Luigi Ortega’s Mexitalian pub food

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‘Luigi Ortega’s prides itself on unauthentic Mexican food,’ says the menu at this new east Pasadena restaurant. To tell the truth, Luigi Ortega’s really has more of a South Philly Italian feel than a Mexican one, despite all the tacos and burritos on the menu. It also offers pizza, pasta, hoagies and a long list of cheese steaks made on Amorosa rolls imported from Philadelphia.

The walls are covered with murals of Philadelphia and New York and mounted with TVs tuned to sports and old ‘Ren & Stimpy’ episodes. There’s free wi-fi, a wide stock of rare root beers and ginger ales, and a lively young crowd (it’s across the street from Pasadena City College). According to its website, www.luigiortegas.com, it’s the first of an envisioned hundred or more branches nationwide.

The main focus is combining cheese and hot peppers, so the Italian dishes are spiced-up versions, such as Dr. Death’s Suicide Pie, a pizza that includes a few drops of Luigi Ortega’s own cruel habanero sauce. (You can buy a bottle for $7.99.) So maybe the quintessential item here is Luigi Ortega cheese bread: mozzarella, crushed red pepper and plenty of garlic on a good, fresh roll.

Luigi Ortega’s Café, 1655 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. (626) 396-9669. Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday and noon-9 p.m. Sunday.

-- Charles Perry