Pizzeria Mozza

This is the second post in the Great Eats in Los Angeles with the Family Trip Series. Other posts in this series include 101 Noodle Express.

It's not everyday that someone, especially someone my father's age, says, "this is the best pizza I've ever had in my life."

My father's not a huge fan of pizza. His idea of pizza comes from the Little Caesar's take-out we ate growing up (buy one, get another one for an extra $4!), and the frozen pizzas my mom periodically will buy and heat up at home.

He's an easy-going guy, however, and did not complain one bit when I told the family we were going to a pizza restaurant for lunch (yes, surprise, surprise, they all put me in charge of planning our meals during this trip).

This meal was a revelation for him (and me too!). The pizza at Pizzeria Mozza is incredible. Even though I've had a lot more really, really good pizza, I'm inclined to say it also ranks among the best pizza I've ever had.

Pizzeria Mozza is a collaboration between Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich, three well-established food industry gurus. We're generally huge fans of restaurants from Batali and Bastianich, so it's no surprise that this place would churn out really, really good food.

Nancy Silverton is the co-founder and head baker at La Brea Bakery. She was also one of the judges for Project Food Blog Competition, which is when I first learned who she was.
 It's not very often that every single dish you order is excellent. We really felt that way about the food at Pizzeria Mozza. We began with the Calamari al forno, which came with fagioli, tomatoes & oregano. ($12). The flavors of the calamari, tomatoes, and beans came together beautifully, and the calamari itself was cooked just right - not a hair too rubbery.
We also got some Spicy Corn Al Forno with Parmigiano, which was awesome. It's a bit messy to eat. Bryan hates getting his hands dirty, so he foolishly tried to eat it with a fork and knife. The buttery corn slipped right off his plate and landed on the ground.

My mom (in all her wisdom), was more skilled and offered to cut up the rest of the corn for Bryan. What a nice mom!

The simple arugula and mushroom salad (Rucola, Funghi & Piave $14) came with fresh ingredients and was solid.  And then the pizza started to come. Our waiter recommended the Fennel Sausage Pizza ($17), his favorite on the entire menu. We are so glad we took his advice. The house-made fennel sausage itself is fantastic and basically defined the pizza. This was definitely one of the favorites on the table.

I loved the doughy, crispy crust of this pizza. It's not surprising that the pizza dough is good, considering that Nancy Silverton made her name as a baker.
 My sister ordered the Pizza alla benno, which comes with speck, pineapple, jalapeño, mozzarella and tomato. The quality of all the ingredients was excellent, and people enjoyed this one as well (though I did not have a chance to try it).My brother-in-law chose the White Anchovy, Tomato and Fresno Chiles pizza.  Unlike traditional anchovy pizza, which uses the salty black anchovies, this pizza came with vinegary, marinated white anchovies. It added more of a bright note to the entire pizza, yet still plenty of umami. My personal favorite pizza was the one I chose: the simple Margherita with mozzarella, tomato & basil. I'm a sucker for this simple pie, but when the ingredients are good, there's nothing that's better. The mozzarella on this pie was outstanding. I have no idea where they source their mozzarella, but it totally made the pie. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the crust is delicious, nor the fact that they've cooked this at ultra high heat in their special brick ovens.

Even though we were crazy full, everyone gobbled this pizza up.

It's no surprise why this restaurant, which started out as a fun side venture, became one of the hottest reservations in LA when it first opened in 2008. Fresh, high quality ingredients coupled with a fantastic crust = very, very enjoyable pizzas.


Thoughts
This food here is really, really good. I hazard to say the pizza is among the best pizza I've had in the US (though, to be fair, I haven't tried that much pizza outside of Boston except for a couple signature pies in Chicago and New York). I love their use of fresh ingredients, and you can't beat the crust.

It's not just the pizza that's good though. Every single appetizer we ordered was excellent as well. After all, you also have Mario Batali's extensive knowledge of Italian food expressed all over the menu.

