Down deep on Mangia-Mangia’s menu is the restaurant’s Sicilian training, represented best by its bucatini. Bucatini is long, spaghetti-like pasta, the difference between the two being that bucatini noodles are actually tubes, thin little cylinders that fatten up to the size of pipe cleaners. But the bucatini is just an accent here—the dish belongs to its huge hunks of cauliflower. There’s no meat on the plate, but the sautéed cauliflower (and the pine nuts and raisins) stand in just fine, sending out some sweet, caramelized notes that give the meal a completely unique flavor. As a result, the bucatini recalls dishes of North Africa as much as it does those of the Italian mainland. It’s a must-order whenever it’s around.

MANGIA-MANGIA 16079 GOLDENWEST ST | HUNTINGTON BEACH 92647 | 714.841.8887 | MANGIAMANGIARESTAURANT.COM | OPEN MON-FRI 11AM-10PM | SAT-SUN 3-10PM | FOOD FOR TWO $25-40 | BEER, WINE

Tags: dinner, Huntington Beach, italian, lunch