Build Your Own Pizza at PizzaRev (Studio City, CA)
If you're particular about the toppings you want on your pizza, try Pizza Rev in Studio City where you can select the cheese, toppings, and sauce for your individual, customized pizza.
If you're particular about the toppings you want on your pizza, try Pizza Rev in Studio City where you can select the cheese, toppings, and sauce for your individual, customized pizza.
Posted by gourmetpigs at 9:12 AM 0 comments
Labels: build your own, burrata, dessert pizza, diy pizza, pizza, pizza rev, studio city
Posted by gourmetpigs at 9:06 AM 0 comments
Labels: deal, fairfax, farmer's market platter, pitfire pizza, pizza, special, west Hollywood. Pumpkin pizza
I liked both the beautiful space and the great drinks when I first visited Next Door Lounge and had been curious how they were doing after head bartender Joe Brooke had left, so I recently accepted an invitation to come in for the summer cocktail menu. At Next Door Lounge, there's a doorman asking for a password before you enter. Even though you need a "password" to get in, you can get the password by signing up for their newsletter or making a reservation!
We didn't know that we were supposed to preview a new summer menu when we first sat down so we had gone ahead and ordered two drinks from the then-current menu. The menu was divided into classic and modern cocktails, some of them had been there since my first visit (especially the classics).
The Scot's Pear was made with scotch, Tawny port, ginger syrup, lemon and pear juice ($14)
Posted by gourmetpigs at 9:44 AM 0 comments
Labels: bar, cocktail, hollywood, kale, next door lounge, pizza, spicy cocktail, sweet potato flatbread
The South Park district in downtown Los Angeles is getting more and more exciting with two new restaurant openings. One of them is Soleto, an upscale Italian restaurant from the IDG Restaurant Group which took over the old Zucca space. Soleto is run by Executive Chef Sascha Lyon who is also in charge of the kitchen at Delphine.
I say it's upscale, but Soleto has a pretty great happy hour (M-F, 3-7pm), especially where the food is concerned. There were quite a few items that were all really cheap and good! The portion sizes are quite good as well. Here are some of the happy hour items we tried:
Shrimp Oreganato ($5)
Posted by gourmetpigs at 11:50 AM 0 comments
Labels: downtown la, egg, happy hour, idg group, italian, limoncello, los angeles, pasta, pizza, salad, soleto, tiramisu
I wouldn't normally consider going to Rancho Cucamonga to dine, but the promise of a free hotel stay sounded like a nice getaway and convinced me to go check out this new restaurant headed by Executive Chef Greg Stillman, a French Laundry and Patina alum. On the drive to the restaurant, we saw what other places were in Rancho Cucamonga and it was pretty much restaurant chain capital.
Posted by gourmetpigs at 10:30 AM 0 comments
Labels: cocktail, greg stillman, lobster, lobster lollipops, lobster mac and cheese, pizza, plum, pork belly, ra pour, rancho cucamonga
Pitfire Pizza recently opened its West Hollywood outpost a block away from Fairfax and Melrose. Despite having a great meat shop (*cough* Lindy and Grundy), there wasn't much by way of restaurants in that immediate area. I had only been to the downtown and Westwood locations and the WeHo space is definitely much bigger, with a bar (with various craft beers on tap) and a patio dining area - and a pink Foosball table! Oh yeah.
Posted by gourmetpigs at 9:08 AM 0 comments
Labels: bar, beer, pitfire pizza, pizza, straus dairy, west hollywood
Mondays are happy days at Mohawk Bend with their all-you-can-eat pizza nights for only $15. But wait! For the rest of the year (2010), the AYCE pizza is only $12!! Even better!
The AYCE pizza nights take place in the Ramona Room which, when it isn't packed, makes for a good date night with its fireplace and arching tree (I'm not sure how crowded Mondays are now, though).
Instead of ordering, servers with trays of thin crust pizza fresh from the oven walks around and offers you a slice. Most of the pizzas on the menu will make its way out during the night, except for the Pig Newton (since Serrano ham is expensive, yo).
