"Newport Beach--Il Barone Ristorante is a welcome addition to the City's fine dining"
By raymonde Lorgeou
Franco and Donatella Barone, owners and operators of Il Barone Ristorante restaurant are a charming couple with a most interesting background. They are both Sicilians and actually were neighbors in a small village when they were children, but it is in California, where their respective families emigrated, that they met.
It was meant to be: same origin, same passion for the culinary arts, and same enthusiasm for the restaurant business. Today Franco and Donatella have three beautiful children and in February 2010 opened their own restaurant, where they can let their respective talents flourish. After Franco having been the executive chef of “Antonello”, renowned fine Italian restaurant in Orange County, for 18 years, and Donatella the manager of “ Nello Cucina, a well-regarded Italian restaurant in South Coast Plaza, for several years, the timing was finally right when the” Pleasant Peasant”, French restaurant, closed last winter, leaving a prime location vacant in Newport Beach.
When we walked into the restaurant we were pleasantly surprised: no heavy garlicky smell, no picture of the Pisa Tower or the Coliseum, but a large airy room on two levels, bright modern paintings on the walls, fresh white tablecloths, sparking glassware and contemporary white china. Although everyone was very busy, the restaurant remained relatively quiet, the atmosphere intimate and relaxing.
At the table, you were welcomed with a bouquet of bread sticks and an herb dip made of garlic, parsley, capers and foccacia emulsified with virgin oil. sinfully delicious and addictive. Lunch and Dinner menus, divided into Antipasti, Zuppe, Insalate, Panini, Pizze, Primi e Secondi and Dolci, are well balanced, easy to read, informative and very reasonably priced. No main course over $ 21.00.
My dining companions and I decided to share in order to try as many dishes as possible. We ordered the Carppacio Di Manzo: thin sliced cured beef, extra virgin olive oil, lemon, capers, pine nuts and shaved Pecorino cheese. The best carpaccio we had in a long time. At our next visit we plan to try the Carppacio di Cinghiale, thin sliced smoked peppered wild Boar with truffle infused oil. We also tasted the calamari fritti: fried calamari served with a spicy tomato sauce, cooked to perfection with the right amount of of tentacles. We could not resist and had to order the Pizze Facci ri Veccia: baked paper thin foccacia sheets filled with Italian cheese, topped with Parma Prosciutto, which rightfully, had been highly recommended to us.
For the main courses we selected a “special of the day” pasta dish with large grilled prawns in a spicy tomato sauce and two veal dishes, Vitello al Vapore: veal scaloppini, pounded, steamed in clay pot with lemon juice and Italian herbs and the Vitello Milanese: veal pan seared, coated with seasoned bread crumbs. Both dishes were made with milk fed veal and were equally succulent.
Finally the Dolci: Tiramisu al limoncello; Limoncello soaked Savoiardi, vanilla mascarpone and white chocolate shavings. Light and refreshing, very pleasant but should be rebaptized, as it has nothing in common with the traditional Tiramisu.
The wine list is large and well chosen with a mix of California boutique wines and classic Italian vintages.
To compliment a true dining experience to be enjoyed leasurely and without haste there is an well trained serving staff, knowledgeble both with the many wines as well as some of the entrees that change daily.
Il BARONE Ristorante offers several different pasta dishes, fine traditional beef, chicken and deserts specialties from all regions of Italy. We will have to return. The restaurant is located 4251 Martingale way in Newport Beach TEL (949) 955 2755. Lunch Monday to Friday 11.30 to 2.30; Dinner 5 to 9; Saturday Dinner only, Closed Sundays .
Last Update:6/1/10
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