I would most definitely consider returning if I am ever back in Los Angeles. Heck, if this place were closer to me, it would likely become a regular haunt.

Thankfully, Boston has its own share of excellent pizza places, and I have several personal favorites that I can visit at a moment's notice.

Pizzeria Mozza
641 N Highland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Pizzeria dal Paino (Rome)

This is the first post in the Spontaneous Weekend Trip to Rome Series. 

I am seriously in love with Roman pizza.

Yes, yes, I know pizza was originally invented in Naples. And the people in Naples do take their pizza very, very seriously. I'm sure it's delicious as well.

However, I just have a weakness for that super thin, almost cracker-like crust. Even in the US, I much prefer the paper thin pizzas from places like Emma's or The Upper Crust than thick Chicago-style pizzas from Giordano's or Gino's East. The softer Naples-style crust (from places like Gran Gusto and Antico Forno) is still fantastic, but in the end, what I love most is the ultra-thin crispy crust from Rome.

One popular and famous pizza place in Rome is called Pizzeria Baffetto. It always has a line out the door and has been mentioned in way too many publications. Hardly a hidden find, it still gets fantastic reviews, so we decided to try going for lunch.

Alas, I should have done my homework. Many many restaurants are closed on Sundays. After walking all way to the neighborhood around Piazza Navona (which, coincidentally, is where a lot of the good food in Rome is), we were just a wee bit disappointed to see the CLOSED sign.

Thankfully, there was this little, handwritten note on the front door that said, "Pizzeria dal Paino is open - Baffetto son." I kid you not, it was written in English.

Bryan and I looked at each other.

"Well, if it's recommended by Baffetto himself, it can't be that bad, right?"

It was just around the corner, so we decided to check it out.

Within about 2 minutes of walking, we stumbled upon this humble looking restaurant.

They had a real wood burning brick oven, which we took to be a good sign. 
It was so hard to decide what to get! Of course we were there for pizza, but other fun things on the menu kept tempting us.

We finally decided to try two starters, which were both pretty fun to eat. Fiori di Zucca is a breaded and fried zucchini flower that's filled with cheese. Suppli is the Roman version of arancini, a breaded and deep fried rice ball filled with cheese and tomatoes.

These were fun and tasty, though they did not stand out to me in any particular way. The rice inside the suppli was mushier than the risotto-based arancinis I've sampled in the States. The zucchini flower had a nice balance of vegetable and breading, delicately crispy on the outside yet spongy and moist on the inside. It had excellent flavor and was pretty enjoyable to eat.

And then the pizzas arrived.

Wow.

They were piping hot, gorgeously crispy, and super, super thin.

It was sooooo good.

Bryan got the signature pizza - the Dal Paino, which had tomatoes, mozzarella, mushrooms, artichokes, sausage, peppers, onions, and a barely cooked egg on top. (10 Euros).

I got the classic Margherita, a simple but perfectly executed pie topped with tomatoes and mozzarella (6 Euros).

The pizzas were fantastic. I loved the thin, crispy, crust. I loved how I could almost eat an entire pizza because it was so light. I loved the simple flavors of the high quality ingredients on top. I usually don't eat that much pizza, but I nearly ate my whole pizza (Bryan finished maybe my final 1/8 that I didn't eat).

But then we saw gnocchi on the menu.

And we hadn't had gnocchi in Italy yet.

And it was our last day in Rome.

I can't believe we did this, but we ordered yet another entree.

The waiter recommended that we get the Gnocchi Alla Amatriciana (guanciale, tomato, Pecorino, Parmesan) which was an excellent choice. Even though the gnocchi was not made in-house, it still had fantastic texture and the sauce was quite tasty (though we did have even better alla Amatriciana sauces at other restaurants in Rome).

We thought we were getting the plate of gnocchi "just for a taste" (well, that's what Bryan told me). Instead, we finished that whole dish too!!

