waiting closer to 35 minutes. And while we waited, I struggled to pinpoint the source of the smell of moth balls. Was it another patron? Perhaps, but I believe it was actually the couch in the waiting area.

While the restaurant is beautiful, and the food is good, it’s just that: good. Not great, but also not expensive, so it’s a good value. Service was quite attentive, though our waitress could have know a little bit more about the menu—having waited tables for years, I expect a server to have tasted most of the menu and to be able to make recommendations.

Since this review sounds a bit disappointed, I’ll emphasize that everything was good—I recommend the restaurant to anyone looking for a good lunch. I’ll definitely be back!