Pizzeria Mozza
Average user Rating: 93
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Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton (La Brea Bakery) combine efforts to produce high concept pizzas in Hollywood. The wine bar offers many selections by the glass. Try counter seating if you don’t have reservations.
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89
3/10/2010
"What time do you want to have dinner at Pizzeria Mozza? We need to make a reservation." That's the sentence that my friend asked me that got my attention. A reservation at a pizza place? I've never heard of that. Even at chain pizza places like California PIzza Kitchen but I digress.
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96
Pizzas that are worth a trip from the Valley to Hollywood
1/23/2010
Yet another trip to Pizzeria Mozza! After hearing about The Two Guys rant and rave about Mozza for so long, Auntie Julie (aka “John’s sister”) wanted to finally enjoy the Pizzeria Mozza culinary experience. To ensure that she did, she on her own booked a table a month in advance for lunch. Little did we all know that the date she picked (i.e. December 12) would also be the date of a torrential rain in Southern California. We all braved over an hour of travel time (and crazy drivers) to eat what we believe is some of the best pizza in the country.
So we get there at 12:15 pm and as a testament to how crazy popular this place still is, by 12:30, it’s packed. Yes, on a rainy Saturday in December, the place is packed at 12:30 in the afternoon. Insane.
But really, the pizza is that good.
That good.
So first, we order some appetizers, which were the fried squash blossoms with ricotta, the meatballs al forno, and the crispy goat cheese with Umbrian lentils.
The meatballs are truly to die for. We are meatball lovers, and we think we figured out the recipe for these wonderful meatballs. We understand that Nancy & Mario are coming out soon with a "Mozza" cookbook. In the meantime, we love trying to match their meatballs at home. But it's always a treat to have them in their restaurant. We sop up the sauce with the bread, which is drizzled with olive oil and fresh crushed garlic before being toasted. Oh please bring us more...
The squash blossoms were nice but forgettable. The goat cheese was good, but the lentils were a bit sweet, and we were all wondering if we missed this chapter in our Italian cooking classes.
The wine was the Salento Rosso “Primitivo” Vinosia, a dry red with undertones of berries, from Puglia. It was “good but not great,” said Nick. John thought it went well with the majority of the dishes we ordered, and more importantly, at sixteen dollars a glass, it was a perfect afternoon quaffing wine.
Now on to the main courses. It should be no surprise that all five of us ordered pizzas.
John ordered the fennel sausage, panna, red onions and scallions; Nick ordered the speck, pineapple, jalapenos, mozzarella and tomato; the girls ordered Margherita; and Auntie Julie ordered Gorgonzola dolce, fingerling potatoes, radicchio and rosemary. OK, so it’s a bizarre combo, but it worked.
All disappeared in record time. The Two Guys drool over the fennel sausage, which they suspect just makes the pizza. The Margherita is a classic, so really what could go wrong? The speck with pineapple was adored by Nick, but John found it a tad bit too spicy. Really, now, how can you pair a wine with jalapeno? Julie’s pizza, we all agreed, had a bit too much potato, as that’s about the only thing you tasted when biting into it. Still, it was awesome, in no part, due to (we suspect) the bread. The bread is the thing that draws people here, coming back again, and again, and again, and . . . again. Nancy Silverton has perfected the perfect pizza crust.
The Two Guys could easily eat here once a week.
But we digress. Let’s move to dessert. We ordered peanut butter gelati to share. Yes, it was as good as it looks.
This is the third time that we’ve reviewed this restaurant, and it’s no doubt one of many in the reviews we’ll give it, because we’ll be back here many, many times. The place is happening. It’s loud. It’s brash. It’s cool. It’s got Mario Batali! Really now, the food is wonderful, and the experience is the same. If you get to Los Angeles, you must come here.
Recommended Dishes
Any of the pizzas,Fennel Sausage Pizza,meatball appetizer is to die for
93
The best pizza in California!
9/15/2009
The first time I had Mozza's pizza was to-go. My bf and I were going to drive home and eat it, but our Funghi Misti pizza smelled so good we just parked a block away and started chomping. The first bite -- "Wow!!" The mushrooms were perfectly seasoned, the dough was not to thin and not to thick, the crust had great crunch and flavor - seriously the kind of pizza dreams are made of. Most places just put raw mushrooms on the pizza -- but not Mozza. They def sauté and season those bad boys before laying them down. I had been subsisting on substandard LA pizza since moving here until finding Mozza.
