Osteria Mozza Continues To Impress

Osteria Mozza is not a new restaurant. In fact, it opened ten years ago and I’m amazed that it is still hard to get a table. Until recently, I’ve never dined there and I finally checked it off of my restaurant bucket list.

Osteria Mozza is known for its Mozzarella Bar. This is a large white Carrara marble counter where many of their small dishes featuring fresh imported mozzarella, ricotta and cream-filled burrata are created.

Burrata and Peas

Knowing that, I selected the Burrata and Peas. It was made with super creamy burrata that was wrapped in thinly sliced speck topped with fresh peas and fresh parmigiano. The peas were vibrant green and flavorful. The speck had a mild smokey flavor which worked well with the creamy burrata.   

Grilled octopus with sauteed celery and fennel in a mild lemon sauce

The Grilled Octopus was accompanied with sautéed celery and fennel in a mild lemon sauce. I thought that the octopus was nicely finished and yet extremely tender. The lemon sauce with the sautéed celery and fennel worked well together.

Orecchiette with a thick fennel sausage ragu – Osteria Mozza

Orecchiette comes from the southern part of Italy and it’s name is derived from the fact that the pasta shape resembles little ears. It appears to be trending on LA restaurants and pairs nicely with pasta sauces because the sauce naturally clings to the pasta. It was obvious that the fennel sausage ragu sauce had simmered for quite a while. This dish was my favorite of the evening.

Panzanella made with bread, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, yogurt, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Their Panzanella was my wife’s favorite dish of the night. It was made with bread fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, yogurt, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The bread was crispy almost like it had been lightly fried. While I enjoy each of the ingredients of this salad, I thought that there was a bit too much balsamic vinegar.

Fazzoletti with pureed eggplant sauce

Fazzoletti is a rectangular pasta with a lot of surface area. It was extremely fresh and almost melted in my mouth. It was tossed with puréed smoked eggplant, walnuts and basil. The flavors worked very well together and it was my runner up dish of the evening.

Grilled Beef Tagliata with arugula and parmesan

Our server recommended the Grilled Beef Tagliata. This was a beautiful portion of hanger steak that was marinated with a balsamic vinegar and olive oil mixture. It was perfectly grilled and was served with an arugula salad and fresh parmesan slices.

Torta Nonna made with goat, ricotta and mascarpone cheese

Rosemary cakes with rosemary ice cream

Cioccolato – a decadent chocolate cake

For dessert we ordered the Cioccolato, their famed Rosemary Olive Oil Cakes and the Torta Nonna.

Cioccolato is Italian for chocolate and is a decadent and gooey dark chocolate cake. The Torta Nonna was similar to a New York style cheesecake topped with a thin crisp cookie with pine nuts. The highlight was the Rosemary Olive Oil Cakes with rosemary gelato, topped with a beautiful brittle. The cakes tasted like they were fresh out of the oven, crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Their Wine list is huge and while I didn’t read each one of them, they all appear to be Italian wines from many different regions. The Germano Herzu is from the northern party of Italy and was an extremely dry riesling.  

Parking is rather tough and we opted for valet parking. Due to the number of customers they have and the limited space available, it was an amazing feat for the valet personnel!

Restaurants open this long don’t continue to draw the crowds. Despite the fact that they opened their doors 10 years ago, they continue to pack the establishment. If you haven’t been here, you should consider making a reservation.

Osteria Mozza, 6602 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
http://osteriamozza.com/