Point the Way, Picket Fence Wheat IPA, Stone Cali-Belgique, Mongo DIPA |
Brekle's Brown, DDH 15th Anniv, Navigator Doppelbock, Stone IRS 2010 |
Posted by gourmetpigs at 8:51 AM 0 comments
Labels: all you can eat, ayce, beer flight, deal, echo park, mohawk bend, monday, pizza, specials
The latest buzz on pizza in LA has been coming from Stella Rossa Pizza in Santa Monica. Stella Rossa is a sister restaurant of and shares an entrance with M Street Kitchen on Main St. The chef, Jeff Mahin, comes from a fine dining background, including The Fat Duck and L2O. He says he's now doing what he's always wanted to do, making pizza. (Is it just me or is there a movement of fine dining chefs turning into making sandwiches and burgers and pizzas).
Upon placing our order, the server suggested we order a different appetizer since we're getting a white pizza, but my friend has never had burrata before so I insisted that we order some.
Fresh local burrata ($10.95) with organic extra virgin olive oil, sea salt
The burrata is made locally (in Baldwin Park) by Di Stefano and was one of the creamiest you can find in this city. I would've been very happy with the burrata and olive oil alone, but the sweet grapes made for an amazing accompaniment. Every piece of grape I had that night was sweet and ripe. Remember the scene in Ratatouille where Remy makes Emile try eating a chunk of cheese and a piece of grape at the same time?
Domenico DeMarco opened Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn in 1964 and has been manning the oven ever since, personally crafting your pies to order, sprinkling the basil and drizzling olive oil for that perfect thin crust pizza. He's 74 now and still the only one responsible for your pizzas.
Chefs Steve Samson and Zach Pollack (formerly of Pizzeria Ortica in Costa Mesa) recently opened up Sotto on the first floor of the old Test Kitchen space. Sotto focuses its menu on Southern Italian cuisine with a wood-burning Neapolitan pizza oven.
After hearing great reviews, I finally made my visit. The Test Kitchen space looks quite different now, but it was just as packed (and a little loud).
We started the meal with tomato-braised octopus ai ferri, chickpeas, preserved lemon, chard, bottarga ($14)
Posted by gourmetpigs at 9:14 AM 2 comments
Labels: italian, los angeles, pasta, pico, pizza, sotto, steve samson, zach pollack
I’m pretty excited about the new food places that had opened their doors in Pasadena lately, from Cham to Intelligentsia and now: The Luggage Room, the pizzeria attached to La Grande Orange, housed in the old luggage room of the Pasadena train station (hence the name).
I received an email invitation for dinner during the first week they opened. When I went the place was already teeming with customers.
Posted by gourmetpigs at 1:39 PM 1 comments
Labels: la grande orange, luggage room pizzeria, pasadena, pizza, sourdough
Pizza Fusion is NOT a vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free place.
It does, however, carry options for all of the above, and is pretty well-known for their gluten free crust, giving those with celiac disease the rare opportunity to eat a pizza. So when the owners of Pizza Fusion invited me over to taste the food they offer, I decided to try these vegan and gluten-free stuff for myself.
DISCLAIMER: I went for an invited tasting, so we ate for free.
I went with LA & OC Foodie, the perfect partner in crime since he was doing a Meatless April (and I guess now he's attempting a Meatless May too ... tsk tsk.)
I don't know if Pizza Fusion is the first sustainable chain, but this franchise that started in Miami not only serves organic and sustainable products but also didn't stray from their environmental mission in building their locations. Even their floors, walls and toilets.
Pizza Fusion carries some microbrewery beers on taps and also a selection of organic wines. LA & OC Foodie ordered a flight of 4 beers (20 oz total, %10).
I don't remember what beers he ordered but I remembered I liked the Unibroue Blanche de Chambly the best.
I opted for the lemonade instead ($3.00) at first... I gave in and got a beer later - the Blanche de Chambly. Uhm.
