Mozza et. all occupies the entire Southwest corner of the intersection of Melrose & Highland in Hollywood, just steps away from the Kodak theater, Mann's Chinese Theater and the entire Hollywood & Highland Complex. We left early and took the long way from the South bay up La Brea Ave and did a fair amount of people watching as we wound our way to Hollywood, arriving just a few minutes in advance of our 6pm Reso. Valet parking $10 - okey dokey - then just let your nose guide you into the back door. The convivial host flirts with our daughter before seating us at a center table, with full view of the glorious wood burning pizza oven. Diners at the bar just in front of the oven have an even better view, and we agree that we'd like to sit there on our next visit, sans munchkin.
Waitstaff descends and we are in sparkling water, bread sticks and a highchair in no time. The menu arrives ( on butcher paper ) and the manager Allan visits to help me select a bottle of wine. He asks what I like, Dolcetto d' Alba or Valpolicella I say , and he recommends a bottle of
Valpolicella, “Ca’ Fiui”, Corte Sant’Alda from Veneto ( $45) . I am delighted to see that their entire wine list is Italian, under $50 , listed from lightest to heaviest in body, and has a very nice selection of both whites and reds. So far we are cooking with gas here.
The ambiance and atmosphere is very relaxed in stark contrast to the some what stuffy front end of the restaurant. Music is a bit louder and the clientele is younger and hipper. Some of the larger tables are cafeteria style with bench seating , and there are two large bars for more informal dinning, adorned with huge, magnificent fresh floral arrangements and low candles. It smells amazing and I am intoxicated even before I've had a cocktail.
Speaking of cocktails - the wine arrives and is exceptionally delicious, and promises to be even more so with food. We begin the serious business of ordering dinner - although I have already designed the meal in my head beforehand. My husband says the magic words - " Just order for us " and I am a happy, happy girl. Our server Paige makes some reccomendations, plays with Lily and I get to the nuts and bolts of ordering our meal from start to finish. They are out of Arancini ( rissoto croquettes ) , but I don't let it rain on my parade with so much else to choose from.
Our first course hits the table with no frills whatsoever - Prosciutto di Parma & Bufala Mozzarella, made by hand next door at the famous mozzarella bar( $18 ).
This is the point in the evening where I start to lose concentration because I am freaking out about how incredible this dish is. The prosciutto is hand carved and as light an ethereal as tissue paper. The cheese is filled with a creme center burrata style, and they are so entirely delicious that there is no salt, pepper or oil involved. It is, quite possibly, one of the most tasty things I have ever eaten in my life.
Next up we partake in one of my favorite Italian delicacies - Stuffed and Fried Squash Blossoms with Ricotta ( $12 ). Mike has never tried them before and he says he never would have if I hadn't ordered them. They are crisped to perfection in a sort of tempura batter - and again - have no sauce or seasoning besides the natural saltiness of the cheese. They melt in your mouth, Mike says. He is right, the only thing wrong with these is that there weren't enough on my plate. Today my girlfriend who's been there asks me - " did you get those fried flower things?? Oh my god they are good" - oh, you bet we did.
Lily is enjoying herself immensely thanks to a wonderful service staff who are treating her like the Queen of Sheeba. Her favorite thing of all are the bread sticks which she gnawed on furiously all night long. Whenever she dropped one, within seconds a busser was there to replace it. She looked like one of the Marx Brothers puffing on a cigar all night.
So, it's pizza time, and I'm ready to go to battle. It was hard to whittle our choices down to just two, but three just seemed kind of glutinous. We settled on the Funghi Misti - with wild mushrooms, tallegio cheese and thyme ($16 ) and the Goat Cheese & Bacon with Roasted Garlic, Leeks & Scallions ( $16 ). This is where the rubber meets the road at Mozza - a combination of Nancy Silverton's prowess for hearth baked breads and two of the foremost Italian restaurateurs expertise in authentic Italian cuisine. The result was nothing short of spectacular, and Mike and I agreed that it was the best Pizza dough we'd had. The slightly charred crust was a perfect combination of chewy and crusty, and the thickness was exactly as mother nature intended it ( Sorry, Chicago ). While the Goat Cheese Pizza was exceptionally good, the Mushroom Pizza was a masterpiece worthy of a single, joyous tear .
How do you follow up a meal like that?? How about a Dessert menu that includes four, outstanding items that were impossible to choose from. We never, ever order our own desserts but in this case it was sheer necessity driving us to make that call since there was no way we could pass up three of four items on the list. We let Paige decide our fate.
My plate leaned towards the savory with a fresh pressed waffle , Caramel Copetta Gelato , Marshmallow Cream and Candied Spanish Peanuts ( $9 ) It was freakin' unreal, and Mike tried to steal it from me, which became an over-my-dead-body situation.
His plate was the total culinary opposite of mine - a gorgeous Lime Torta with Blueberries and Creme Fraiche ( also $9 ). It was kind of like the best Key Lime Pie I've ever had, and Lily made an adorable pucker face when she tasted it ( she much preferred the prosciutto and mushrooms, who knew ). Both desserts were totally glorious and made for a memorable finish to a spectacular meal that we are still reliving today.
Pizzeria Mozza is doing everything right. From the food to the service to the decor - they are doing fabulous things in a simple, straight forward way. Unlike many other trendy LA eateries, you can tell that they don't take themselves to seriously and they let the food speak for itself, which is the mark of a great restaurant. If this is what Italy tastes like then I am booking the next flight out of here.
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