The next time I went with my bf and my mom we got the Funghi Misti again, a Prosciutto pizza, mussels, mixed salad, and olive oil + mint chip gelato. The mussels were overcooked :( and the tomato sauce on the prosciutto pizza was a bit too sweet for my taste, but the Funghi Misti pizza was amazing again. And the gelato! Smooth, silky, with fresh quality ingredients. It put all other iced desserts to shame. Overall a really great experience. I just ate at Pizza Delfina in SF a week ago - the pizza was very good, but not as good as Mozza. Ah, love! I will be eating here again as soon as possible.
Recommended Dishes
Funghi Misti, Mint Chip Gelato
96
9/7/2009
The best lunch we had our entire trip had to be at Pizzeria Mozza in LA. Started by Mario Batali, the pizza joint is small and bright; reservations are a must.
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93
7/13/2009
Even though it’s been over two years since Pizzeria Mozza served its first artfully topped wood-fired pie, reservations at a decent hour are still as tough as nails to snag. Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich are the masterminds behind the pizzeria and its upscale sister restaurant Osteria Mozza, hence the immense popularity. There’s nothing like big names to get diners’ salivatory glands going. Myself included.
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Recommended Dishes
Butterscotch budino, pizza with Coach farm goat cheese, leeks, scallions and bacon
89
Pizzeria Mozza
7/12/2009
Pizzeria Mozza has long been on my list of places to try, even more so after a strong experience at the next door Osteria and glowing reviews from trusted friends. I ended up in LA running an errand so I dragged Kevin along and we ended up having alate lunch/early dinner at Mozza. The restaurant is done up in bright slightly garish colors colors and packed cheek to jowl with functional wooden tables and chairs. Patrons also have the option of dining at a small wine bar, a couple seats overlooking the wood fired oven, or even a private dining room.
Pizzeria Mozza is one of two restaurants in a joint venture between Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali, and Joseph Bastianich. Pizzeria Mozza remains arguably the hottest ticket in LA, even more than its more upscale sibling Osteria Mozza. The fact that every table was taken we arrived at 3:45 for our reservation is a testament to the place's popularity. Perhaps the restaurants popularity is due to its versatility, whether an upscale lunch, afternoon snack, or late-night drink at the wine bar.
Avant Garde, Biere de Garde - The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA
Avant Garde is labeled as a Biere de Garde or "keeping beer." These farmhouse-style beers were brewed in the winter and spring then cellared to be drunk at a later date. This was a fairly dark beer with an aroma of yeasty bread, orange and honey. On the palate, the beer tastes of caramel maltiness with a strong orange zest and light floral characters. Kevin aptly described the beer as rustic.
Asparagus al forno with speck & parmigiano reggiano
The grilling reduced the asparagus to an semisolid consistency and added a bitter char to the vegetable's natural grassy sweetness. The speck offered a nice textural difference with its tender chewiness and the smoky flavor of the meat provided a savory counterpoint.
Bone Marrow al forno
Bone marrow is always a dangerous dish, rich and flavorful it can sometimes feel like eating a stick of butter. On its own Mozza's marrow is a perfect example, tasting like solidified oil. The bread and bitter greens manage the unctuousness of the marrow while leaving behind the rich buttery flavor.
Great White, Wheat Beer - Lost Coast Brewery, Eureka, CA
Our second beer was a fairly typical witbier. The pour was light blond with a pronounced haziness. On the nose hints of orange and coriander compliment the yeasty wheat. The citrusy tang and soft spices continue on the palate joined by a disconcerting metallic flavor.
Margherita with mozzarella, tomato & basil
We had to try the Margherita since it is ubiquitous among the more upscale pizza restaurants and serves as a convenient reference point. The freshness of the ingredients was apparent in this pizza, very bright tart-sweet tomatoes, fragrant basil, and nicely brined cheese all resting atop a crispy crust. My only complaint was the oiliness of the pizza and this was a problem that carried over to the sausage pizza as well.
