Krish Bhutwala

Review of Mozza's

I came here because it was a very short drive from...

I came here because it was a very short drive from Pantages Theatre, right before catching a showing of Wicked (phenomenal musical, highly recommended!). I had bookmarked this place because it is considered one of the greatest pizzerias in the NATION, so... yeah.

We started out with the white beans bruschette alla toscana with saba. I thought the flavor combination was pretty unique! It came with six decently sized pieces with this white bean hummus(?) and saba. Upon discovering that saba is this sweetened Italian grape syrup, it seemed like something new to try. I only ate two of them because I thought they were a teensy bit on the salty side, but my friend thought they were absolutely fantastic, so overall they're a good choice! But the next appetizer is truly the star.

The chicken wings alla diavola. GET THE CHICKEN WINGS ALLA DIAVOLA. To be completely honest, I really don't care how great any of the other appetizers sound, the wings are better. If you appreciate smoked flavor with a good bit of spice (not too overpowering), then this appetizer is the one for you. Four chicken wings. All perfectly seasoned with a full-flavored punch that hits you at first bite. Smoked paprika with allspice comes to mind, but I'm definitely not one to know. At first, I tried to be fancy about them with a fork and knife. Don't even try. You NEED to get your hands dirty if you want to enjoy every last bit, and for me every last bit means past the meat, past the cartilage, and straight off the bone. Trust, our waitress didn't judge, she just knew exactly when we needed more napkins. Props.

Nancy Silverton. Co-Owner. She brings home the bread in this restaurant, literally. She is the one who is responsible for the unparalleled crust on this pizza. It is crunchy on the outside, fluffy and chewy on the inside. Now I know that's a cliche, but I'm telling the truth. It seems hard and stale on the outside (bang it lightly on the plate, and it doesn't budge), but as soon as you bite into it, you realize it was all an act, that the dough has an interior stiff fluff about it like no other crust you've eaten before. It's one for the books. A+

The other thing is the sauce. Now, we ordered the Pizza alla benno without the speck, so I don't know if it was the insanely thinly sliced pineapple that ran its juice through the tomato sauce or what, but there was a VERY unique flavor. A twinge that was a vague reminder of a sweet delicate mixture of apple cinnamon and sweet pineapple (crazy, right? Go figure). Whatever happened, happened for the best in that sauce. Hands down one of the best pizza sauces I have ever had. I believe Mario Batali is the man behind the scenes taking responsibility here. Bravo, Mario.

Overall, a great experience. We were seated in the Jack Warner Room, even though it is mainly used for group dining. I appreciated the casual yet classy environment, with a wine cellar crosswork lining the walls and a spiral staircase in the corner that actually took me a while to notice (sadly, nothing exciting on the upper level, just an office they say). I recommend this restaurant and all the dishes listed in this review. Cheers to the pie!