Red sauce Italian

Truffle-accented risotto and delicate pumpkin-stuffed ravioli are all well and good. But sometimes you just want a big plate of spaghetti.

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Dan Tana’s

This place has legions of fans. Could it be the killer martinis? The seasoned, tuxedoed waiters? The comfy booths and dim lighting? No doubt it’s all the above, plus a menu of well-executed Italian favorites: linguini with clams, eggplant parmigiana and five variations of veal scaloppine.

* Linguini, $21; eggplant parmesan, $21; scaloppine, $25 to $28. 9071 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood; (310) 275-9444.

Carmine’s II

Tucked between a Walgreen’s and a McDonald’s, this piano bar and restaurant is easy to miss. But the lineup of luxury vehicles in the parking lot suggests something good is going on inside: Rigatoni with a robust meat sauce and some fine thin-crust pizzas, including Kim’s Black and White, a simple assemblage of Romano cheese, olive oil, black pepper, oregano and basil.

* Rigatoni, $14.95; pizza, $13.95. 10463 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A.; (310) 441-4706.

Mama D’s

When there’s a wait at this South Bay favorite, they ply you with complimentary focaccia and, sometimes, with samples of fried calamari or the flavorful meatballs. What’s more, meals end with gratis chocolate chip cookies. In between, there’s chicken parmesan and cheese ravioli.

* Chicken, $13.95; ravioli, $9.95. 1125-A Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach; (310) 546-1492.

Maggiano’s Little Italy

This sprawling eatery at the Grove is especially popular with groups; the prices are reasonable and the portions are enormous. Even with a big party, though, expect to take home leftover lasagna and spaghetti with meatballs. The bowls of pasta seem to be bottomless.

* Lasagna, $13.95; spaghetti with meatballs, $13.95. 189 The Grove Drive, L.A.; (323) 965-9665.

Jacopo’s

The medium-crust pies will set you back a few bucks more than the chains, but it’s worth the splurge. And even though we don’t want toppings like jalapeno or gorgonzola on ours, we like the many options. Don’t want pizza? There’s mozzarella marinara, baked ziti, plus the occasional celebrity spotting.

* Pizzas, $8.99 to $22.49. 490 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills; (310) 858-6446.

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-- Leslee Komaiko