When the pomp and glitz of a buzzy new restaurant fades, even the best eateries might find it difficult to retain diners’ attention amid the churn of social media. That makes those restaurants that do survive even more essential. After five years, Bello by Sandro Nardone remains one of Orange County’s most consequential Italian restaurants.
Nardone founded Angelina’s Pizzeria in Dana Point and recently launched Sugo, a Roman-inspired pizza-by-the-slice shop in Costa Mesa. But Bello, in a Back Bay strip mall, remains the signature expression of his modern Italian vision.
Bello’s menu can be pricey, but the cooking is more progressive and thoughtful than most. Charred octopus is set over bitter grilled rapini and flanked by a pool of meaty sauce of ’nduja, a spicy, spreadable pork sausage from Calabria. Fried calamari, a long-standing favorite, combines lightly battered squid with marinara sauce and blistered shishito peppers.
