Mozza Pizzeria

Posted October 2nd, 2008 by Meg

Last Friday, my boyfriend took me out to lunch at Mozza Pizzeria. Not to be confused with it’s neighbor and same owners (Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich), Mozza Osteria. We didn’t make reservations, but we arrived early enough to acquire seats at the bar. I preferred the bar because we got to watch the chefs do their magic and we were in close proximity to our waiter for any emergency wine refills.

We sat down and immediately ordered our drinks. I had a glass of the Riesling on the menu (forgive me for not writing down the name).

Bone Marrow al forno

This was my first time eating Bone Marrow and now I am hooked. I am scared that I won’t be able to find it as good and delicious as this anywhere else.

Meatballs al forno

There are normally 3 meatballs on the plate when it is served to you, but we were so excited to try them that I forgot to take a picture until after one was quickly devoured. The bread that came with the meatballs is different than the bread that came with the bone marrow. I’m no bread expert and can’t tell you how exactly they differ other than physical attributes, but I just wanted to point out the subtle yet important differences and nuances of each dish; bread is important!

Egg, guanciale, radicchio, escarole & bagna cauda

Delicious! Very fluffy and chewy bread. Guanciale (Italian for ‘cheek’) is a delicate kind of unsmoked Italian bacon prepared with jowels and cheeks. Radicchio is the bitter/spicy chicory leaf. Escarole is endive (part of the chicory genus), but is a broad, pale leaf that is less bitter than other varieties of endive. Bagna cauda is a warm Piedmont dip made of garlic, anchovies, olive oil, and butter.

Salumi Salami, mozzarella, tomato & fresno chiles

No typo here, Salumi means the meat is Italian-style cured or preserved;  the meat has been preserved in salt and spices and is not encased before aging. Salami is a type of salumi (but salumi is not a type of salami). Although you can’t see them very well in the picture, the fresno chiles really made this pizza amazing. Delicious!

Cioccolato, bittersweet chocolate cake & candied almonds

Simple and Rich. Although just a sliver of a piece, this slice was packed with thick chocolate goodness. Almost comparable to fudge, but with a better more complex taste. Yum.

Everything was wonderful. You can’t go wrong.

Mozza Pizzeria
6602 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 297-0100‎

Osteria Mozza

Posted September 11th, 2008 by Meg

I have been wanting to eat at Osteria Mozza for a long time and was ecstatic when I found out my boyfriend made reservations for my birthday. Mozza is owned by by Mario Batali, Joseph Bastianich, and Nancy Silverton; a trifecta of talent. If you watch Iron Chef you probably have already recognized the name Mario Batali. For those who are not familiar with Batali, he is considered King of Italian cuisine (19 wins out of 23 Iron Chef competitions). Joseph Bastianich is the guy behind the wine, son of chef Lidia Bastianich. Bastianich started with a future in Wall Street (bond trader at Merrill Lynch), but after spending a year in Italy working on vineyards and restaurants he returned with with different goal in life. Nancy Silverton is an American chef/baker who co-founded La Brea Bakery.

Batali and Bastianich own a few other restaurants together: New York: Babbo, Lupa Osteria Romana, Esca, Casa Mono / Bar Jamón, Otto Enoteca Pizzeria, Del Posto,  along with Italian Wine Merchants; Las Vegas: B&B Ristorante, Enoteca San Marco, and Carnevino (their first steakhouse); Los Angeles: Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza.

When we arrived at 8pm, the place was already packed and happening. Luckily, within minutes we were seated in a small and intimate room away from the noisy bar / main seating area. Mozza asks that you place your complete order all at once (everything but dessert) so they can appropriately pace your dinner. I enjoyed this method, but I also looked and translated the menu at home so I came to the restaurant with a few ideas of what I was going to order, but wanted to see what the waiter would recommend and/or if there were any specials.

I do not have many great pictures because it was too dark for flash-less photography. So I have included links to photographs other people have taken of exactly what I ordered. I apologize for the inconvenience, but take the time to look at the links.

Antipasti - Grilled Octopus with fingerling potatoes, mizuna, celery & lemon

I have never had octopi before, but loved it. Although you would assume that it would taste rubbery (like squid), it did not. The texture of mine tasted almost softer than chicken, but with a slightly difference in taste. It paired very well with the lemon vinegary dressing on top of the vegetables. Through research I have found that they marinate the octopus in oil and wine corks. Many Italian chefs believe that wine corks help tenderize the tentacles and so they include them in the braising liquid. Whatever it is that tenderizes, it works. I would order this again. It was one of my favorite dishes of the night.

Mozzarella Bar - Burrata from Basilicata w leeks & fett ‘unta

Burrata in Italian means “buttered.” It is a fresh cheese made from mozzarella and cream. It comes to the table looking like a big white balloon of goodness. The outer shell of it is a solid mozzarella, but one cut and you will find the cream and mozzarella ooze of awesomeness. Fett’unta is just bread soaked in olive oil and garlic. Since it was flown in the night before fom Basilicata, a region in the South of Italy, it tasted fresh! It was quite a large portion for two people, but we made the most of it. Yum!

Primi - Fresh Ricotta & Egg Raviolo with browned butter

I had no idea what to expect with this dish, but the waiter highly recommended it and after the first bite, I learned why. The ricotta, egg, and butter just melts in the mouth. It was also a delight to cut open (like the Burrata) and watch the egg ooze out. The butter really made this dish go above and beyond. This is one meal where I would be very hesitant to make at home (the egg), which makes it even more enjoyable.

Secondi - Sweetbreads piccata with artichokes and black kale

Sweetbreads are the thymus glands of lamb, beef, or pork. Piccata means sliced, sautéed, and served in a sauce containing lemon, butter, and spices. I do not have much experience with sweetbreads, except that my mom always orders them at Landis Store. Since I trust my mom’s sophisticated palette and believed the waiter’s vehement recommendation, I had to choose it for my entree. It was perfect in taste, soft and chewy in texture. It went so well with the artichokes, black kale, and olives (I love artichokes). I even got my boyfriend to try it, but of course I did not tell him what part of the animal it was from until after he took a bite and agreed it tasted good.

Dolci - Bombolini lemon crema & frutti di bosco sorbetto

Bombolini’s are basically Italian doughnut holes. Lightly sugared, soft, and satisfying. Paired well with the crema and sorbetto. Frutti di bosco is Italian for “Fruit of the forrest/woods,” but translates as mixed berries.

Digestivo - Profumi della Costiera, Nicola Mansi Limoncello 1L

I have never had Limoncello before, but am very glad I had the chance to because it was wonderful. Nothing better than a sweet beginning and a warm hot finish.

BEST BIRTHDAY DINNER EVER.

Osteria Mozza
6602 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Get Directions(323) 297-0100

Note: If you want to make reservations, you must call exactly one month ahead. However, the four bars located inside accept walk-ins, but first come first serve so be early or ready to wait.