Restaurant Review:

For nearly a year, I would tell anyone who would listen that Cucina Alessa was the best Italian food I have had in Newport Beach, if not Orange County.

Owner/chef Alessandro Pirozzi had created a gem on Pacific Coast Highway, just over the Huntington Beach border. The food was incredible, Pirozzi personable and the prices extremely reasonable.

There was a catch, however. While the restaurant was charming, the acoustics were horrible. Sound bounced off the wall like bullet ricochets and intruded on conversation at your table.

So go there, I would say, it is worth it despite the noise and the crowds. It would be a perfect restaurant if not for that.

Then Pirozzi, who never ceases to amaze me with his energy, surprised me by opening a new location in Huntington Beach.

When the old Shorehouse Café closed down, Pirozzi jumped at the chance and scooped up the property, opening his second restaurant just over a month ago.

This one is perfect.

There are no crowds because the ample two-level dining areas can accommodate enough customers , at least for now.

The noise is gone because of the spaciousness of the rooms, and Pirozzi is even flirting with the idea of live mood music.

What has stayed the same is the food. Pirozzi has rented the apartment above the restaurant and is able to throw most of his time into establishing this location.

In this country eight years, Pirozzi graduated from the Culinary Academy in Italy and went to work for several restaurants in Orange County, working as a chef and manager.

Pirozzi is multitalented and multilingual, but when it comes to food, he has one goal: to make the freshest, most inventive dishes possible.

He also got an assist from his mother, who visited from his homeland of Naples, Italy. It was from her that Pirozzi learned his love of cooking, and she gave him some tips while spending three months here.

One of them was leaving the pizza dough out longer than he had to let it breathe and settle. Not that Pirozzi needed much advice, but when Mom talked, he listened.

His food remains true to his Italian roots.

On this night, I brought Mark and Diane, who went with me on our original visit to the Newport Beach location.

Pirozzi remembered them when he visited our table, something he enjoys doing. He will make the rounds to every table, whether he knows you or not, and converse briefly, leaving to let you enjoy the food before you.

Sometimes he’ll even surprise you with something he has made that is off the menu. We received zucchini flowers that were incredible as an appetizer.

One of the appetizers on the menu that should also be tried is the Mama Mia. It is a meatball with spicy marinara and a cold, creamy mozzarella cheese. This is along with the Foccacia bread with pesto dipping sauce that you will get when you sit.

Momma Pirozzi’s tip about the pizza dough certainly worked. We had the Pizza Di Parma with buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto.

The meat and cheese was a wonderful combination, and the slices of Parmesan on top were a nice touch. The dough was airy and the crust nice and crunchy.

My entrée of seashell pasta with asparagus and shrimp in a lobster cream sauce was both light and decadent. The shells were al dente, as was the asparagus.

That is one of many entrees I would recommend. There is no pasta dish that costs more than $16.95, and the veal Marsala, which my friend Mark said is the best he has ever had, is $18.95.

Just when I thought this meal couldn’t get any better, the desserts arrived. The Tiramisu was so creamy and moist we were fighting over it. Then the real surprise arrived.

Pirozzi brought over a dessert that looks like a cannoli, but the pastry is stretched more vigorously and after nearly three hours is ready for the cream to be stuffed in it.

The cherries Pirozzi gets from Italy are a darker, sweeter kind and really make the dessert.

My fear is that this restaurant will become as popular as the Newport Beach location and crowds will be out the door waiting for a table. Knowing Pirozzi’s energy and dedication, that will happen sooner than later, so enjoy the restaurant before the secret is let out to the masses.

Cucina Alessa

Address: 520 Main St., Huntington Beach

Phone: (714) 969-2148

Website: www.cucinaalessa.com

Cuisine: Italian

Specialty dish: veal Marsala

Alcohol served: full bar

Entrée price range: $10.50 to $23.95

Family friendly: yes

Credit cards accepted: American Express, MasterCard and Visa

Rating: ****

JOHN REGER reviews local restaurants and may be contacted at [email protected] or P.O. Box 2984, Seal Beach, CA 90740.