"Does it feel like a chain?" my pal asks when I invite her to dine at North Italia, Irvine's slick, new, and noisy Italian hot spot. I can't lie, so I don't answer. I simply point out that North Italia's neighbors include Houston's, Lemonade, LA Fitness, and Mother's Market.

Open since December, the restaurant occupies an easy-access spot in Park Place, a center so bustling it has its own traffic conductor during happy hour. The giant glass box is hard to miss, towering over nearby Ruth's Chris Steak House. Sun-splashed by day and stylishly lit by night, the voluminous room dwarfs the diners in it, while still feeling surprisingly more intimate than its 255-seat capacity.

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Source: http://www.orangecoast.com/