And then the waiter brought over some MORE bread.

He smiled and said, "in Italy, you scoop up the delicious leftover sauce with bread."
We almost groaned from the weight of the food in our stomachs but we obliged. Frankly, the bread was a bit dry. However, the sauce was so tasty that we ended up eating the bread as well!

At the end of the meal, the waiter calculated our bill, whipped out a simple ball point pen, and wrote a number on the table. Yep, that's the bill right there. Can you imagine trying to ask for a receipt? [Jen attempts to rip up the paper tablecloth].

33 Euros is quite reasonable considering the crazy amounts of food that we ordered.

So what can I say?

I only tried one pizza place in Rome and I loved it. If it's really Baffetto's son who opened this place, then Baffetto trained his son well.

Or maybe most Roman pizza is like this, and I'm just impressed because it's so much better than most of the pizza I've had in the U.S.

In any event, I highly recommend visiting at least one traditional Roman pizzeria. The gorgeous thin-crust alone makes it well worth it.

Area Four

A massive, fire-roaring brick oven in the center of the room.

A huge chalkboard neatly filled with the day’s food and drink offerings.

Floor-to-ceiling windows streaming in tons of sunlight.

The moment I entered into the space, I instinctively told myself, “I love this vibe.” Area Four is modern yet relaxed; trendy yet chill. It’s very, very Cambridge. I immediately decided I really, really wanted to love this place. Who wouldn’t want such a cool and inviting space to also have fantastic food?

Thankfully, after that visit, Area Four has become one of my favorite new restaurants in Cambridge.

The huge oven signaled to us that we should at least try their pizzas, as that seems to be one of their specialties. Bryan and I opted for a caramelized onion pizza. I also ordered a Brussels Sprouts salad, recommended highly by our server.

The Brussels Sprouts salad consisted of shredded Brussels sprouts and kale, shaved Parmesan, and toasted hazelnuts. I loved the idea of such rustic, healthy ingredients. We thought that the salad was a little under-dressed and could have benefited from just a little bit more tartness (from citrus, maybe?) and just a tad more oil. Other than that, the ingredients were extremely fresh and the salad was definitely quite healthy!

We loved the smoked fish pate, which went perfectly with the crackers.They even gave us extra "toasts" after we ran out.

We split the caramelized onion pizza between the two of us. We were both really pleasantly surprised at how good this pizza was. The crust is thin and slightly crispy, with just enough chew to make the pie quite satisfying to eat.

I really enjoyed the flavor combination of the sweet caramelized onions, savory tomato sauce, cheese, and fragrant basil. Seriously, it's become one of my new favorite pizza places in Cambridge (though I still reserve soft spots for some of my other favorites!)

Homemade vanilla soft serve

I have a super weak spot for soft serve, so I was thrilled to find a place that actually makes it fresh from scratch (hard to find non-yogurt places that still offer this!). You could still see the little specs of vanilla bean in their ice cream.The ice cream was light and refreshing, though I decided that I still much preferred the ice cream from some of my favorite, dedicated ice cream shops.

Their coffee is excellent. We tried their French Press, which they serve tableside.

Overall, my first visit to Area Four was excellent. I loved the ambiance, the food, the location, and everything else!

Of course, I've only had a brief sampling of the menu, so it's hard to know what everything else is like. Nevertheless, I am thrilled about this place (along many other great places) opening up in Kendall Square. Bummed it didn't happen while I was a student at MIT, but I'm still excited it's happening now.

Area Four
500 Technology Square
Cambridge, MA 02139

Armando's Pizza

Who doesn't love a neighborhood secret off the beaten path?

Right around the corner from the world famous market "Formaggio Kitchen" (where Julia Child loved to shop) and just across the street from one of my favorite upscale bakeries sits a simple, no-nonsense pizzeria that churns out delicious, hot, and inexpensive pies (yes, in Boston we call pizzas "pies").