The lemonade is not too sweet like most others, which makes it even more refreshing and thirst quenching.
The owner recommended the stuffed zucchini, "Zucchini al Forno" ($6.99), so we got an order of those too.
Roasted zucchini stuffed with walnuts and vegetarian stuffing. We definitely didn't miss the meat or the chicken/turkey broth in this, the stuffing had plenty of flavors already. Perhaps too much actually. I thought the zucchini didn't need so much stuffing and less would actually balance the flavors better. I did enjoy the texture that the walnuts gave to this.
Because those flip-up menus and ads sometimes do work and this looked good, we got a half order of the Pear & Gorgonzola salad ($5.99)
Using great fresh products, can't go wrong with this salad.
We ended up getting a non-vegan (but vegetarian since LA & OC Foodie is doing his meatless April!) on a gluten-free crust, and a vegan pizza (with vegan cheese) on a normal crust. Hedging our bets, so to speak.
Here's the Farmer's Market Pizza with Gluten-Free crust (personal size, $9.99)
As you can see below, the gluten free crust is noticeable thinner than a normal thin crust. It's rather cracker-like also, probably what one would expect from a non-gluten crust.
For the vegan cheese at Pizza Fusion, you have 2 options: either the Follow Your Heart soy cheese, or the Daiya cheese for a bit extra - $0.50-$1, can't remember. Because Quarry Girl raved about the Daiya cheese (which she then asked Pizza Fusion to carry), we opted to try it.
We got this cheese on the Very Vegan pizza (personal size, $8.99+extra for Daiya).
Upon first taste, Daiya cheese certainly had strong flavors, one that you wouldn't expect from a vegan cheese, and one that you wouldn't get from the Follow Your Heart soy cheese (according to LA & OC Foodie)
I ended up liking the normal-cheese-gluten-free-crust pizza better but LA & OC Foodie liked the vegan-cheese-normal-crust better.
It's certainly wonderful that those with celiac disease can have things they normally wouldn't be able to at Pizza Fusion, like the pizza, and also brownies. We tried a gluten-free vegan brownie ($4.99) a la mode (with vanilla gelato - not vegan).
The brownie was surprisingly chocolate-y and decadent, almost reminiscent of fudge though not as rich and thick. It was moist but the flavors are there, although the texture was just a little bit off. Not necessarily bad, but I definitely noticed a difference between this gluten free version and others.
I have some vegan friends and I also know a couple of people with celiac disease. It was really nice to find this place so I can take him later and let him have some pizza and brownie. Personally though, I'd still go with the bbq chicken, sinful cheese, and gluten crust :P Luckily, Pizza Fusion has all that, too. Something for everyone.
They also have the following weekly specials, in case you're planning a visit!
Vegan Monday- Free Daiya Cheese Upgrade on Any Pizza or Free Vegan Strawberry Sorbet on any Large Vegan Pizza Soy or Daiya
Wine and Dine Tuesday- Up to $20 off Organic/ Sustainable Bottles of Wine
Draft Beer Wednesday- $1 off Any Draft Beer
Gluten-Free Thursday- Free Gluten-Free Vegan Brownie with Any Large Gluten Free Pizza
Pizza Fusion - Hollywood
7950 W. Sunset Blvd.
Suite 104
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 375-3390
www.pizzafusion.com/hollywood/
Posted by gourmetpigs at 10:37 PM 4 comments
Labels: gluten free, hollywood, media dinner, pizza, pizza fusion, sunset blvd, vegan
Even before they opened at noon, people were already waiting in front of Pizzeria Delfina. The good thing about being there as they opened though, is that you get seated pretty much immediately. The crowd filled up seats minutes after the door opened, both inside and on the sidewalk of 18th St.
Then again, that also means they're suddenly starting to cook for a full house, so we waited for food staring at our condiments plate in anticipation. Can't wait til I can put this stuff on my pie.
The fried sand dabs we got as appetizer (special of the day) came out first.
