Restaurant Spotlight: Stella’s Serious Italian

By Krysta Worthen
17 Monarch Bay Plaza, Dana Point, 949.234.1679, www.stellasitalian.com
Best Known For: Seafood, happy hour
Most Popular Item: Chilean sea bass
This isn’t just any Italian restaurant. This is serious. Stella’s Serious Italian is a restaurant and lounge that manager and chef Marco Mariselli calls “unique.” Mariselli, who was born and raised in Italy, adds authentic flavor from his homeland to the restaurant when he’s in the kitchen. Stella’s is best known for seafood with dishes like seafood del grotto, which is made up of mixed greens, jumbo prawns and Alaskan king crab legs. The eatery also boasts a variety of more traditional Italian meals such as margherita pizza and ravioli. An additional feature of Stella’s is its live music six nights a week. Mariselli raves about the restaurant’s saxophone player who has been performing there for about two years and plays every night except Monday. Upcoming at Stella’s is its winemaker dinners in which four to six people will experience a five-course meal accompanied with five different wines. The chef and a representative of a winery will be there to help customers pair an appropriate wine for each dish. With 10 different specials nightly and an enduring happy hour, Stella’s is the place to go for a serious Italian experience.
Price: $8-$29
Hours: Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Saturday – Sunday 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
Reservations: Yes
Payment: Cash, credit