Quite the buzzing place this is… busy with a melting pot of foodies waiting to take that first bite… and let me tell you… waiting a month is so worth it!
Allow me to first make mention that they have quite the wine list… all wines from Italy. So for those of you who are not quite familiar with Italian varieties, your best bet is to try the wines by the glass, and ask the bartender for suggestions. I happened to be accompanied by the expert of all things Italian, so I didn’t have to worry about what to order…I just drank the selection handed to me! Lucky girl that I am!
For starters we went with a glass of Reggiano Lambrusco - a light red wine that opens up ones appetite… so clearly best as an aperitif. We later enjoyed Quattro Mani's take on Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, and Feudi di San Gregorio Aglianico Rubrato… Both wonderful wines and complementary to our fantastic meal.
The chef sent out a complimentary appetizer, if you will. It’s called Arancini di Riso, which in essence is a ball of rice mixed with cheese and fried… accompanied by a Marinara dipping sauce… delicious! What a great start to what would turn out to be quite the remarkable meal!
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| From Pizzeria Mozza |
For an additional appetizer we chose the FRIED SQUASH FLOWER (one of Christine’s favorites and her request!). Though this may sound a bit unusual to some, this is quite the culinary delicacy. Clearly an edible flower, the chef stuffs this delicate veggie with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, seasons it with warm spices including nutmeg, then rolls it in rice flour and finally flash fries it! That is a bite of WOW! But be careful it is served scorching hot (BTW, how I love my food)… but don’t bite into it too quickly, I actually burned my tongue! (Don't worry... I got over the pain quite quickly! LOL) … A definite “must try”! (Good call, Chris!)
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| From Pizzeria Mozza |
So I realize that we were at a pizzeria… and “when in Rome, you do as the Romans”… so the thing to do would be to order pizza, right? Well, I didn’t seem to think so! My senses drifted when I became aware of one of the night’s specials LAMB STRACOTTO. This is basically a slow-cooked lamb… literally! It is cooked all day and results in an extremely tender meat that melts off the bone! I am a huge fan of lamb, and given the prodigies in the kitchen who created this, I had to try it! (Of course, I figured I could try what everybody else was having! LOL) I was very pleased with my choice and a definite “must try” for those of you lamb lovers!! It was served on a bed of polenta…and can I just say? YUM!
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| From Pizzeria Mozza |
Everyone else was pretty set on ordering the food du jour, PIZZA! So here are the table choices:
Mark (@buenospot): Speck (which is a ham similar to Prosciutto), Buffala Mozzarella, olive tapenade and oregano. This pizza is truly “to die for”! The flavors of the toppings fuse to create an unbelievable mouthful! And the crust, lest I forget, light, airy and flaky (the only “GOOD” kind of “FLAKY”! LOL)
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| From Pizzeria Mozza |
Christine: OK… this may sound like the most absurd choice in toppings (because that is what I thought when she ordered it! LOL) … all I can say: OMG!!! Fried egg, bacon, Yukon Gold potatoes and Bermuda onions graced the top of this creation! Absolutely delicious!! Sounds like breakfast… but quite frankly could be the perfect meal at anytime of the day! Made for an excellent dinner!
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| From Pizzeria Mozza |
Jonathan: Pizza Alla Benno was Mr. Logan’s choice! (and a great choice at that!) … this was Hawaiian pizza on steroids! Speck, pineapple, jalapenos, mozzarella and tomato topped this masterpiece! Actually… if there is such a thing as Hawaiian pizza in heaven; this is exactly how it’d be prepared! LOL! (Yes! It was that good!) …Sadly, I think we were all so preoccupied having “a Party” in our mouths… that we forgot to take a picture of Jonathan’s pizza! Shucks! I think we will have to go back to reorder it and post the picture! LOL
You would think that we were too full to order dessert after everything I just described?
Not this bunch!
We couldn’t resist the options so we decided to order two different desserts and share. I have never been the biggest fan of custard desserts, though I do have a weakness for the occasional well prepared Crème Brulee, I don’t normally opt for that type of dessert. Mark, being familiar with all things authentically Italian, as he has spent quite a bit of time in that country, insisted that we try the Panna cotta. This is in fact Italy’s version of a crème brulee, if you will. It was served with homemade almond clusters on the side and topped with fresh berries! Words cannot describe the amazing flavors in this concoction! It was truly decadent and worth every bite! I could only hope they have that available the next time I visit!
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| From Pizzeria Mozza |
The second dessert was an assortment of the fresh gelatos they make here. A scoop of Espresso, one of Hazelnut and the other, an Italian favorite, Stracciatella. Garnished with a fresh waffle cone… for you gelato lovers… absolutely delicious… a staple dessert!
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| From Pizzeria Mozza |
The evening was quite the charming one… amazing food, wonderful company and ever-interesting conversation! Four great friends; four true foodies at a pizzeria… but a pizzeria like no other! If at any given point you thought that CPK was as “gourmet” a pizza as you ever needed to try… that’s ok for a quick “mall” lunch… but the true gourmet pizza is on the corner of Highland and Melrose and you may have to wait a month to sink your teeth into it… but you’ll quickly get over the wait when you experience this genius food! As a matter of fact, I’d suggest you start dialing for that reservation!
Buon Appetito!!
Elle
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