Piping hot and crispy sand dabs were topped with crisped spinach. A drizzle of lemon made these pieces of fish amazing. Definitely a great start to my Delfina meal. I would watch out for these babies on the menu next time and will definitely get them again.
The first pie: Napoletana (tomato, anchovies, capers, hot peppers, olives, and oregano - $10)
Delfina's pizza is a saucy thin crust pizza - thin enough to put the focus on the sauce and toppings but not too thin that the pizza would fall apart.
The Napoletana here is a great representation of the classic where great ingredients are put together well. My only complaint with this pie is that it was pretty burnt at parts. Luckily this didn't happen on our second order.
The second pie: The Purgatorio (spicy tomato sauce, pecorino romano cheese, 2 eggs)
Everything with eggs is good I'd say and this is quite an interesting pizza. The runny yolk does well at cutting the spiciness of the tomato sauce and sopping up the remaining yolk with their delightful crust was pretty amazing. Not burnt either. We were all quite happy with this pizza.
It was a very satisfying lunch on a Sunday afternoon. They had desserts and they probably would've been good, but with Bi-Rite across the street ... tough choice but this time around we opted for Bi-Rite.
Pizzeria Delfina
3611 18th St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 437-6800
www.pizzeriadelfina.com
Posted by gourmetpigs at 1:31 PM 3 comments
Labels: mission, pizza, pizzeria delfina, san francisco, sand dabs
I got my Thursdays down. If I can get out in time, that is.
Here's the not-so-secret plan: get to downtown at around 6, or earlier. First order of business: The Edison Bar for $0.35 vintage cocktail (ends at 7 PM). The cocktail changes every week, but always well done. Strong tasty drinks.
Depending on how fast you can finish your drink, you can either make it to Pitfire Pizza's happy hour right next door for 50% off food (ends at 7 PM). Or if you want to sip your cocktail slowly, you can also go to Pitfire armed with a Restaurant.com gift certificate.
$10 certificate for $3, or $25 for $10. But wait, don't buy it then! They almost always have a sale or coupon discount for 60%-80% off! That's $25 for a mere $2 or so!
From now May 31st 09 they're having a 80% off sale with code: SPECIAL.
So I came with a girlfriend armed with my $10 gift certificate and walked into Pitfire Pizza at 7:05 PM. As I handed the girl at the register the certificate she said that it's happy hour til 7 PM and so everything's half off anyway! Well it was past 7 PM I almost pointed out ... but I didn't and took her offer. Luckily the gift certificate is good for a year anyway, so i'm saving it for a later time. Double sweetness!
We each got Pitfire's individual-sized pizza and split em.
The burrata pie (burrata, tomato sauce, caramelized onions, arugula, hazelnut pesto drizzle - $9.95).
I really love the texture play that the tiny hazelnut bits added to this. I liked Pitfire's thin crust although I do wish it was crispier so I would eat the edges too ... The pizza is pretty light, as it is not overwhelmed by the cheese and tomato sauce. Overall I liked the combination of this pizza a lot. Chunks of burrata and fresh arugula, topped with crunchy hazelnuts! Plus, pesto ... I loove pesto.
Sweet Fennel Sausage (fontina, creme fraiche, crushed tomato, red onion, mozzarella - $9.95)
This was also good, although may seem a bit 'boring' compared to the burrata pizza. The sausages were good and I liked the use of crushed tomato chunks as opposed to just plain old tomato sauce. More cheesy than the first and was more familiar as a pizza. (Oh, yeah there's an iphone in the background so you can use it for a size comparison ;> )
$0.35 cocktail + $5 pizza. We made out like a couple of stuffed and buzzed bandits.
Pitfire Pizza Company
108 W 2nd St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 808-1200
http://www.pitfirepizza.com/
Read LA Pizza Man's review here and Sinosoul's review here.
Posted by gourmetpigs at 9:31 AM 5 comments
Labels: cocktail, downtown, happy hour, los angeles, pitfire pizza, pizza, restaurant.com, the edison, thursday
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