Spaghetti Bender provides great portions

Greer Wylder

The Spaghetti Bender is a childhood nickname of its fun-loving

founder, Lorenzo Eugenio Pasini from Riomaggiore, Italy. The

restaurant is one of Newport’s oldest. In 1969, the late Lorenzo

Pasini and Ailie Maria Pasini (fondly remembered as Papa and Mama)

opened the casual Italian restaurant on Coast Highway in West

Newport.

The couple started out as a butler and cook working for wealthy

families. Before they opened a string of restaurants, they even

worked at the Encino Ranch house of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard in

the early 1940s.

Originally, they owned restaurants in Huntington Beach. The first

was called Joyce’s Restaurant. It later became the concert hot spot,

the Golden Bear. The 39er Cafe was on Beach Boulevard, and Joyce’s

Pantry became the Sugar Shack on Main Street. Yet none could match

the success of the Spaghetti Bender.

Now the Pasinis’ daughter, Joyce Hoskinson, and grandson Mike run

the restaurant. Since the early 1980s, the same chef, Alfonso Gomez,

and manager, Janie Whorton, have worked there. The building was

rebuilt in 1976. More rooms were added to accommodate the popular

restaurant.

If you’re looking for fine Italian food served in a chic setting,

definitely go elsewhere. The Spaghetti Bender can’t compete and

doesn’t need to. It’s a neighborhood favorite for home-style northern

Italian cooking. Fresh sauces and gnocchi are made here daily.

Traditional pasta choices offered daily include manicotti, lasagna,

spaghetti, fettuccini Alfredo, gnocchi and angel hair tomato basil.

Vegetarian choices include pasta primavera and eggplant

parmigiana. Traditional chicken and veal dinners prepared in

parmigiana, piccata or scallopini styles. Seafood choices always

offered include linguini with clams (red or white sauce) and calamari

steak lightly breaded and fried. Shrimp and scallop specials change

monthly. They easily accommodate special requests for different

sauces or combinations.

The Spaghetti Bender is known for its generous portions. All

dinners are served with soup, salad and garlic bread. The minestrone

soup is set on the table in a large tureen. The thin broth soup with

celery, garbanzo beans and beans is heavy on the cabbage. A large

table-tossed green salad, common iceberg and romaine lettuce with

chopped tomato, avocado, sliced scallions and a few capers homemade

tossed with their Italian salad dressing has a “secret ingredient.”

Favorite combination dinners ($16.25 for dinner, $10.25 a la carte)

include Papa’s, a huge oval-shaped platter of lasagna, spaghetti with

meatballs, and veal and peppers; Mama’s, a platter of eggplant

parmigiana, spaghetti marinara and fettuccini Alfredo; Familia

includes chicken cacciatore, fettuccini alfredo and gnocchi.

Most guests don’t have room for dessert, but choices include

spumoni or cappuccino ice cream, tiramisu and New York cheesecake ($3

to $4).

Prices are fair: appetizers prices range from $2.75 for garlic

bread to $7 for insalata caprese; soup and salad prices range from $3

for a bowl of minestrone soup to $11 for a combination of soup

tureen, dinner salad and garlic bread. Complete dinners start at

$12.50, for spaghetti with meat sauce, and are as much as $17.75, for

veal parmigiana or veal scallopini. A la carte plates, which come

with garlic bread, are priced $6 less than dinners.

The Spaghetti Bender is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday through

Thursday; and from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday through Saturday. 6204 W.

Coast Highway, Newport Beach. (949) 645-0651. For take home dinners,

call (949) 631-TOGO. www.spaghettibender.com.

*

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers has opened at Fashion Island in the

Island Terrace, next to Wahoo’s Fish Tacos and the Edwards Theater.

It’s a casual dining chain specializing in gourmet burgers and

spirits. The 6,350-square-foot restaurant seats 202.

The menu focuses on its signature gourmet burger, known as

“anything that can go in, on or between two buns.” First, choose from

beef, chicken, veggie, fish, pot roast or turkey burgers; then there

are toppings, such as grilled pineapple, guacamole, green chilies,

honey mustard sauce, barbecue sauce, fried onion straws and sauteed

mushrooms. And Try the bottomless fries, soups, appetizers, entrees,

desserts and signature Mad Mixology specialty beverages. Call (949)

759-0227.

*

The Red Rock Chili Co. will be the guest restaurant at

Bloomingdale’s Home Store at 1 p.m. Saturday. Carol and Paul Collis,

the restaurant’s creators and owners, will demonstrate how they make

delicious chili. It’s a free event in the main course kitchen.

And don’t miss next week’s guest, Roy’s Restaurant’s executive

chef Chris Garnier. At this informative and fun cooking

demonstration, Caphalon cookware will be used. It starts at 1 p.m.

Aug. 16.

Bloomingdale’s Home Store is at Fashion Island in Newport Beach.

(949) 729-6600.

*

South Coast Plaza just opened a new Claim Jumper Restaurant.

Family and professionals favor this popular restaurant chain for its

generous portions and good values.

The restaurant features a rustic lodge decor with stone

fireplaces, overstuffed leather chairs and warm woods. Claim Jumper

offers a menu with nearly 150 items and features signature cocktails,

specialty nonalcoholic beverages, an extensive wine list and more

than 75 imported and domestic beers.

It’s open daily for lunch, dinner and late-night dining. It’s on

Level Two, across from Sears. (714) 434-8479.

* BEST BITES runs every Friday. Greer Wylder can be reached at

greerwylder@yahoo.com; at 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627; or by

fax at (949) 646-4170.