RESTAURANT REVIEW:

The change of restaurants in Fashion Island happens so infrequently that when a new eatery shows up, there is definitely an anticipation.

I think many, myself included, were looking forward to the debut of Canaletto Ristorante Veneto.

The Italian restaurant is part of the il Fornaio chain and while there are 20 in five states, this is only the second Canaletto (the first opened in Las Vegas at the Venetian Resort in 1999).

Canaletto’s name is based on the famous 17th century Venetian artist Giovanni Antonio Canal, son of painter Bernardo Canal, who became famous for his pastoral landscapes of Venice.

The restaurant focuses on the food and wine of the Veneto region of Italy and Executive Chef Maurizio Mazzon was the perfect person to head up the opening.

Mazzon, who was born and raised in the region, led the culinary grand opening of the original Canaletto restaurant and was equally excited for the Fashion Island restaurant to debut Nov. 17.

“Opening Canaletto Newport Beach will be very exciting for me, as I will share for the first time in coastal Orange County the authentic flavors and amazing foods of my home in Veneto,” Mazzon said. “We’ve combined authentic, imported Italian ingredients with California’s freshest regional products to prepare an amazing Italian menu everyone will love — whole fresh fish baked in salt, mesquite-grilled or oven roasted, succulent rotisserie and grill selections, pastas prepared on-site daily, regional desserts and distinctive Italian wines.”

The wines are impressive. Mazzon chose to showcase the unique and organic wines of Veneto, including an expansive Prosecco list.

The wine has a dry, somewhat sweet taste with a hint of lemon flavor. It is made from the grapes of the Veneto region and is characterized by its sparkling and bubbly appearance.

This is also the type of wine that is used with peach juice to make the Bellini, one of Italy’s more famous cocktails.

Canaletto’s wine is duplicated from a philosophy Mazzon used at the Venetian. There his efforts earned him a Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence for its commitment to wine as an integral component of Italian dining.

The food is just as thoughtfully planned out. When I arrived for lunch there was a swarm of business people taking advantage of an upscale lunch close to work. The fresh bread was Venetian-style and came with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Mazzon has four special selections. The first is a Vermicelli Cassopipa, which has fish, clams, mussels, scallops and grape tomatoes. It is presented tableside by the staff and is a solid dish.

The more extravagant pick would be the Spaghettini All’aragosta. The angel hair pasta is served with a whole, butterflied 1-pound Maine lobster, tomatoes, garlic and brandy sauce.

The third special is the Pasticcio di Pesce. This is a pasta that is layered with crab, shrimp, mussels, clams, scallops and a white tomato sauce that is baked in a wood-fired oven.

My choice was the Cannelloni di Pollo — large pasta tubes stuffed with rotisserie chicken, spinach, sundried tomatoes and smoked mozzarella. This is also baked with a white sauce and then topped with Portabello mushrooms and tomato sauce.

It was an incredible dish with the chicken and spinach blending nicely with the cheese, which was used generously, but not grotesquely so. The mushrooms were a nice touch as well.

One item I have not tried but am looking forward to is the pizza. It is cooked in a wood-fired thin crust with homemade dough that is made with organic flour and San Marzano tomato sauce.

The toppings for the pizza are distinctive as well. There is one with imported ham, mushrooms, asparagus, artichokes, mozzarella, basil and tomato sauce and another that features fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, wild arugula, prosciutto san daniele, shaved parmigiano reggiano and truffle oil.

The specific region of Italy is well represented here and yields a lot of delicious dishes. It is a treat to discover some new tastes.

CANALETTO RISTORANTE VENETO

ADDRESS: 545 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach

PHONE: (949) 640-0900

WEBSITE: www.ilfornaio.com

CUISINE: Italian

SPECIALTY DISH: Vermicelli Cassopipa

ALCOHOL SERVED: Full bar

ENTRÉE PRICE RANGE: $8.95 to $32.95

FAMILY FRIENDLY: Yes

CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED: American Express, MasterCard and Visa

RATING: *** 1/2

JOHN REGER reviews local restaurants and may be contacted at [email protected] or P.O. Box 2984, Seal Beach, CA 90740.