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Italian joint debuts to massive popularity

November 10th, 2009, 11:13 am · 15 Comments · posted by Jeff Overley

buon-beef

Big crowds aren’t always a sure sign of good grub - after all, Red Lobster and Sizzler really pack ‘em in.

But when a brand-new spot manages to achieve instant popularity, something good has got to be going on, right?

I figured as much when passing by Buon Gusto, an Italian joint that took up residence in a restaurant that for years housed a KFC and for weeks housed an ill-fated venture called The Chicken House.

Crowds were bursting out the doors from the day this spot opened earlier this year; I first stopped by on a Monday evening and ended up just leaving because the place was so packed.

After that I decided to just call my order in, and everything was ready super-quick that way.

While I never ate at BG, the concept is interesting - there’s a deli case and open kitchen, but the decor features warm lighting and fashionable tables topped with little jugs of olive oil. It’s like you order at a fast food restaurant and then sit down to eat at a bistro.

Anyway, the menu is big and features all the familiar pizza-and-pasta offerings. Prices are neither low nor high. What, exactly, is all the fuss about?

buon-turkey

It certainly isn’t about this fresh but uninspired turkey sandwich. I know it looks gorgeous, but the cold cuts were all about quantity over quality, and the roll was just average.

Much better is the BBQ beef hoagie at top. It was about all you can ask from this simple classic - ultra-moist bovine with a rich, mild sauce.

I will plus both sandwiches for their value - each was stuffed with meat and roughly the size of a Duraflame log, for about $7.

On the pasta side, portions are also massive.

buon-rav

The cheese ravioli (around $9, if I remember right) are plentiful and packed with a lotta ricotta. The sauce is not mind-blowing, but is certainly decent.

One dish I’d never seen before combines shredded lamb, feta cheese and a rich brownish-red sauce.

buon-lamb

I was mainly trying it for its uniqueness, but this one really delivered - the sauce was impressively complex, and there was so much lamb I would’ve thought Little Bo Peep was nearby.

Overall, I think Buon Gusto’s success reflects more on the dearth of good Italian spots in the area than its own food, but the fare is certainly respectable. If you’re in the neighborhood, it’s worth the wait.

Buon Gusto
5005 Warner Ave.
Huntington Beach
714-846-2600

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 15 Comments

  • Christine says:
    November 10, 2009 at 11:33 am

    Ooooh! Thanks for the heads up! It’s literally within walking distance of our house but we’ve never really been sure what it is - is it fast food? is it a deli? is it a sit-down spot? We’ll have to give it a whirl, especially given how close it is!

  • sassyexnyr says:
    November 10, 2009 at 11:54 am

    I live right around the corner from this place and have tried it twice. Both times, I was not disappointed! Their sausage and peppers are pretty authentic and their pizzas have thin crust (my favorite) and are very flavorful. And you are right about the crowds, while other places are trying to offer special lunch and dinner prices just to get people in, Buon Gusto has a steady flow of customers.

  • Joe says:
    November 10, 2009 at 11:55 am

    Renattos (on Brookhurst) is the best neighborhood Italian in OC.

  • Rukamax says:
    November 10, 2009 at 12:21 pm

    Mama Cozzas all the way!!!!!!!!!!!

  • OC Gal says:
    November 10, 2009 at 12:38 pm

    Crivello!! HB (Adams and Brookhurst)

  • LGT says:
    November 10, 2009 at 12:46 pm

    I would destroy that first sandwich, it looks amazing.

  • Stephenie says:
    November 10, 2009 at 12:56 pm

    Try the Calzones. They are so good.
    Only thing I have a complaint about it there isn’t really any point to calling in orders. I called in an hour. went to get it 40 minutes later like they said, and still had to wait at least 20 minutes after I got there.

  • Lea says:
    November 10, 2009 at 12:56 pm

    Being Italian, nothing beats my mothers cooking but the sandwich and the pasta with the feta and lamb look and sound deeeelish! Next time in HB, I will try it!

  • bpsqwerty says:
    November 10, 2009 at 1:07 pm

    looks good, I just want to know about a buzz resulting in a huge line the same day it opened. very rare in this economic environment, for an eatery nobody’s ever heard of. maybe they were practically giving it away?

    I also seem to remember Crivello from when I lived in HB and it was good.

    • Jeff Overley says:
      November 10, 2009 at 1:22 pm

      Well, like I say in the review, the prices are not low or high, and the food is good but not great, so I think it just reflects the lack of Italian in the area. There are a couple nice spots in nearby Sunset Beach, but they’re already packed.

  • Jan in FV says:
    November 10, 2009 at 3:09 pm

    Does anyone know if this is a sister restaurant to the one in Long Beach? That Buon Gusto’s has been there for about 20 years and is very popular. A friend of mine saw the BG in HB and immediately assumed it was related. Maybe that’s why it took off so quickly.

  • David says:
    November 11, 2009 at 7:56 am

    The dinners are great. Good food and a good price. Downside, no liquor license.