Bello by Sandro Nardone - Review - Newport Beach - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Although the name reminds us of the greeting from the Minions movie, Bello by Sandra Nardone is a very grown-up Italian restaurant, with candlelit tables, servers in neatly tied aprons, and moody murals of Michelangelo’s David staring at you from multiple angles. The patio is twinkly enough for a romantic date night with a bottle of barolo, while the sophisticated dining room feels more suited for meals on the company card. Focus on the small plates, like the gamberoni e uova, roasted shrimp in a garlicky sauce mixed with egg yolk, and the crisp-skin pork belly porchettina, with herbs and fresno chile heat. The pasta dishes portions are surprisingly petite, so we’d suggest the pizzas as entrees—they arrive from the wood oven with crackly charred crusts and lots of sweet tomato sauce." - Cathy Park