RESTAURANT REVIEW:

There seems to be an abundance of Italian restaurants in Huntington Beach. I am not sure why. It just seems like every two blocks another one has popped up.

Most are family-owned, but not totally family-operated. The owner is Italian, but the cooks are from somewhere else.

Mangia Mangia is not one of those. It’s owned by two brothers from Sicily and they are actively involved in the restaurant.

When I came in on a recent Friday night, one of the brothers, Pietro Cefalu, was in the kitchen and instantly I felt reassured. I was trying this place on a recommendation of a friend who had steered me wrong in the past and I was hoping his judgment wasn’t always cloudy.

Fortunately, it wasn’t. The restaurant is a mix of old and new. It is in a shopping mall but it has the look and feel of a neighborhood place.

The kitchen is semi-open, visible when you walk in the front door. There is multicolored pasta hanging from a bar above the kitchen and you will usually get a wave back if you greet Pietro.

The dining area is cramped, tables are right next to each other and you will get to know the people on either side of you, but that is part of the charm.

It also comes in handy when you are deciding on what to order and, believe me, the decision will be a difficult one.

For starters, there are both hot and cold appetizers. The signature appetizer is the calamari fritti. The calamari is not overly deep fried and tastes very light, while remaining crunchy.

Another is vitello tonnato, which is thinly sliced veal in a sauce of brandy, capers and tuna sauce. This is a dish I had not had before and I was impressed. It could be the best appetizer.

One appetizer I would love to see is prosciutto and melon. It is a favorite of mine and I think it would work perfectly here.

If you want something before your meal I would bypass the house salad and order the minestrone soup. It was very good with a rich taste.

The standard pasta dishes are on the menu and are perfect for those who want something they are comfortable with. Spaghetti with meat sauce, fettuccine alfredo and lasagna are some of the choices.

For those who want to branch out, some of the dishes I found interesting were the angel hair al checca, which is a pasta sautéed with fresh basil, chopped tomatoes, garlic and olive oil, and the penne arriminati, which is pasta with broccoli, pine nuts, anchovies and raisins served in a light tomato sauce.

The ravioli selections are quite good. One of my dining companions had the ravioli bolognese and was satisfied. The other person had the risotto asiago and it was fantastic. I am a big fan of risotto and it is cooked well here. The spinach and mushrooms were a nice mix with the Italian cheese.

While selecting a pasta dish might be difficult, it is nowhere near as hard as figuring out which entrée to order.

The two house specialties are a good place to start. The chicken mangia mangia is a chicken breast sautéed with white wine ginger, shallots, red bell peppers and asparagus.

Then there is the scampi cefalu. A plate of large shrimp are sautéed with butter, garlic, white wine, fresh herbs and a little cream.

There are three veal dishes and the veal sautéed in white wine, tomato, olives, capers and oregano would be my choice.

Above the din of conversation is a plasma TV showing a video of Italy. Viewing the aerial shots of the beautiful country and the excellent food, you will almost think you are there.

MANGIA MANGIA

Address: 16079 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach

Phone: (714) 841-8887

Cuisine: Italian

Alcohol served: Beer and wine

Dress: Casual

Family friendly: Yes, but no children’s menu

Credit cards accepted: American Express, Visa, Discover and MasterCard

Reger Rating: ***

JOHN REGER is the Independent’s food critic.