Mozza Pizzeria, Hollywood

After the Robert Wilson opening at the ACE Gallery, Chris, Mark, Dave and I dared to show up at Mozza without a reservation at 9:30 on a Friday. Having been told on the phone that the wait for a table would be about an hour, we decided that we had nothing better to do anyway and would be content drinking prosecco at the bar until a table was ready. Lucky for us, our determination paid off in about five minutes as the hostess gave us the smile and nod and lead us through the lively dining room to our table. I was just back from Rome and really dying for some excellent pizza, and a little bit ready to be disappointed by all the Mozza hype. I ordered an anchovy pizza and Chris took one with sausage/fennel and we agreed to share. It turned out to be a great combination. The Mozza crust is thin, slightly chewy with just a bit of bite and crunch. It was superb and better than any I had in Rome. The tiny anchovies on my pizza were lightly marinated in vinegar, brushed with fresh lemon juice, and burst with flavor on the crispy tomato-sauced crust. The sausage and fennel was hearty and savory. We all split an order of the butterscotch pudding, amazing with its sweetness balanced with just a faint amount of fleur de sel, a salted Brittany caramel piece in dessert form. I think we drank an entire bottle of prosecco and then Mark topped us off with a glass each of moscato. I've eaten at Mario Batali's Otto in New York a few times and thought the pizza was fine but that the experience was all about the appetizers and wine. In Mozza he and Nancy Silverton bring it all together in a fun space with the best quality food, excellent service and a fairly reasonable menu. If you can get a table.

Mozza Pizzeria
641 N Highland Ave (at Melrose)
323 297-0101