RESTAURANT REPLICAS : NOODLING AROUND; COPYING THE ITALIAN STYLE AND SECRETS OF MACARONI GRILL.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Daily News Food Editor

Casual Italian restaurants continue to crop up around the Southland, enticing diners to indulge in authentic as well as Americanized versions of Italian cuisine. Romano's Macaroni Grill in Thousand Oaks in the Promenade shopping center joined the Italian restaurant ranks almost two years ago, and business is booming. Waits at prime dinner hours range from 45 minutes to an hour.

Although the restaurant is fairly new to this area, the Macaroni Grill concept is a decade old. The first restaurant was established in 1988 in Leon Springs, Texas (near San Antonio), by founder Phil Romano. A year later, the restaurant was acquired by Brinker International, a company that owns and operates 800 restaurants under nine different names, including Chili's Grill & Bar, Cozyumel's Coastal Mexican Grill, On the Border Mexican Cafe, Maggiano's Little Italy and the Corner Bakery.

Since it started, Macaroni Grill has grown to include 116 restaurants in 33 states and Canada. Other Southern California locations include Santa Clarita, Monrovia, Irvine, Torrance, Aliso Viejo and Palm Desert.

Randy Hargrove, public relations manager of Dallas-based Brinker International, attributes the restaurant's popularity to the generous portions, affordable prices and delicious dishes that appeal to guests.

Open for lunch and dinner, Macaroni Grill diners can choose from more than 35 menu selections along with five daily specials ranging from appetizers, pizzas and salads to meat, chicken, fish and pasta dishes. To take advantage of the freshest vegetables, seasonings and produce available, menus change seasonally.

Hargrove said the restaurant's most popular dishes include Scaloppine di Pollo (chicken breast, mushroom, artichoke, capers and pancetta in lemon butter with pasta); Penne Rustica (shrimp, grilled chicken and pancetta in a creamy cheese sauce with Parmesan); Bella Napoli (Italian pasta chips, sausage, olives, peppers, tomato, onion, mozzarella and Parmesan in Asiago cream sauce); Pizza Margherita (tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh tomato, oregano and basil); Insalata Italiana (mixed greens, garbanzo beans, salami, mushroom, tomato, onion, mozzarella and fontina cheese); and Gamberetti e Pinoli (shrimp, mushrooms, pine nuts, spinach and lemon butter with pasta).

They are prepared in display kitchens (where diners can watch the food being made) in the Thousand Oaks location with Antonio Iocchi, executive chef, at the helm. Iocchi, a native of Rome who has worked as a chef in Italy and around Europe, has been in this country five years - and with Macaroni Grill for the past two years.

He describes Macaroni Grill as a family-oriented classic Italian trattoria serving American-influenced Italian cuisine - some with authentic flavors, others with more liberties taken. Iocchi sums it up: ``Good Italian food at moderate prices.'' At dinner, pastas range from $7.29 (spaghetti Bolognese) to $12.49 (linguine alla pescatora); antipasti from $4.29 (mozzarella alla marinara) to $8.99 (a dozen New Zealand green lip mussels); fish dishes from $9.99 (linguine all vongole) to $12.29 (scaloppine di salmone); chicken dishes from $9.79 (petti di pollo pepe) to $11.29 (scaloppine di pollo); and pizzas from $7.29 to $7.49 each.

A house salad with your entree is an additional 99 cents, but other salads run the gamut from $2.99 (spinach) to $8.29 (grilled chicken Caesar). Grilled lamb chops and a rib-eye steak are the most expensive menu items at $16.99 each.

Trio of copycats

``On Fridays and Saturdays, we do 1,000 meals per day,'' said Iocchi, whose favorite dishes on the menu are the thin-crusted Neapolitan-style pizzas baked in a wood-burning oven.

The restaurant takes no reservations. However, if you call before leaving home, you can request that your name be added to the priority seating list, and when you arrive your wait should be considerably less - hopefully only 10 or 15 minutes, said Hargrove.

Several colleagues and friends tipped us off about the tasty dishes we'd find at Macaroni Grill - and they were right on the mark. Today we are offering copycat versions of three dishes sampled during a recent lunch so you can re-create them at home. Included are an appetizer, sandwich and pasta.

The baked seafood appetizer - which is called Crema di Mare on the menu - is rich, creamy and loaded with seafood - definitely not diet fare. Although not a dish served in Italy - ``We don't use much cheese or cream with seafood there,'' noted chef Iocchi - it is a winner. Our version requires making a white sauce on top of the stove and then tossing in some Asiago cheese along with quickly cooked scallops, cooked shrimp and chopped clams. For ease and convenience, we used canned clams. Look for the Asiago cheese - a semifirm Italian cheese with a rich, nutty flavor with many small holes - at Trader Joe's or other markets that sell specialty cheeses.

Turn the mixture into a pie plate and pop into the oven for a quick bake. The restaurant serves the dip with pasta chips - made from fried won ton skins - but we found it delicious with crackers, tortilla or pita chips. We've included directions for making the pasta chips, but they're a hassle and require extra time in the kitchen. If time is at a premium, go the store-bought chip or cracker route.

If you're busy ...

The Bowtie Noodles With Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Olives and Feta was a special the day we dined at the restaurant. The dish is easy to duplicate at home - and great for busy cooks in a hurry. Simply cook the noodles and then toss with julienned strips of sun-dried tomatoes (to save on cutting time, purchase the tomatoes already in strips), Kalamata olives pieces, olive oil, pine nuts (toast them fast in the microwave oven 30 to 60 seconds), feta cheese and seasonings. If time is short, you can save a little by using sliced ripe olives instead of the Kalamatas. Granted, the flavor will suffer a bit - but only the cook will know. Serve over tossed greens, and dinner is ready to serve!

