Oh, The Cheese Bread ~ Mangia Bene ~ Laguna Niguel

I would be satisfied with a plate of the cheese bread and a house salad. The bread is sliced thin, topped with garlic, butter, and cheese, and toasted to perfection. I order the Taglio salad with gorgonzola cheese. It is made of romaine lettuce, regiano cheese, roma tomatoes, red onions, and bell peppers. Add a glass of wine and you have a meal.

If I'm hungry or have the willpower to stick to only a few slices of bread, I often order the Penne Campagnola with pink sauce. On the menu, it has tomato sauce but the pink sauce includes a little bit of cream. This dish is a great combination of roasted chicken, penne pasta, red bell peppers, sun dried tomatoes, and oregano. The bell peppers do not overpower the dish; they complement the sweetness of the tomatoes. I've tried to duplicate this dish at home many times and have never quite gotten the right combination of ingredients.

A good friend's favorite is the Pollo Mostarda. It is a grilled chicken breast with lemon, white wine, mustard, capers, mushrooms, and garlic. The taste of the mustard is subtle and the saltiness of the capers perks your mouth up. It comes with a side of pasta and steamed vegetables (usually broccoli and carrots).

The service is good and the atmosphere is perfect for a family meal or a casual date. The meals are reasonably priced and the wine list varied - from Chateau Ste. Michelle and Beringer to Ferrari-Carano and Cakebread.