Dining Out

Mary Furr

Most of those who eat out regularly have a special place they go for

comfort and good food -- sometimes these places even know their usual

order. Lino’s Pizzeria and Italian Cuisine on Beach Blvd. and Talbert

Ave., Huntington Beach, is one of those.

It’s a small line-up-and-give-your-order, wood-paneled store front

with nine tables. The warm smell of slow-cooking tomato sauce and yeasty

aroma of pizza fills the room.

Owner Pat McLoughlin bought Lino’s five years ago urged on by her son

and daughter who had both worked there when going to school. “It’s

quality that makes the difference,” Pat says. “We try to get the best.”

Weekdays have “board” specials -- Monday it was Canneloni ($5.75,

usually $7.95) with a fresh salad and basket of garlic bread. Two egg and

cream crepes, blistering hot from the oven, are folded around a thick

filling of ground meat and spinach florentine. The classic dish, Italian

for “large reeds,” baked with a fresh onion and tomato sauce is perfect

for a wintry day -- very satisfying. As Pat says, quality is the thing

and the sauce she calls “universal” is thick with firm tomato pieces.

For dinner two slices of Veal Scaloppine ($9.25 a la carte, $11.95)

lightly breaded but not as tender as they could be, are served on a bed

of sliced onions, mushrooms and green peppers. A generous side of

spaghetti with tomato sauce adds pasta to a dinner that also includes

salad and garlic bread -- a well-balanced dish.

Lino’s has pizzas (12-18 inches) with 15 toppings ($1 each) you can

select from. There’s a lunch special (11 to 4 p.m.): a pizza slice with

salad and drink for $2.99. What is tempting about this place is that

everything is cooked “home style” with freshness you can taste.

The 12-inch deluxe pizza ($11.50) has it all -- it’s loaded. The

yeasty dough is made fresh every morning, hand-tossed the old fashioned

way and baked in a brick oven. Pat says the brick oven gives pizza a

sizzling bubbly top and crisps the bottom beautifully. Chef Jeff King

covers the big pie with tiny spicy meat balls and loads of black olive

slices and rings it with slices of salami and purple onions.

There are no desserts -- Pat plans to add them in the future. She also

says since hot dishes are made when ordered, there may be a wait but that

just-cooked quality is what makes Lino’s different from fast food.

* MARY FURR is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have comments

or suggestions, call (562) 493-5062 or e-mail o7 hbindy@latimes.com.f7

FYI

Lino’s Pizzeria and Italian Cuisine

18027 Beach Blvd. at Talbert Ave.

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturday; open

until 10 p.m. Friday; 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday.

MISC.: Free delivery with $12 minimum order