The Portobello Mushroom Panini is a wonderful sandwich. Although not difficult to make, it's the most time-consuming of today's trio. Marinate portobello mushrooms in a balsamic vinaigrette and then broil and slice. Meanwhile, whip up a Sun-Dried Tomato Mayonnaise to add wonderful flavor. We've used sourdough bread slices for the sandwiches, as we found they worked better than the focaccia we were able to buy, but suit yourself.

The sandwiches are stacked with red onion slices, roasted red pepper strips (from a jar to speed preparation), mushroom slices, arugula and smoked mozzarella cheese (we found at Gelson's) and the special mayo in between. Grill the sandwiches on both sides in a little butter - or toast under the broiler - and you're in for a fabulous, flavorful treat.

Jazz up your menus with these creations. If you can't get in the mood to make them at home, head for Macaroni Grill. Either way, you're in for some tasty dining.

BAKED CREAMY SEAFOOD APPETIZER

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup baby scallops, rinsed and drained (about 8 ounces)

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups half-and-half

1 1/2 cups grated Asiago cheese

2 cups medium, peeled, shelled and deveined cooked shrimp

1 can (about 6 ounces) chopped clams, well-drained

1 to 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Oil for deep frying

1/2 of a 12-ounce package won ton skins

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add scallops and stir-fry over high heat until just cooked through; set aside.

In same skillet, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute. Whisk in half-and-half and continue whisking until mixture comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute, whisking, until bubbly. Turn off heat. Stir in Asiago cheese, continuing to stir until melted.

Stir in scallops, shrimp and clams. Spoon into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven about 15 minutes, until top is golden brown.

Meanwhile, heat plenty of oil in a wok or deep fryer to 375 degrees F. Fry 3 or 4 won ton skins at a time, a few seconds on each side, just until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Use as chips for dipping into baked seafood appetizer. Makes enough dip and won ton chips for 6 to 8 servings.

NOTE: If you don't feel inclined to fry the won ton skins to make chips, the seafood appetizer is also delicious served with tortilla or pita chips or crackers of your choice.

BOWTIE NOODLES WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES, OLIVES AND FETA

12 ounces uncooked bowtie noodles

Water

1 cup coarsely cut-up pieces Kalamata olives (use an 8.75-ounce can, drained)

3/4 cup julienne strips oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (drain off most of oil before measuring, leaving on a little)

2 tablespoons basil-flavored olive oil OR extra virgin olive oil

6 ounces feta cheese, cut into small cubes (about 1 1/2 cups) OR crumbled

2/3 cup toasted pine nuts

3/4 teaspoon garlic pepper

Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Cook noodles in boiling water, according to package directions, until just tender; drain well. Return noodles to pan and return pan to heat.

Stir in olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Heat through. Remove from heat. Stir in oil, feta cheese, pine nuts and garlic pepper. Mix well. Stir in red pepper flakes.

Serve immediately. Makes 3 to 4 servings.

PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM PANINI

2 very large (10 ounces) portobello mushrooms, rinsed and wiped dry

1/3 to 1/2 cup Italian vinaigrette dressing

1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

8 slices sour dough bread

Sun-Dried Tomato Mayonnaise

1 small red onion, cut into thin slices and separated

3/4 cup roasted red pepper slices

Arugula OR assorted baby lettuce leaves

16 slices smoked mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)

Butter

Place mushrooms in a shallow dish and spoon some of Italian vinaigrette dressing mixed with balsamic vinegar over them. Turn mushrooms over and spoon on remaining dressing. Marinate 30 to 45 minutes. Drain from marinade and discard marinade.

Broil on foil-lined broiler pan in preheated broiler about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Cool slightly, then cut into slices.

Place bread slices on a flat surface. Spread a generous tablespoon of Sun-Dried Tomato Mayonnaise on EACH bread slice. Place red onions on EACH of 4 bread slices. Cover onions with red pepper strips, mushroom slices and arugula, dividing evenly. Top with 2 cheese slices. Cover with remaining bread slices, mayonnaise side down, to make 4 sandwiches. Press each sandwich together.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter on a griddle over medium heat until melted and hot. Grill sandwiches, 2 at a time, until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with 2 remaining sandwiches and 1 additional tablespoon butter.

Cut sandwiches in half to serve. Sandwiches can be also broiled in preheated broiler, turning once; watch carefully to avoid burning. Makes 4 sandwiches.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO MAYONNAISE: In a food processor or blender, combine 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried julienned tomato strips (drain off all oil), 1/2 cup mayonnaise OR light dairy sour cream, 1 clove garlic, minced, and dash dried red pepper flakes. Process until well-blended. Refrigerate until using. Makes about 2/3 cup.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos

Photo: (1--Color) Antonio Iocchi, executive chef at Romano's Macaroni Grill in Thousand Oaks, showcases Portobello Mushroom Panini, Baked Creamy Seafood Appetizer, and Bowtie Noodles With Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Olives and Feta.

(2) Romano's Macaroni Grill in Thousand Oaks offers 35 Italian menu selections, from antipasti to pizzas, pasta, fish, meats and seafood, at moderate prices. The menu changes seasonally.

(3) Portobello Mushroom Panini, served at Macaroni Grill, is smeared with Sun-Dried Tomato Mayonnaise and filled with red onion slices, roasted red pepper slices, arugula and smoked mozzarella slices.

Michael Owen Baker/Daily News