Well, after reading all the glowing reviews, I was super excited to try Osteria Mozza, but was disappointed. It really wasn't a 4 or 5 star experience for us.
We made reservations the same day for 8:30 pm and didn't have any trouble at all getting a table. The place was packed when we arrived, but the hostess seated us immediately.
I liked the interior with the high ceilings, dark lighting and moody vibe. It reminded me of New York, which is a plus in my book.
the bar
the menu
Our waitress was polite and did good, but the food was nothing special.
Amuse Bouche: Crostini w/ olive tapenade and mozzarella topped off with basil. OMG. Olive tapenade was way too strong and strong. I had to remove it. Cheese and basil tasted good.
Grilled octopus with celery, potatoes and lemon: this was the appetizer everyone raved about. Out of the 3 dishes we ordered, this was our favorite. But, it didn't knock my socks off. They overdid the lemon and all I could really taste was sourness. The octopus was grilled nicely and had good texture, but it was sour as hell. Celery and potatoes gave it an interesting flavor, however, they were overpowered by the lemon as well.
Orrechiette with sausage and swiss chard: OMG. This pasta was so damn salty, I could not eat it. I tried to finish it as it was such a small portion, but alas, no way. My taste buds were on fire, but a salt fire! My man couldn't eat it either. BLAH. And where was the swiss chard? I didn't see it nor taste it. Sausage was alright, but I had a few overly chewy pieces. Skip this dish.
Maltagliati with wild boar ragu: Better tasting dish than my Orrechiette. The portion was TINY. It was almost laughable, but whatever. I guess that's why they call it Primi. However, at $18 I expect more than 4 bites on a plate. Eh. Not worth it for the price.
We also had a glass of Proseco each and it was good, but $15 each! Oh wells.
cheers- happy birthday to me
I much prefer Pizzeria Mozza next door, as the food and prices there are way better than Osteria.
Dinner for 2 was $92. I would much rather have spent that elsewhere.
Celebrity sighting - Mark Dacascos from Iron Chef America dining with a group of peeps. I wanted to take a pic with him but didn't want to interrupt..
Osteria Mozza
641 N. Highland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
8 comments:
So let's get to the MOST important thing first -- Happy Birthday!
(and not too far from your daughter's birthday!)
OK and now about this food. Your review mirrors the grumblings I've heard from my coworkers who have dined at Osteria Mozza, in that the food is typically over-seasoned and much too salty. The orrechiette dish does indeed look incredibly salted--I don't think I'd like it either. The grilled octopus dish sounds good, but too had about the sourness. And wow, $18 for four bites of maltagliati? Well I hope it was good! And I think you had a celebrity sighting, right? Enjoy the rest of your birthday week :-)
yes, we are both virgos!
omg, really? haha.. i dont feel so bad now, since everyone was saying how GOOD this place was.
I really wanted to try Grace but they were closed on Mondays.
oh yea.. thanks for the reminder, will add that now!
An Amuse Bouche is supposed to take one bite. The one you posted looks too big - maybe two bites, if you are lucky? Sorry to hear about your experience with the food - it makes the place and not necessarily the service.
Kit- it took me at least 3 bites! hahahaha
happy birthday (belated). thanks for sharing notes on the meal, as underwhelming as it sounded - hopefully the company made up for it! in any case, i've heard too many mixed reviews of o. mozza - which makes it linger longer on my to-visit list, and allowing other restaurants to supplant it on the list.
Tricerapops- Thanks! the company made up for it. have you tried BLT or XIV yet? Those are my 2 faves in LA.
I kinda like O. Mozza a lot... at the bar... with dessert. The Olive Oil Rosemary cakes are really tops.
sorry to hear about your meal on your bday tho!
yeah, maybe i will give it another chance at the bar. the food really was subpar tho.
Post a Comment