RESTAURANT REVIEW:Maggiano’s specializes in soups, large portions

When I walked up to the entrance of Maggiano’s Little Italy I took it as a good omen that Frank Sinatra’s version of “Night and Day” was playing.

Though Sinatra’s Italian heritage is undeniable, his sense of style is what defined him and therefore can set the tone for a restaurant.

The dining room is well appointed with dark wood chairs and tables. Soft lighting accents the quaint atmosphere, though the room is actually quite large. It immediately struck me as a great place to bring a date.

The food is a nice mix of traditional Italian dishes and interesting American-style selections.

A spinach and artichoke al forno appetizer intrigued me. The al forno, or “from the oven,” is diced artichoke hearts, spinach, tomatoes and asiago cheese baked with Alfredo sauce, served with crispy focaccia bread.

For soups, there is the standard minestrone, but also a soup of the day is offered, including Italian dumpling, mushroom marsala, fire-roasted tomato basil, and a zucchini and fontina cheese.

A half-salad would be a nice addition to a meal, especially a Maggiano’s salad, which is iceberg, romaine, prosciutto, red onion and blue cheese. It is served with the house dressing, a Dijon honey mustard.

The meals are served a la carte, so I would suggest a half-order for the entrée and either an appetizer or soup and salad. Though the order is half, the price is not and that may deter people.

The specialties of the house would have to be the Little Italy favorites. These are four items representative of different neighborhoods around the country.

From Chicago’s Taylor Street there is baked ziti and sausage. New York offers a braised beef cannelloni. Boston’s North End has lobster ravioli, and Philadelphia checks in with chicken cacciatore.

I went with a special, mainly because the restaurant was in the midst of a promotion that donated part of the price of my meal to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The jumbo shrimp and scallops is a fantastic dish served over a bed of orzo pasta seasoned with a fire-roasted red pepper Alfredo sauce.

Guests of four or more have the option of ordering from the family-style dinner menu. For $25.95 per person, guests get two different appetizers, salads, pasta dishes, entrées and desserts.

Little Italy

Address: 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa

Phone: (714) 546-9550

Cuisine: Italian

Specialty dish: One of the four Little Italy selections

Alcohol served: full bar, extensive wine list

Dress: casual to formal

Family friendly: yes, seven dishes for children

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

Reger’s Rating: ***