DINING REVIEW -- Stephen Santacroce

Several years ago, I visited Italy with my family, spending two

wonderful weeks visiting Rome, Florence and the Amalfi coast. Some of my

fondest memories were of the wonderful meals we had in offbeat,

out-of-the-way little restaurants. We never ate in five-star

establishments, but instead poked around until we found small, family-run

trattorias that served wonderful, authentic food at surprisingly

reasonable prices. Although each restaurant had its own distinct

personality, they all shared in common a warm, familiar atmosphere,

well-prepared but simple food, and owners who more often than not knew

most of the regulars by name. Many of the restaurants, especially in the

south, sported wood-burning ovens that turned out crisp pizzas and

oftentimes the cook was also the matriarch of the family.

Although I haven’t been back to Italy since that visit, I can at least

enjoy some of the ambience of those little trattorias at What’s Cooking?

Bistro, the Newport Beach staple that does a winning job of combining

most of the best attributes of Italian cuisine in a Newport Beach strip

mall setting.

Founded in 1976 by Lucia Luhan and her husband, Dr. Jorge Luhan,

What’s Cooking? has been delighting locals since its opening with a cozy,

friendly atmosphere and authentic, well-crafted Italian cuisine. That, on

the eve of its 25th anniversary, the restaurant is still a local

favorite, is a testament to the dedication of the Luhans, and their sons,

who now run the day-to-day operations of What’s Cooking?, as well as the

family’s other restaurant in Dana Point.

A large, horseshoe-shaped bar is the dominant feature one spots after

walking into What’s Cooking? The bar is usually crowded with patrons

patiently waiting for a table or simply enjoying dinner perched on a bar

stool. The bar fronts a modern-looking exhibition kitchen, and one can’t

help but notice the smoldering wood-burning oven tucked in one corner.

Dining areas frame each side of the bar, one side a more open casual

setting, while the other is partitioned with a curtained archway and is

well-suited for private parties. Italian watercolors and brightly painted

pottery adorn the walls adding to the feeling of being in a Tuscan

Italian village.

The wood-burning oven practically shouts pizza, and the pizzas are one

of the reasons I keep coming back to What’s Cooking? Two of my favorites

demonstrate the yin and yang of toppings offered. The Margherita ($8.95)

is about as simple as they come, sporting only some fresh mozzarella

cheese and a tangy marinara sauce. It’s a simple pizza that’s perfect as

a first course for a group, or as a simple entree along with a crisp

Caesar salad ($7.95). The Rocket Pizza ($12.95) sports a longer list of

toppings, including roasted chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic,

olives, red onion, arugula (known as “rocket” in some European countries)

and fresh goat cheese. A glance at this copious list might cause some

consternation that this is an over-weighted amalgamation of new wave

ingredients, but the chefs know their business and apply the toppings

with a stingy touch, leaving a well-crafted blend of flavors without

weighing down the light, crisp crust.

Recently, brothers Jason and Jorge have assumed the responsibility of

running the restaurants, as Lucia and Dr. Luhan spend more time at the

family-owned bed and breakfast and cooking school in Tuscany. The

brothers have wisely made few changes, but one welcome one has been a

slight paring down of the menu, focusing on the more popular dishes. The

menu is now divided into two pages, one listing “the classics,” dishes

that have become local favorites, while the other side sports specials

that change on a monthly basis. I like the idea of specials that change

at this interval; it allows the chef to continually freshen the menu,

while enabling diners to enjoy a dish they like on more than one

occasion.

Antipasti is of course a staple of Italian meals, and What’s Cooking?

offers a judicious selection of starters, including fried calamari

($8.95) that meets my two benchmark tests: It’s not greasy, and it’s not

tough or chewy. Dressed simply with lemon juice and parsley, and served

with a side of marinara for dipping, it’s always a table pleaser.

Caprese salad ($6.95) illustrates the simplicity that is the

foundation of trattoria cuisine. Slices of ripe tomato are topped with

fresh mozzarella and sprinkled with shreds of basil and a drizzle of

olive oil. There is no complex preparation involved with the dish, it

stands on the quality of the tomatoes, which here actually taste as

they’re supposed to, the milky freshness of the cheese, and the biting

flavor of the olive oil, pressed from the family’s own orchards in Italy.

Pastas are another fixture of any good Italian trattoria, and What’s

Cooking? is no exception. Lucia’s mother, Maria, at the age of 88, still

makes all of the stuffed pastas by hand -- not only for What’s Cooking?,

but for Luciana’s in Dana Point and the family catering business. Mama

Mia! “Grandma” demonstrates that she still has the right stuff with such

dishes as o7 ravioli di vitello f7 ($15.95), thin pasta pockets stuffed

with grilled veal and fresh herbs, served with a ragu of wild mushrooms.

I like the fact that the veal chunks are discernible in the stuffing,

rather being ground to a fine paste.

Another specialty is the gnocchi ($13.95), served with a pesto

Gorgonzola sauce. When we were served this dish recently, I flinched

momentarily thinking that the restaurant had committed the cardinal sin

of over saucing its pasta. One bite dispelled any lingering fear, as I

enjoyed a delicate sauce that had grassy hints of basil punctuated by the

creamy, pungent flavor of the blue cheese. The sauce enhanced rather than

overwhelmed the light potato dumplings, and a sprinkling of fresh walnuts

added a nice finish.

Many of the restaurant’s meat and seafood dishes are found on the

monthly specials, including a shrimp tempura starter ($9.95) that, while

sporting a flavorful wasabi mayonnaise, seemed out of place on the

otherwise traditional menu. Back on target was a moist sea bass ($21.95),

topped with a Parmesan and sun-dried tomato crust. December’s specials

also include a braised turkey leg with a porcini gravy ($19.95), the

fresh cranberry sauce served alongside is definitely an American

addition, but a welcome one.

Of course it wouldn’t be an Italian restaurant without some veal

dishes, and What’s Cooking? obliges with a tender veal Genovese ($16.95)

that tops thin slices of sauteed veal with a combination of artichoke and

capers in a tangy lemon and wine sauce.

What’s Cooking? Bistro follows a successful formula established over

centuries in the Italian countryside. The menu offers simple,

well-prepared dishes at reasonable prices; the staff is friendly; and the

atmosphere is relaxed and inviting. It’s the perfect stop after a long

day, whether for a relaxed family meal, or a quick bite and glass of wine

at the lively bar.

* Stephen Santacroce’s restaurant reviews appear every other Thursday.

Send him your comments at o7 [email protected] .

FYI

* WHAT: What’s Cooking? Bistro

* WHERE: 2632 San Miguel Drive, Newport Beach

* WHEN: Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through

Friday; and dinner is served from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through

Thursday and 5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

* HOW MUCH: Moderate

* PHONE: (949) 644-1820