Fennel sausage, panna, red onion & scallions
Initially, I tasted a lot of strong distinct flavors which made it a bit hard to really appreciate what I was eating. As the pizza cooled, the flavors seemed to temper down leaving the anise tinged sausage as the focal point of the dish. Again my main complaint was the amount of oil I squeezed out of the pizza when I folded it in half.
Ipswich clams, garlic, oregano, pecorino & parmigiano
I missed out on the clam pizza at Lombardi's so I felt this would be a good substitute as the ingredients are very similar. Alas the flavors turned out to be a bit blunt, alternating between slightly bitter briney clams and the herbaceous garlic and oregano mixture. An interesting experience but not one I'd care to repeat anytime soon.
Butterscotch budino
I was told the budino was a can't miss dessert by Christine who threatened bodily harm if we did not try it. The blend of butterscotch and caramel accented with sea salt did not disappoint particularly when finished off with the lingering warmth of the rosemary cookie.
So did Mozza live up to the hype? In a word, no. But that is partially due to the fact that the level of buzz around this restaurant is unreal. To its credit, Mozza serves up solid pizzas with an array of interesting toppings backed up by strong appetizers and tasty desserts making this a great choice for a casual dinner with friends that is if you can get a seat.
93
6/30/2009
Mucho molto, pizza pizza.
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Recommended Dishes
Bacon, egg, potato pizza, mussels, fennel sausage pizza
96
Why Pizzeria Mozza is my favorite restaurant in LA
6/27/2009
Since my first bite of the Coach farm goat cheese, leeks, scallions, and bacon pizza nearly three years ago, Pizzeria Mozza has reigned at the top of my list of favorite Los Angeles restaurants. Over the course of my seven visits to the chic eatery that oozes New York City sophistication, I have discovered many reasons to adore the Mozza -- many of them completely unrelated to the truly spectacular food.
I love ordering a quartino of fine Italian wine -- one glass is never enough, but two will put me to sleep (or compromise my ability to walk gracefully in my gold heels). At Mozza I can get a quarter bottle of a spicy Barbera for $15. It's the perfect amount to last through the entire meal.
I love deciding at 5:15 pm on a Friday night that I want the clams, garlic, oregano, parmigiano, and pecorino pizza, and be devouring the luminously topped pie that very evening. Most of the finer restaurants in town aren't as gracious to reservationless diners, but at Pizzeria Mozza, I have always been treated with the same respect proffered to the parties who had the foresight to secure their tables four weeks in advance. On two occasions, I have even been offered one of those precious tables. For a restaurant that exudes exclusivity, this is practically revolutionary.
I love the warm club-like atmosphere that sparks with foodie intensity. There is something special going on in that room and everyone there knows it.
I love the finely managed marriage of fabulous food and fabulous scene. It's a party there every night of the week -- a statement that my stomach will boldly reinforce after sampling several of the pizzas and starters on their menu, including, but limited to the crispy goat cheese with lentils, fried squash blossoms with ricotta, Nancy's Chopped Salad, pizza bianca w/ fennel sausage, and the Rramps, pancetta, English peas & panna pie. It's not typical to find a restaurant where the scene and food are equal partners. I can't say that I have flipped for everything that I've eaten within the brick-colored walls, but I can say that I have always left with a smile on my face.
Finally, I love that dessert is not to be missed. The now infamous Buttorscotch Budino is a nutritionist's worst nightmare, but there is something seriously buzz-worthy going on in that glass cup. At the moment however, my heart belongs to their homemade gelati and seasonally inspired gelato pies.
For me, Mozza's appeal extends far beyond the pizzas that make my mouth water with desire on many a Friday afternoon. The beauty of Mozza is that it is accessible to the everyday foodie with prices that allow for a memorable evening without being particularly memorable on the back account. For a gal who is currently foregoing her pedicures to pay for her gas bills, that's something that's truly remarkable.
89
Pizzeria Mozza (Los Angeles, CA)
6/17/2009
After my visit to David Myers' Pizzeria Ortica at the end of April, I asked myself if it was finally time to check out its spiritual counterpart up north, Pizzeria Mozza. The pizzeria is certainly one of the most sought after destinations in all of LA--this despite having been open for two years. In fact, we arrived at 3:40 in the afternoon, and the place was packed.
