The dough is on this pizzeria

Greer Wylder

“Abbondanza” means abundance in Italian. And the year-old Abbondanza

Italian Bistro dishes out huge quantities of food, yet equally cares

for quality.

Its owners, Brian and Lisa Matejka, spent years developing recipes

and customizing the menu to fit local tastes. When Abbondanza first

opened, the Matejkas set out to offer Newport a gourmet pizzeria

specializing in New York-style, hand-tossed and deep-dish Chicago

pizzas. For a sentimental ambience they chose a traditional pizza

parlor decor with large black-and-white-checkered tablecloths and

vintage photos of New York and Chicago. The Balboa Boulevard eatery

seats just 40, with bar and patio seating.

But the taste is big.

The Matejkas spent two years developing the perfect pizza dough,

tasting Chicago’s best pizzas, endlessly testing recipes and

ultimately choosing a beer-battered, cornmeal crust with secret

ingredients.

While Abbondanza attempted a focus on New York- and Chicago-style

pizza, it is now a favorite neighborhood Italian bistro. Customer

requests dictated Abbondanza’s pizza theme, but unlike most

pizzerias, chef Matt Lopez could create exceptional dishes.

His specialty, “Italy Meets California,” merges California’s fresh

ingredients and creativity with gourmet Italian recipes. Now

Abbondanza offers gourmet-style, thin-crust pizzas and homemade

Italian dishes.

Since 90% of its customers prefer Italian-style, thin-crust pizza,

Abbondanza narrowed its choices. It proved tough on the kitchen to

prepare multiple crusts. The delicious dough is rolled thin, baked in

a stone oven and served with a crisp, cracker crust.

Checkerboard-style cuts substitute for traditional pie slices.

Twelve gourmet pizza recommendations are on the menu to choose

from, or pizzas can be customized with gourmet ingredients that

include caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, Canadian bacon,

cappicola ham, apple wood-smoked bacon or Sabatino’s sausage. Sizes

are 10-inch personal pizzas; 13 inches for two or three; and 16-inch

offerings serve three to four. Pizzas range from $6 for a personal

cheese pizza to $19 for 16-inch pizzas with multiple toppings.

Lopez, a graduate of Capital Culinary Institute in Florida, knows

more about cooking than simply preparing pizza. Each day he makes an

antipasto salsa (similar to a bruschetta topping) that’s a blend of

Roma tomatoes, red onions, garlic, basil and fresh herbs. Along with

fresh romaine, it’s the base of all antipasto salads that come with

Gemelli pasta, red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes or a variety of meats

and cheeses ($8 to $10). Other salad choices include caesar ($8);

Italian cobb ($10) and Greek goddess ($9). They are large enough to

share and for just $2 can include roasted chicken breast. Unlike most

Italian restaurants, the oversized salads come chopped, making them

easier to eat.

Lopez creates complex sauces and hand-prepares pasta dishes

layered in flavors for 18 pasta kinds of offerings. Homemade red

sauce, creamy pesto, balsamic vinegar reduction and lobster cream

make up some of Lopez’s favorites. Only the pre-baked meat or

vegetable lasagna that features sheets of pasta, four gourmet

cheeses, homemade Italian sausage and meatballs or vegetables is

prepared in advance ($11 to $12).

Recommended pasta dishes include “Pride of Newport,” shrimp,

scallops and scampi in a rich lobster cream sauce, with chopped

mushrooms, spinach, Roma tomatoes, cappicola ham and cappelini ($16).

“Balsamic Chicken Pasta,” similar to a Thai drunken noodle recipe,

has a sweet balsamic reduction sauce with “drunken” fettuccini ($10).

You can’t go wrong with the homemade meatballs and spaghetti ($9).

“Peninsula Pesto Pasta” was created for locals and consists of

roasted chicken cooked in creamy pesto with mushrooms, Roma tomatoes,

Feta cheese, served over rigatoni noodles ($11). There’s even a

low-carb, no-pasta option, with only chicken, shrimp, broccoli, red

onions, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, pine nuts and garlic sauteed in

olive oil ($14). For an extra $2, add a side salad or Caesar and

garlic bread. Homemade meatballs, Italian sausage or spicy Sabatino

sausage can be added for an additional charge.

Other menu options include appetizers ($3 to $11) and 9-inch

torpedoes (Italian sandwiches) baked in the stone oven ($9). Beers

and premium California and Italian wines are available. Italy’s

high-quality Lavazza coffee is served.

Abbondanza caters to locals, serving the best in neighborhood

Italian bistro cuisine.

Take-out and catering options are available. With limited space,

reservations are recommended.

* BEST BITES runs every Friday. Greer Wylder can be reached at

greerwylder@yahoo.com; at 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627; or by

fax at (949)-4170.