We decided to venture out of our comfortable surroundings and finally get around to trying an interesting looking Italian restaurant in Huntington Beach.  It’s located in an old mini-mall and is likely the smallest café we’ve been to in years.

The crowd seated at the counter gets a bird’s-eye view of the chef’s at work.

Chef Francois

We open our meal with some noteworthy Sicilian style stuffed mushrooms.  Balsamic vinegar is inside the shrooms and is a remarkable addition.

Sicilian Stuffed Mushrooms

We add a side of grilled vegetables which include squash, zucchini, tomatoes, artichoke and tiny slivers of mushrooms. 

Grilled Veggies

We’re exceptionally hungry so we add the calamari Luciana which is rather light and has sautéed calamari in a garlic, white wine and tomato sauce.  I’m more of a baked or fried calamari lover myself but this is a pleasant enough deviation.

Calamari Luciana

I order the rigatoni con petit de pollo which is Chef Dino’s signature (sautéed) dish made with tube pasta, mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, chicken, rosemary, red onions and a light creamy balsamic sauce.  You know a dish is tasty when I can easily ignore the fact that I’m consuming white meat.  I have dietary restrictions so I vetoed the tomatoes.  The balsamic sauce is in fact as light as promoted and rich without being overwhelming like alfredo sauce.  It could use more mushrooms and onions but given the entrée price it is completely forgivable.

Rigatoni in Balsamic Sauce

Bella chooses the rigatoni ala vodka which has tube pasta, Italian sausage, mushrooms, red onions and pink vodka sauce.  Of the two dishes this is the superior entrée by slightly “more than a hair”.  This is one of the best vodka sauces I’ve had with just the right balance of spices, tomatoes and cream.

Rigatoni in Vodka Sauce

For dessert I cannot refuse the cannolo.  I should’ve asked if this cannolo was made in the spirit of the “old country” or if it is an Americanized overly sweetened version.  Regrettably it was the latter.  Examining one on another table I advise the waitress to hold the powdered sugar and chocolate sauce.  Seeing chocolate sauce on a cannolo is almost always a bad sign but I was craving a cannolo so I “rolled the dice”.

Cannolo

Even by forgoing the sweet additions this was way too sweet.  When I say it is a “diabetic’s nightmare” I am not exaggerating.  Even worse is the overbearing waft of cinnamon and the subpar shell.  It is crunchy given it was filled to order but simply not tasty enough.  I can’t justify the calories earned by consuming the remainder of the shell or cream.

Bella selects what I believe was a chocolate mousse with a praline crust (it was a special of the day).  There is a restrained chocolate taste and the praline crust is quite nice but not as sweet as I predicted.

My Other Girl "Audrey"

Date of Visit: 7/16/2011; Restaurant:  Mona Lisa Cucina; Address: 9017 Adams Avenue, #B, Huntington Beach, CA  92647; Phone: 714-965-9900; Website: monalisacucina.com; Key: (5 star maximum per category); Ambiance: ***; Service: **** ½; Food/Drink: *** ½; Grade: B+.