The space was positively buzzing when we opened the door. The bar, next to the entrance, was packed, as was most of the yellow and orange dining room. We were seated after waiting around ten minutes, which actually wasn't too bad. Our seat along the far wall gave us a good view of the open kitchen, and the tight seat spacing acquainted us with our neighboring diners.
Mozza's menu features classic Italian fare, with the pizzas, of course, taking center stage. There were a lot of items I wanted to try, thus giving the place a good amount of "replay" value, so to speak. The menu's reverse side is the wine list, which is value-priced and overwhelmingly Italian.
Here's what we had:
Asparagus al forno, speck & Parmigiano Reggiano [$12.00]
This was a heavier preparation of asparagus than I'm accustomed to. Since the asparagus was done in an al forno ("from the oven," baked) style, it had a soft consistency with a sweet/bitter flavor accented by hints of smoke--a bit different, but still tasty. Offsetting the vegetal notes of the asparagus was speck (a type of ham from northern Italy), which provided a nice salty contrast, and the cheese, which added a subtle gravity to the dish.
Bone marrow al forno [$12.00]
As expected, the bone marrow was quite fatty, quite unctuous on its own. Its accoutrements made all the difference in the world here. The use of an herb salad, salt, and sweet garlic really tempered the weight of the marrow, and when eaten all together with the included bread, made for a superb combination. I preferred this to a similar version I had not too long ago at Church & State.
Margherita with mozzarella, tomato & basil [$13.00]
Now it was time for the pizza and naturally, I had to start with the classic margherita. The margherita is just about the most traditional pizza available, and consists of tomato, mozzarella, basil, and extra virgin olive oil, cooked in a wood-burning oven. I quite enjoyed the tanginess of the tomato base (made from San Marzano tomatoes I assume), and how that played with the mozzarella, which added weight and character to the dish. The pizza had a nice basil tang, but I would've liked the herb's presence to have been stronger. The ever-important crust had a nice crunch to it, and I preferred it to the slightly too-soft version at Pizzeria Ortica. Overall, a very solid interpretation of a classic.
Fennel sausage, panna, red onions & scallions [$15.00]
The pizza was topped with a house-made sausage, one with a subtle sweetness that really dominated the pie. However, the application of onions and scallions provided a tangy counterpoint to the meat, which helped in balancing things out. My dining companion preferred Ortica's "Salsiccia e finocchio" pizza, but I'm ambivalent. One problem here was that the pizza was extremely greasy, leaving large pools of oil on the plate.
Ipswich clams, garlic, oregano, pecorino & parmigiano [$18.00]
During my last New York trip, I wanted to try the famous Clam Pie at Lombardi's, but my dining companion balked; I thus wanted to get my fill of it here at Mozza. The essence of clam was extremely apparent in the pizza, and this was countered by an equally intense application of garlic--a logical pairing but a bit overbearing in this case. The duo of cheeses, meanwhile, added weight and flavor on the finish. One notable thing about this pizza was the clams' texture, which gave the pie a nice chewy bite.
After our pizzas, we requested the dessert menu. This was a mere formality, however, as we already knew what we'd be getting...
Butterscotch budino, Maldon sea salt & rosemary pine nut cookies [$9.00]
Yes, this was the infamous budino, as recommended by Christine during a blogger dinner at One Sunset. This dessert represented a fascinating study in the interplay between sweet and savory flavors. The pudding itself, as expected, was fiendishly sweet. It would've been far too monolithic had it not been for the use of rosemary and sea salt. The rosemary lent a pleasing tang to the dish, which helped in cutting the intensity of the butterscotch. The salt, on the other hand, gave the dessert a lingering savory finish that added much-needed complexity. Finally, the cookies provided a fitting textural contrast to balance out the creaminess of the dessert's other elements.
I knew coming in that Pizzeria Mozza wouldn't be deserving of all the hype, and it isn't. It is, however, a fun, casual spot, with a large menu of well-executed Italian fare. What more can I expect really? I will say that I'll probably be back.
Full review with photos: http://www.kevineats.com/20 09/05/pizzeria-mozza-los-an geles-ca.htm
89
Pizzeria Mozza!
