We’ve got a real weakness for pizza. So when chef Mario Batali’s outfit opened, we decided it was time to indulge ourselves. But the Pizzeria Mozza journey was a rocky one. First, we had to make a reservation a week in advance for two—the place must be really good, you’d think. Well we got there at the appointed time, only to be kept waiting for 20 minutes for a cramped table set right by the restaurant’s corridor, with just a low partition separating us from the crowd outside. And it gets better. As we squinted at the menu under dim yellow light in a dark wood setting, people from outside shouted over us to call for the attention of wait staff inside, who obliged. Over the course of the evening, we had to endure conversations over our heads. If we’d come in a group, we might have gotten a better spot as tables are set rather communal-style across the space. The starters did nothing to save the evening, as although they tasted alright (and that’s the best we can say about them), the portion sizes were fit for midgets. The bone marrow al forno ($18) was a five-inch bone marrow that came with garlic and toast, while the mozza caprese ($19) had four vine-ripened cherry tomatoes to complement the mildness of the small serving of pestodrizzled cheese. Our meatballs al forno ($17) consisted of three meatballs in herb-spiked tomato sauce. The winner for most disappointing dish that evening, however, has to go to the most expensive pizza on the menu: The meat lover’s pizza with bacon, salami, homemade fennel sausage (the one redeeming quality), pancetta, tomato and mozzarella ($37). With a thick airy crust, wafer-thin center and a serious oil spill, we could literally count the miserable toppings on our pizza. But our main gripe was the slippery and flaccid base—we lifted up a slice of pizza by the thick crust only for the rest of it to flop southward, along with the meager toppings. After the assault of the bustling crowd, rude passers-by and unsatisfactory main, it really was up to dessert to save the day. So we picked the coconut gelato pie with hot fudge and salted almonds ($15)—which was thankfully yummy, right down to the cinnamon biscuit crust. Still, not sure if we want to book one week in advance just for dessert.
It’s more than just dough and cheese at these gourmet pizza joints: expect lovingly hand-crafted pizzas with an imaginative array of toppings and perfectly blistered crust. Check out our top 10 pizza places.
