A cheerful place to stop

Mary Furr

Where is everybody on this sunny October Sunday? They are strolling

down Huntington Beach’s Main Street, stopping by the cafes that crowd

the narrow sidewalk from the pier to the post office.

They may be signing up for a table at the Sugar Shack or finding

one at Luigi’s Italian Ristorante. There’s a sidewalk patio, a

bougainvillea-draped middle courtyard or a cozy indoor cafe to choose

from.

The busy servers could qualify for the marathon as they dash from

table to table. Luigi’s and the other sidewalk cafes are the heart of

“Surf City”.

We selected an inside table and began the difficult task of

choosing from the wide menu selections. Though breakfast is the thing

on weekends Downtown, today it was a robust sandwich for me -- mara

spread on ciabattta bread with soup or salad ($6.95). Ciabatta, which

means “slipper” bread, is a wide loaf with a soft interior and thin

crisp crust that has enough body to hold up to the sausage. The

citrus-flavored tomato marinara added just the right edge. It was

served on a plate with crisp romaine salad and the usual slices of

tomato, ‘cukes and carrot slivers.

This good sausage is also served with penne pasta ($7.95) in a

fresh marinara sauce. It’s an excellent choice for dinner with the

penne (Italian for quill/pen) diagonally cut smooth tubes, providing

a good contrast in texture.

Spaghettini Bolognese ($7.95) described as “the meatiest sauce in

town” was my friend’s selection -- a heavy Italian ceramic dinner

plate piled with slender threads of pasta and covered with a thick

tomato sauce. This is “surfer”-sized with the good taste of home

cooking. Garlic bread ($3.95) is extra as is bruschetta ($5.95)

though a complimentary basket would have been nice.

We never can resist dessert, and here it is very special,

patterned after the Bendi originals, which were created and served in

1946 in downtown Milan. Tartufo ($6.50) was one we shared, a round

ball of “fantasy” creams covered with soft chocolate cream and rolled

in chopped praline nuts served on a scrolled plate dusted with

powdered cocoa.

The chocolate cup is another dessert that chocoholics will love --

it has a cocoa sponge cake base with a hint of rum, which is topped

with creamy chocolate mousse and chocolate chips. These fancy

desserts come from a purveyor and are not usually on the menu of

small street cafes.

Luigi is a “tucked away” cafe next to Starbucks that can be passed

by, but linger awhile to enjoy some excellent food by chef Artemio.

The rather arty interior has one mirrored wall, the other with large

prints. Bright yellow cloths on glass-topped tables for four make a

cheerful dining room on a sunny autumn day.

* MARY FURR is the Independent restaurant critic. Reach her at

(562) 493-5062.