Mozza Osteria
Average user Rating: 91
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This upscale Italian restaurant and mozzarella bar is the creation of chef/restauranteurs Mario Batali, Nancy Silverton and Joseph Bastianich. Reservations are difficult to get, but well worth it for those looking for an inspiring menu.
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93
2/11/2010
A friend and I decided to explore Mozza last Wednesday night. We heard that - regardless of the LA, restaurant fanfare - it was relatively easy to roll in and sit at the mozzarella bar. That rumor is correct. We walked in at 8:30 and were guided to one of the tables by the bar while we waited. We ordered a bottle of the Bastianich rosé, which was elegant, crisp, with a light fruit. It seemed apropos as Joe Bastianich was in the house.We were told after 5 minutes that we could have a table if we wanted, but we opted to wait for our two seats at the bar - which only took a few moments more (the entirety of the menu is served at the mozzarella bar). It was a treat to watch Nancy Silverton hone her craft for the duration of our meal.
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93
1/30/2010
As the old saying goes, Michelin giveth and Michelin taketh away, and in 2009, Michelin took Babbo's sole star and gave it to Osteria Mozza. Though I haven't been pleased to try Babbo just yet, after one singular experience at Osteria Mozza, my conclusion is that this award is well deserved. But, va bene! Tutto il mondo è paese! I am a huge Mario Batali fan, and I could only just imagine him saying that if he was sitting in the dining room at Osteria Mozza on that day.
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Recommended Dishes
Grilled Octopus, Mozzarella Tasting, Ricotto and Egg Raviolo, Rabbit con Salsiccia, Rosemary olive oil cakes
89
9/21/2009
Calling in a month ahead of reservations is just not my style.
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Recommended Dishes
Starters, cuz carbohydrate is the devil
93
7/13/2009
We were seated promptly at a two-top on the left side of the packed, dimly lit dining room. The vibe here isn’t very different from the pizzeria next door—both are laid back with a strong emphasis on good service and great food.
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Recommended Dishes
burricotti with braised artichokes, pine nuts, currants and mint pesto, tripe alla Parmigiana with ceci, gnudi with cotechino and carrots
85
Osteria Mozza (Los Angeles, CA)
2/19/2009
We each chose the Pasta Tasting Menu [$69.00], along with two supplemental courses (the mozzarella tasting and bistecca).
Supplement: Mozzarella Tasting [$24.00]
We were all very excited to try out the mozzarella. First up was the Fior di Latte ("flower of milk"), which is mozzarella made from 100% cow's milk from Giulia. It had a simple mild milkiness as well as a bit of sourness, all with a slightly gritty texture. Next was a domestic Burrata ("buttered" in Italian) from an artisanal cheese maker in Los Angeles, served with olive oil. Burrata is basically mozzarella along with cream, so not surprisingly, we found it creamier, but also milder, more subtle, and firmer in consistency. Personally, I thought it could've done without the olive oil, which distracted from the natural flavor of the cheese. Finally up was the Mozzarella di Bufala from Campana, made from water buffalo milk. Such milk is heavier and higher in protein than cow's milk, and resulted in a super soft consistency, along with a tart flavor that reminded me of yogurt. It was my favorite of the trio. All this mozzarella was served with grilled olive oil toast ("fett'unta"), an absolutely lip smacking accompaniment not dissimilar to garlic bread.
1: Tortellini with burro di Luigi Guffanti & Parmigiano
2000 "Valentino Brut Zero," Rocche di Manzone
Reading the description on the menu, we were left to wonder exactly what type of tortellini this was. Turns out Luigi Guffani is a leading cheese maker from Arona, Italy, and the "burro" refers to a butter made by them. This revelation still didn't help with the filling, which one of my dining companions likened to Chinese shaomai stuffing! In fact, that wasn't far from the truth, as it was filled with an amalgam of chicken and pork. In any case, whatever it was, it was very tasty, with the flavor of the meat becoming apparent over a pungent backdrop of Parmesan cheese. The wine here was a sparkler, a 100% Chardonnay Brut from Piedmont. It was done in the méthode champenoise style, and was intensely yeasty, toasty, and heavy almost like an old Krug Champagne (like I had at Charlie Palmer or Sushi Sasabune).
2: Calf's Brain Ravioli salvia e limone
2006 "Vespa Bianco," Bastianich
Interestingly, the only other two times I've had calf's brain were at French Laundry and Per Se--both Thomas Keller establishments. I must say, though, that this was easily the least offensive preparation; it actually reminded me of Chinese style dumplings, or jiaozi! Believe me, you wouldn't even know that this was brain if you weren't told so. Though the brain wasn't distinctive, it was delicious, with the sage and lemon complementing it wonderfully. For wine, we were given one of owner Joe Bastianich's wines. It was a Chardonnay- and Sauvignon Blanc-dominated blend, with a splash of Picolit. It had the roundness, the body, and the weight of Chard, but the other grapes made it more approachable, adding hints of tropical fruit and pear.