I first heard about Armando's when one of Boston's most well-respected and famous chefs commented that it was one of his favorite places to eat.

After moving to my new hood and realizing it was only a 10-minute walk away, I told Bryan we had to try this local favorite.


Armando's is a family owned operation started by Armando Paolo, originally from Benevento, Italy, over thirty years ago. His daughter Rina now owns the place, and runs it with the help of her husband and her son Michael. The restaurant is very locally focused, supporting neighborhood sports teams and school activities. The walls of Armando's are adorned with framed pictures of little league teams from local schools. In fact, in 2010 the local residents requested the city name the corner of Huron and Concord in his name. Today, it is officially called Armando Paolo Square.

Armando's has both Sicilian style (thick, bready-crust) pizza as well as New York style pizza. We asked Michael what we should order. He personally loved pepperoni (or was it sausage?) and onions, but he also said that one of the most popular slices was the spinach, tomato, and garlic pizza.

We decided to try sausage and mushroom on the Sicilan and try the tomato, spinach, and garlic on the normal pizza.

We grabbed a simple booth seat and waited a few minutes for our pizzas. While waiting, a large crowd of high school students walked in and started ordering pizzas. I guess this place is popular with the local students!
Soon afterward, our pizzas arrived piping hot! I really, really liked the tomato, spinach, and garlic pizza! It was not that greasy at all, and was generously topped with fresh sautéed spinach, fat slices of tomatoes, and tons of garlic.

The crust was nice and crispy yet had a nice, hefty chew to it as well. Definitely enjoy these slices fresh. I can see the crispy bottom getting soggy pretty quickly if it sits around for too long.

Armando's has a pretty sizable takeout business, so I'm guessing the take-out pizzas are still pretty good. However, if you really want to experience their pizzas at their peak, definitely eat-in, order a few slices, and eat them as soon as possible! They are so much better hot, crispy, and fresh.

I was thrilled to discover such a delicious pizza place so close to home. The prices are quite reasonable, and the food is good. Sure, the decor looks like it hasn't changed since 1980, but hey, that's part of the charm.

Many think it's the best pizza in Cambridge, though part of that draw probably comes from the nostalgia it brings back for people who grew up eating it.

Hey, nostalgia or not, I'm stoked there's such a great Italian-owned neighborhood pizza joint so close by.

Armando's Pizza
163 Huron Ave
Cambridge, MA 02138

Antico Forno

LINGUINE AL FRUTTI DI MARE
Linguine pasta with clams, mussels, calamari and shrimp sautéed in a plum tomato sauce baked in parchment paper $21

The North End is one of our favorite eating neighborhoods, and I write about it frequently on this blog.

However, I've realized that most of the places I've described are more suited for special occasions. The ever-so-quaint-and-charming Mamma Maria (inside of a lovely townhouse overlooking the square) is wonderful for a first date (or even a proposal!). The elegant Prezza is great for a snazzy work dinner or a special celebratory meal. These establishments undoubtedly serve some of the best Italian food in Boston, and you'll pay a pretty penny for the experience.

What about good, solid everyday Italian? The type you can enjoy on a random Friday night without breaking the bank?

Time and time again, Bryan and I have met friends at Antico Forno, a casual, boisterous and friendly restaurant which serves excellent food in a very inviting and kid-friendly environment. The best part? - the surprisingly reasonable prices that come with such high quality food in this prime location.

IL MARINARO
Sautéed shrimp with smoked mozzarella, fresh cherry tomatoes, topped with fresh arugula $16.50

Antico Forno does a lot of things well, but one that stands out is their authentic brick oven pizza. The crust, which is of medium thickness, has just the right amount of substance when you bite into it. It's charred perfectly on the outside yet has a satisfying "chew" to it.  The nice variety of pizza toppings are fun to try and have all been really good.

