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Pizzeria Mozza, 2014 James Beard National Outstanding Chef Winner Nancy Silverton's Local Pizzeria Chain


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My friend in Hollywood told me that there is a place there called Pizzeria Mozza which may have the best pizza in the world- topping even pizzeria bianco. has anyone on this board been there?
my friend said the baker nancy silverton spent 5 years researching on how to make the perfect crust. the restaurant is co-owned by mario batali. my friend said the wait to get reservations in about a month (for pizza!?!).
he also said they opened an Italian osteria next door serving more pasta that has an amazing mozzarella bar.

Mozza website

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Well I am currently in LA and my friend and I went to Mozza a couple days ago for lunch. Around 1-1:30 on a weekday, it's a little slower, but still filled with various LA types with iPhones.

We sat at the pizza bar with glasses of Barbera and had a pretty great meal.

We started with the mozza caprese - a splooge of amazing soft mozzarella served with small plum tomatoes on the vine. The cheese was soft and runny.

We also had bruschetta with mashed white beans.

For pizza - we had two to share - I ordered one with white anchovy, tomato and hot chiles and my friend got one with Prosciutto di Parma, rucola, tomato & mozzarella.

The crust was pretty great - it reminded me more of fried dough or a light scallion pancake - it was thin, crispy and a little chewy. We were told the pizzas are made in an oven using almond wood, and dashed with olive oil before cooking. My white anchovy pizza was delicious - spicy, too. The prosciutto pizza was pretty great.

Having been to pizzeria bianco in Phoenix, this place is definitely comparable.

Pictures

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My expectation was that I would believe that Naple's Da Michele, New Haven's Pepe's or Sally's or Coney Island's Totonno's would have the best pizza crust I've ever had. I never even gave a thought to Los Angeles. Ludicrous consideration actually.

Pizzaria Mozza's pizza crust is the best I have ever had.

Far superior to Two Amy's doughy, puffy crust which my wife and I had 17 hours after walking out of Mozza's door.

Mozza also had interesting Calabrian mussels with an outstanding garlicky, almost pesto like sauce and curiously tough, small mussels which were a huge detraction. Crusty bread that I dredged in the oily "soup" was among the best I have had on this side of the Atlantic. Lentils with crispy goat cheese, however, were pedestrian. Conversely, a signature dessert was delicious: graham cracker pie crust topped with Meyer lemon ice cream, heavy whipped cream, candied lemon zest and drizzled with caramel sauce.

Still, the pizza was remarkable. I ate every single crumb that was on the plate. Every one. I'm not so sure that it's the best overall pizza that I've had (Sally's or Pepe's probably still are in the U. S. and La Posada in Rimini is my favorite pizza anywhere) but the crust was just extraordinary. At Two Amy's early this evening much of the crust was left.

Excepting pizza I probably like Two Amy's-the restaurant-better overall. Buffalo mozz, tomato and outstanding pepperoni "above" the crust were superior along with flavorful roasted peppers. As strange as this may sound I believe that the success of Two Amy's pizza is not the crust but the toppings and the overall flavor of the pie. (At Mozza I had tomato, mozz, basil, proscuitto and arugula.) Excellent first courses, too. Their ice cream continues as the best I have found in a restaurant in the D. C. area.

Although the "feel" of the two restaurants is very different the menus are very similar. I must note prices: most pizzas at Mozza are $15 to 18. At Two Amy's most are $12.95. Most first courses at Mozza are $12. At Two Amy's $6. The slice of pie that I had at Mozza, as fantastic as it was, needed to be: it was $9. With tax and tip I spent over $80 at Mozza. Plus ten dollars for valet parking. Tonight my wife and I ate at Two Amy's for thirteen dollars less-for both of us. This included two first courses, two pizzas, two desserts, 250ml of wine and a soft drink.

Still, Pizzaria Mozza's pizza was remarkable. I may even change my mind about New Haven if I could eat there within 24 hours of Mozza. (I have not-yet-been to Pizzaria Bianco in Phoenix.)

Several notes: Pizzaria Mozza is open all day. At 5:05 on Friday there was ONE seat available at the pizza counter (out of 7 or 8), none at the bar (again, 7 or 8) and none at any table all of which were full. Osteria Mozza next door opens at 5:30. If it had been open twenty five minutes earlier I would have gone there instead. Walking by it at 6:15 there were two seats at the mozz bar which cannot be reserved and is first come, first served. As much as I want to return to Osteria Mozza it will be difficult because of the pie's crust in their adjacent pizzaria. It was extraordinary.

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It's actually not that surprising that Mozza's pizza crusts and desserts would be really good--it's Nancy Silverton's place and she is one of the US's best bakers. She started out as a pastry chef at Ma Maison [Closed in 1985] under Wolfgang Puck, where she met her (ex) husband, Mark Peel. The two of them eventually started Campanile together and then La Brea Bakery next door. She's the one who taught bread-baking to Mark Furstenberg, after which he opened the first Marvelous Market [Last store closed in May, 2014] here in DC.

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Interesting-thanks, Zora. I sat in front of the bakers and I believe that I remember them brushing olive oil over the dough after shaping the crust. It was crispy with a bit of a crunch to it. They used an Umbrian olive oil whose name I can't remember, but it started with an "M" and was about seven or eight letters with a green label. Extremely flavorful-I asked for a souffle cup which I dipped bread into.

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Late lunch here was very enjoyable, though I was less impressed with the pizza than I thought I would be. The Pane bianco was otherworldly--almost like a crispy olive oil French toast, four perfectly toasted thick slices served piping hot. And only $4. The rucola/funghi/piave salad was a tower of fresh arugula layered with the mushrooms and cheese, with a nicely balanced lemon dressing. Really perfect. The meatball/mozzarella di bufala/chilies pizza was good--the crust was really beautifully crispy and chewy, as advertised. The sauce was a bit too much, and maybe the entire pizza a bit too much. Having been at 2 Amys last week before coming to Mozza, both are really outstanding but we are so lucky to have 2 Amys back in business.

A nicely curated beer list was satisfactory. I'd come back here anytime--the pizza menu is interesting and extensive--but next time I'd be very tempted to just put in a few orders of that bread--it really was that good.

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