Bella Notte was one of my favorite restaurants when I was in law school at UK. I happened to be in Lexington yesterday, and my friend and I grabbed lunch there (it had been probably 15 years since I last ate there). We got the bruschetta appetizer, which was probably a 9/10--second only to what I've had at Volare. I ordered an entree from the seasonal special menu (autumn manicotti), and it was spot-on. My friend ordered one of the daily specials (fettuccini with filet tips), and it was very good, although some of the filet tips were a little overcooked for "medium," but still juicy. The complimentary custom spice blend with oil and fresh hot bread are still a centerpiece of a meal here. Highly recommended if you're in the area!
By the way, we drove by Olive Garden on the way there, and the parking lot appeared to be completely full. We experienced no wait at Bella Notte, and the dining room was perhaps half full on a Sunday after most churches had dismissed.