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EXECUTIVE DINING
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In between all the fancy meals and highend dining, we come back down to earth with a slew of family style restaurants that we like all around Orange County. When a craving for a casual Italian meal gripped us recently, we called some of our family together and met at Cosmo's Italian Kitchen in Aliso Viejo.
Cosmo's has been a local favorite for years. It's quite unpretentious in its decor, which is mostly made up of booths big enough for eight and plenty of tables in one large room. The restaurant has a good sense of indoors-outdoors via two entire walls of glass.
It always has a sense of happy energy generated by diners and the hearty plates of food, along with enticing aromas wafting your way. And, the prices here are so gentle-we smile even before ordering.
One of the owners is almost always on hand, giving us a sense of security and extending a sense of friendship to customers. Bob Quinn, Toni Williamson and Dick Fisher created Cosmo's as an extension of their enthusiasm to bring the community a gathering place where families could drop in at any time for lunch or dinner and find home style food. They also use the restaurant as a facilitator for school, church and charitable support and fund raising.
This trio was already dedicated to honest food, all homemade from scratch and fresh daily. They hand-stretch the pizza dough and bake all their own bread. They cook their variety of meat sauces slowly so that the flavors meld gently and envelop your chosen pasta in a blanket of fine Italian essence.
The menu is stacked with lots of dishes that bring comfort. I preface all food talk with this: portions are extremely generous.
Appetizers, soups and salads run $3.95 to $9.95. Tuscan style bruschetta, fresh mozzarella and tomato salad, a bowl of steamed mussels (cioppino style), vegetable laden minestrone or...