At this point, we decided to order up a couple of beers. The first was the Grimbergen Blonde [$7.00], a Belgian abbey pale ale from Brouwerij Alken-Maes in Flanders. I liked this one, and found it rather easy-drinking and light, with plenty of honey, fruit, and bread. Next up was the St. Bernardus Prior 8 [$9.00] from Brouwerij St. Bernardus, also of Flanders. This was a Trappist beer done in the Dubbel style. Though also an abbey ale, this was completely different than the Grimbergen; it was a heavier, more viscous concoction, loaded with smoke, toffee, and chocolate.
3: Gnocchi with ragú Bolognese
2005 Sangiovese di Romagna "Olmatello," La Berta
Bolognese sauce is a meat-based (typically beef and/or pork) sauce originating from Bologna, Italy. Its hearty flavor, along with the zest of Parmesan, accentuated the pasta nicely, and the whole commixture tasted like Chinese niu rou mein beef noodle soup. I found it very fascinating that the first three dishes of the tasting menu reminded me of Chinese food! Overall quite good, though the gnocchi were a bit soft for me. As for the vino, we had a Sangiovese. A simple, approachable wine, its tart, but deep fruity flavors worked beautifully with the rich flavors of the meat sauce.
4: Francobolli di Brasato with passato di pomodoro
2004 Aglianico del Vulture "Titolo," Elena Fucci
"Francobolli" literally means "stamps," and as can be seen in the photo, they were in the same vein as ravioli. Here, they were stuffed with "brasato," a Milanese braised beef mixture. The end result was delicious, with all the rich flavor of braised meat, balanced by an herbally tang and the sweet/sour interplay of the tomato-based sauce. The wine here was an Aglianico from Basilicata, a first for me. It had a nose of grass intermingled with dark fruit, while smoke and wood became apparent on the palate. It was an aggressive wine that was perhaps a touch strong for the dish.
For the next two beers, we first chose an Allagash Curieux [$20.00], brewed by Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine. Aged in Bourbon oak and done in a Tripel style, the beer packed a punch at 11% ABV, but carried its weight nicely, with light, crisp flavors of apple and lychee over a layer of Bourbon and spice. Though my dining companions didn't care for it, I rather enjoyed it. Finally, we had the Abbaye Des Rocs Grand Cru [$9.00], another Belgian, this time a strong dark ale from Hainaut. It was somewhat similar to the St. Bernardus we had earlier, showing distinctive notes of chocolate, toffee, and smoke, along with dark fruit and spice. Not bad!
5: Pici with duck ragú
2005 "Aragone," La Mozza
Though this looks like spaghetti, it was actually pici, basically a fatter version of the omnipresent pasta, originating from Tuscany. It was somewhat denser and firmer than its thinner counterpart and is traditionally eaten with a game-based sauce, so the use of duck ragú here was appropriate, complementing the pici and sharp Pecorino cheese topping nicely. Interestingly, one of my dining companions thought that the duck sauce had a "fishiness" to it, but I didn't find such a flavor distracting here. For this course, we were paired a Sangiovese blend from Maremma, Tuscany, again from Bastianich. It was almost Cabernet-like in character, giving up a dark, jammy nose, which continued onto the palate, along with smoke and tobacco; it stood up well to the heavy nature of the pici.
Supplement: Porcini-Rubbed Rib Eye Bistecca [$58.00]
Done medium-rare, this turned out to be a decent, though not outstanding, steak. It was suitably tender and flavorful, but was a touch too fatty for me; meanwhile, one of my dining companions found the charred exterior bothersome. The steak was served with aged balsamic and olive oil dipping sauces, both of which proved unnecessary. The most interesting part of this was actually the potatoes, which were cooked to a crunchy, almost candied exterior, but still hiding a soft, sweet, creamy interior. I'll leave my steaks to CUT next time.
***Please refer to the review linked below for courses 6 through 7.***
All in all, this was a solid meal. I enjoyed all the pasta dishes I tasted, as well as the mozzarella. In fact, I could see coming back just for the cheese. On the other hand, the steak was only passable, and the desserts really didn't work at all. It was skillful, tasty (for the most part) cuisine, but I really didn't see anything particularly creative or unique, nothing that screamed "hey, this is a Michelin-starred restaurant." Next time, I think I'll need to order, à la carte, some of the more interesting items on the menu, before I can make a definitive judgment about Mozza. For now, I'll just say that the restaurant serves up competent, high-quality Italian fare...but not that much else.
Full review with photos:
http://www.kevinea ts.com/2009/02/osteria-mozz a-los-angeles-ca.htm
80
Meh
8/19/2008
Way overhyped and overpriced. My friend and I split a pasta so we could sample other yummy sounding things - we sent it back as it tasted like Chef Boyardee was working the line. Reservations are impossible, service staff acts like they are doing you a favor if they deem to talk to you and the room is wayyy crowded/loud. Don't waste your time. Pizzeria Mozza next door is a dream come true though.
89
7/13/2009
80
7/8/2009
93
7/6/2009
100
7/2/2009
96
6/24/2009
96
6/18/2009
93
2/17/2009
89
12/18/2008
93
10/7/2008
89
9/30/2008
85
9/2/2008
93
8/28/2008
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