2/19/2009
Pizza Pizza Pizza! Mama Mia it's hard to get good pizza this day and age! Not just well made pizza but pizza that is filled with inspiration and creativity. Sausage this, pepperoni that, it's all the same! Slap on an Italian sounding name and the masses will swarm to any tomato sauce out of a can pizza joint.
But Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich thought of something different, they wanted great pizza with fresh ingredients and compelling combination. They opened Pizzeria Mozza, probably the hardest pizzaria to make a reservation at in the 48 continental states.
Process:
Call: put on hold, there's actually a recorded voice that tells you what place in line you are (oddly enough.. our whole dinner there I never saw them pick up the phone more than once... leads me to believe it's fake?)
Call answered: I ask for 3 different dates and I was told "we are fully committed that evening." Finally I told them tell me what day you AREN'T committed and they booked us a table.
After an agonizing week of waiting to eat at Pizza Mozza the day finally arrived!
Stepping into the restaurant I understand why it was so packed. It's a pretty small restaurant, you have two bar seating areas and about 15 tables for guests.
The eating partner and I eat relatively fast while the people around us... woo they ate dessert longer than we ate our whole meal.
The pizza is cooked in a big open wood fire oven, those white hats in the back are popping in and out pizzas at a record pace.
We decided to start off our meal with a little appetizer. White beans alla Toscana with extra virgin olive oil & saba.
The white beans are grinded to a soft almost creamy consistency. The beans are meaty and rich in flavor which amps up even more with the great olive oil they pour liberally over the beans.
After we stuffed ourselves with bread and beans we ordered two very different pizzas to share. First off, the pizzas made with a thin bottom and a nice fluffy but crispy crust. So the pizza is not doughy but it has enough substance where the ingredients don't overwhelm the pizza.
First up, Tomato, mozzarella, sausage, salami, bacon & guanciale
Oily, fatty, decadent, concentrated meat flavor. All the meat was so flavorful, especially the guanciale which is essentially an unsmoked bacon. It's a very salty and mouth coating meat, the saltiness seems to give way to all the oil from the rest of the pizza. This is a meat lover's pizza on crack!
Next up Egg, guanciale, radicchio, escarole & bagna cauda
Radicchio is a spicy almost bitter Italian leaf (the purple and green you see there) almost like arugala but with more of a bitter aftertaste. Escarole is just endive, also a slightly bitter leafy green. Now you're probably asking .. this pizza just sounds horrible so far. Never fear my dear readers, the rest of the ingredients make it work well together.
The bagna cauda is a sauce of garlic, anchovy , and olive oil, these ingredients are very anti-bitter. In addition the uncured salted ham with a slightly cooked egg try their best to reign in the bitter greens. So you get an epic battle in your mouth. Occasionally you get a bit of a more "bitter" bite... I think this problem could have been easily cured if they put more uncured ham (hehe)... if there's one big knock on this restaurant it's the lack of meat on a near $20 pizza.
Is this place everything people hype it up to be? Sure. Where else do you have pizza with very traditional (yet exotic) Italian ingredients? It's an adventure worth stopping in at least once.
89
9/3/2008
The mussels appetizer was so so.
The pizzas were good, I admit, but not sure if they are worth $15 ... They do use excellent ingredients and the prosciutto is wonderful, but if the spinach pizza was good-not outstanding.
I think LA has other great pizza places for a lot less $$, although you won't get the same "trendy" scene (which I don't dig that much anyway)
96
Batali's the Best
8/26/2008
If you don't know already, Mario Batali is the premier Italian chef around. He finally came to LA with Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza. Pizzeria Mozza is a nice, quaint place to have a casual meal, while Osteria is more for true Italian fine dining. Bottom line, the food is great. All the pizzas are fantastically thin and crispy, the salads are fresh and full of flavor, and the desserts are excellent. Even the tuna panini is fantastic, not greasy or mayo-ey at all. And the best part about Pizzeria Mozza is the prices. People will line up and pay $30 for a Batali pizza, but here you'll only have to shell out $15 or less. So next time you're thinking about CPK, just know that you can get a much better meal for about the same price. Make a reservation though, or you'll be eating lunch at 3pm.
96
8/10/2009
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