Osteria Mozza

We went to Osteria Mozza Saturday night and if anyone's been to Babbo in NY, this goes head to head. This is a fun, NYC type scene and while there have been a ton of reviews of the place, Mario Batali & Nancy Silverton have hit a home run with this one. Since there is usually always a wait, we like to grab one of the unique drinks at the bar such as the Il Postino cocktail made with prosecco, lime and honey.

Once seated, our eyes immediately go to the extensive mozzarella cheese menu which is a great way to start the meal. We absolutely love the burrata served with grilled bread (it's a special twice a week so make sure to ask if they have it...luckily they had it on the menu on Saturday). Moving on to additional apps, the grilled Octopus with potatoes, celery & lemon is amazing. As someone who isn't a huge fan of octopus, the seasoning and charcoal flavor from the grill makes this a unique dish. The grilled fresh figs wrapped in bacon (also a special) is another app worth a try.

After the apps we moved on to three different pastas (note there were 4 of us). Our favorites were the Orecchiette with sausage & swiss chard (this is a classic, ear shaped pasta from the Puglia region of Italy...a must!). Instead of parmesan cheese they sprinkle bread crumbs (see attached pic)...yum! The Fresh Ricotta & Egg Ravioli with browned butter is another worthwhile dish (see attached pic). The egg yolk is cooked inside the ravioli so that it oozes out when cut open (this one is really unique and worth the calories!).

For the main course go with the Grilled Beef Tagliata with a balsamic glaze (see attached pic). We had the duck as well but it was a little dry so we wouldn't recommend it.

To top the meal off, the sommelier brought out 4 different digestives (also known as Amaro). Amaro is an Italian after dinner drink similar to a Grappa (see attached pic). Batali collects these from small makers in Italy and keeps them for his private collection and for special guests. We were lucky enough to get a try, though unfortunately, it's a bit harsh, not making it very easy to drink.

Rating: 97

Osteria Mozza
6602 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles 90038
323-297-0100