On our recent getaway to Costa Mesa, we drove further south to Dana Point to spend our Sunday afternoon. We were looking forward to enjoying a light hike on the bluffs to see the view of the ocean from a higher elevation.What we ended up doing was taking a light walk around the harbor, chatting-up with some locals and eventually driving five minutes out to enjoy a quiet lunch to toast our weekend.
We had lunch at Angelina's Pizzeria Napoletana, who invited us to try their gourmet Neapolitan pizzas. Besides the traditional Neapolitan pizza combinations that uses San Marzano tomatoes in their house-made tomato sauce, the pizza dough is made daily, and the toppings are either California-local and organic, or importanted from Italy, with the flavors elevated by being baked in a 900 degree rustic almond wood-burning oven
For those looking for something other than pizza, Angelina's menu has a large, yet not overwhelming, selection of Italian favorites, including appetizers, pastas, desserts, and of course, their namesake Neapolitan pizzas made both with red sauce, and bianca-style (sauceless).
For our first course we ordered the "Scelta Di Salumi & Formaggi," a chef selection of imported Italian cured meats sliced when ordered, Italian cheeses served, pine nuts, artisanal honey, and other dried fruits, which was accompanied with freshly baked flat bread ($23).We followed our tour through Italy with one of my hubby's favorite, Caesar salad, or as Angelina's likes to call theirs: Cesare salad. The salad was made with romaine hearts, homemade croutons, anchovy lemon dressing & shaved parmigiano reggiano ($12).
Of course, Angelina's has a large selection of various Italian favorites, but why order anything other than Pizza?So we ordered two:
Hubby ordered the Diavola with spicy salami, Fior Di Latte mozzarella, San Marzano DOP Pomodoro Sauce & Fresh Basil, which was topped with pepperoncini oil. ($16)
I ordered the Boscaiola white pizza, which included the Napoletana-style sausage, mushrooms, Fior Di Latte mozzarella, fresh basil & extra virgin olive oil ($18).
Both were incredibly well seasoned, baked perfectly, and had the perfect amount of toppings that filled our mouth with every bite.
To end our wonderful lunch, we shared the Tartufo (Gelato Truffle), which was spumoni ice-cream covered with a dark chocolate hardshell dessert. ($8) I also added, of course, a cappuccino made with one of my favorite coffee brands, Lavazza.While everything we ordered was made incredibly well and presented beautifully, it was the service that really made Angelina's special.
From the local family with small children that was sitting next to us, to the younger patrons that were seated at the pizza bar, we were all treated as part of a large Italian family - making a delicious meal more so enjoyable and so worth the drive south.
Angelina's PizzeriaMonarch Bay Plaza(949) 429-110232860 Pacific Coast HighwayDana Point CA 92629 (Ample private lot parking)Hours: 11:30 a.m. - 10 p.m. Daily
Website: http://www.angelinaspizzeria.com
Family-friendly restaurant with no reservations required.
ENJOY!