CARCIOFI E PORCINI
Artichoke hearts, imported Italian porcini mushrooms, fresh homemade mozzarella, fresh cherry tomatoes, finished with white truffle oil

I have always loved the combination of mushrooms with artichoke hearts. Antico Forno steps up their version a notch by using porcini mushrooms and drizzling white truffle oil on top. This pizza reheats beautifully and  I definitely enjoyed it a few more times after taking our leftovers home!

MARGHERITA
Fresh homemade mozzarella, plum tomato sauce and fresh basil drizzled with extra virgin olive oil $13

I really like the Margherita with its simple flavors. It's also a great pizza to order for kids since it's essentially a glorified cheese pizza.

RIGATONI ALLA BOSCAIOLA
Rigatoni pasta sautéed with mushrooms, sweet peas, onions, Italian ham in a plum tomato mascarpone sauce $17

Of course, their pastas are fantastic as well. They offer many homemade pasta dishes (such as the linguini-based ones), as well as those made with dried pasta, which are all cooked perfectly al dente. I especially love the rigatoni all bascaiola (pictured above). The marscapone cheese adds just the right level of creaminess to round out the fragrant tomato sauce. Bryan's favorite is the frutti di mare (pictured at top), which is made with fresh homemade linguini. Generous chunks of fresh mussels, clams, shrimp, and squid are sautéed together in a plum tomato sauce and baked in parchment paper (in the huge brick oven!).  The resultant sauce sings of the sweet combination of seafood flavors and fresh tomatoes. It's a real bargain at $21.

CALAMARI FRITTI Semolina crusted fried calamari with mixed greens drizzled with a citrus honey vinegrette $14

The deep fried calamari (squid) was fine - nothing particularly special but it was enjoyable. We liked the generous portion size and the fact that it came with a little side salad (to offset the guilt!).

Restaurant Week
The second time we went this summer happened to be during Restaurant Week. You know how I feel about Restaurant Week in general, so I was a bit dubious. However, the menu offering looked promising so we decided to take the risk and get one order from the Restaurant Week menu. Everything else came from the regular menu.

Arancini
The food quality was pretty good, though I'm not sure how much of a "deal" you're actually getting. The first course was a huge arancini, which is sort of like a stuffed, deep-fried risotto ball. This particular one was filled with shrimp, peas, and cheese and slathered with a marinara sauce. It was pretty tasty, though I personally still love the one at Basta Pasta more.

Homemade Fettuccine with Beef Bolognese Ragu
The second course was a tiny portion of bolognese pasta. The texture of the homemade pasta was good, and the sauce was hearty and flavorful. The portion size was much smaller than their typical entrees.

Strawberry Gelato

Dessert was a simple scoop of gelato, which was OK but nothing special.

General Thoughts
Although the food in the Restaurant Week menu was fine, I feel like diners really miss out on the best that Antico Forno has to offer if they stick with the simplified menu. Honestly, the prices at Antico Forno are so reasonably, there's really no reason to go with the Restaurant Week menu. Our frutti di mare pasta was only $21 but was probably about three times larger than the Restaurant Week portion of the bolognese pasta.

I would suggest just going with friends, ordering a few pizzas, appetizers, pastas, and desserts to share. You'll end up paying about the same as "Restaurant Week" but getting a much better meal (and really a much better idea of the best that Antico Forno offers).

I'm a fan of this place, and it's the first place we think of when parent friends as for a "kid-friendly" restaurant in the city. The ambiance is lively and loud. No one will care if a baby starts to cry or if a child starts fussing. The restaurant has a nice supply of high chairs in the back and has several kid-friendly menu items (though there isn't a kids menu per se).

Everything we've tried has been solid, and there have been several standouts. Definitely try the frutti di mare if you like seafood, or give the rigatoni all bascaiola a try. You can't go wrong with the pizzas either. Over all, it's an excellent choice for a casual, reasonably-priced, and delicious Italian dining experience right in the heart of the North End.

Antico Forno
93 Salem St
Boston, MA 02113