KATHY MADER -- Dining Review

It’s January, and if you are like me, you are already looking to

destroy your New Year’s resolutions and take refuge against the harsh

winter. This is so important here in Southern California, and I have just

the place for you to warm up with real Italian comfort food.

Garduno’s Ristorante Italiano, on the corner of 17th Street (directly

across from Mi Casa restaurant) and Santa Ana Avenue in Costa Mesa, is

just the kind of cozy, family-run, heavy-duty comfort food place you need

in the dead of a Southern California winter.

Garduno’s is a tiny little restaurant, just about 1,000 square feet,

which adds to its coziness and charm. They have what you call an

exhibition kitchen, where everything that goes on inside is no secret.

Actually, nothing about Garduno’s is a secret. According to Julie

Garduno, 90% of her customers are repeat.

The only true bummer about the open kitchen is that after watching

what goes in and out and inhaling all those wondrous smells, it makes it

that much more difficult to decide what to order. The daily specials are

usually on display, and choosing just one is simply not fair. So don’t do

it.

Julie Garduno, along with her husband and head chef, Mark Garduno, met

at What’s Cooking, originally located where Garduno’s now stands. Once

the love connection was made and her career plans as a flight attendant

tossed, they had a whirlwind engagement/restaurant opening. They’ve had a

steady stream of customers coming in for that seriously comforting

Italian food ever since.

On my most recent visit, I ordered my favorite thing of all, the very

rich chicken lasagna ($11.95) -- a chicken, mushroom and artichoke

lasagna in a cream sauce. Warning: One serving of lasagna is enough for

two meals, which to me is an outright bonus.

After speaking with Julie, she informed me that this dish is actually

everybody’s favorite and originated when a customer wanted “lasagna, but

not lasagna” catered for her party. The chicken lasagna used to be for

catering only and just recently made it to regular-menu status. The

incredible taste, along with the threat of customer mutiny, made it clear

to the Gardunos that they needed to offer it regularly.

My family ordered the rich and hearty traditional lasagna ($9.95),

stuffed with sausage and pasta in a sweet (did I detect nutmeg?) sauce. I

think they were a little jealous of mine, but they swore they loved

theirs. Lasagna seems to be the un-touted house special, but fear not,

the menu is large and diverse.

Garduno’s starter salad, with the homemade Italian dressing, is also

terrific. I would like to see this made into an entree, but it is pretty

good-sized as is, and an excellent segue to the bread, the cornerstone of

Italian meals. The salad comes with shaved carrots, varied greens and a

smattering of olives. Garduno’s promises that its pastas are made fresh

on the premises daily, and their sauces are made to order. There is

nothing about their food that disputes this. I also love that you can

select your own favorite pasta, from fusilli to ravioli, and everything

in between, and then choose your sauce, ranging from fruiti di mari

(seafood in a light tomato sauce) and vongole (clams in a white wine

sauce), all the way to a porcini sauce (porcini mushrooms with marsala

wine and cream). Yes, you can have it your way.

Garduno’s offers several chicken and veal dishes, both traditional

Italian, such as the chicken or veal Marsala (13.95) and Pollo Limone

(13.95), and some that reflect the California influence, such as the

Vitello Julia, fresh veal with mushrooms, artichoke hearts, sun-dried

tomatoes and wine.

There is always a fish of the day as well, so please ask. I still have

a long list of items to try, but according to some of those

aforementioned regular customers, there is no way I can go wrong.

Garduno’s daily specials also include desserts. The night we went, the

traditional tiramisu ($3.95) was on display, looking good. Cannolis --

rolled, crisp pastry stuffed with sweetened ricotta cheese and chocolate

chips -- and gelato truffles are always on the menu. However, there was

simply no room.

* KATHY MADER’s dining reviews appear every other Thursday.

FYI

What: Garduno’s Ristorante Italiano

Where: 298 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa

When: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 4:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday

How much: Moderate

Call: (949) 645-5505