Daily Slice: Casa Bianca, Los Angeles

Casa Bianca got a lot of flack when Jonathan Gold called it his "favorite non-Mozza pizza in L.A." But with a hour wait at prime time, this family run pizzeria has clearly been doing something right since 1955. I went in with low expectation, but came out adamantly declaring this is the best Chicago style thin crust pizza in LA.

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2 Comments | Posted by Kelly Bone, February 7, 2012 at 2:30 PM
Tagged: California, Casa Bianca, Daily Slice, Los Angeles

Top This: Cotechino and Cavolo Nero (à la Pizzeria Ortica)

The Executive Chef at Pizzeria Ortica, Justin Miller, prepares a seasonal cotechino (a cooked holiday sausage) and cavolo nero (Tuscan kale) pizza with smoked mozzarella, spiced mascarpone, and curls of spring onion. It is a perfect balance of flavor and texture.

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2 Comments | Posted by Kelly Bone, January 26, 2012 at 12:15 PM
Tagged: California, Costa Mesa, how-tos, Los Angeles, Pizzeria Ortica, recipes, Top This, toppings

Santa Monica, CA: Milo and Olive

Milo and Olive is making artisan bakery style pizza more of a thing in Los Angeles. The focus of these hardy baker's pies is the crust, incorporating a mix of flours. Open just two months, this pizzeria has already carved out a place in the LA pie-scape.

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10 Comments | Posted by Kelly Bone, January 25, 2012 at 12:00 PM
Tagged: California, Josh Loeb, Los Angeles, Milo and Olive, reviews, Santa Monica, slice reviews, wood-fired pizzas, Zoe Nathan

Top This: Confit Potato, Young Onion, and Bottarga (à la Mezze)

It's a great time for new restaurants in Los Angeles, and Mezze ranks among the top. With a menu pulling from the Mediterranean region, Chef Micah Wexler creates some of the most inventive flatbreads in the city. Combinations like those on the Merguez Sausage, Tomato Jam and Aleppo Pepper entice, but the buttery Confit Potato, Young Onion and Bottarga is truly stunning.

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4 Comments | Posted by Kelly Bone, January 12, 2012 at 10:00 AM
Tagged: bottarga, California, Los Angeles, Mezze, Micah Wexler, Top This, toppings

Daily Slice: Drago Centro, Los Angeles

Regarded for modern Italian dishes, few think of pizza when heading to downtown Los Angele's Drago Cento. But the modest pizza menu hides a calzone that can only be described as a "sleeper." The Il Calzone ai Funghi e Tartufo ($14) is an indulgent, but unassuming, half round crust filled with mozzarella, ricotta, mushrooms and truffles. A smaller $10 version is available at the bar, where happy hour deals are available all day.

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Post a Comment | Posted by Kelly Bone, January 11, 2012 at 10:00 AM
Tagged: calzone, Daily Slice, Drago Centro, Los Angeles

First Look: 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria, Los Angeles

As Neapolitan-style pizza prices rise and a rise, former Restaurant Michael Mina Chef Anthony Carron dreamed up a restaurant concept that would bring the prices back down. How cheap? $6 for a 12 inch Margherita cheap! Instead of skimping on ingredients or wood fire ovens, Chef Carron partnered up with Adam Fleischman of Umami Burger and Allen Ravert of Mexicali Cocina Cantina, to create an authentic as possible fast-casual Neapolitan pizzeria.

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26 Comments | Posted by Kelly Bone, January 3, 2012 at 12:15 PM
Tagged: 800 Degrees, 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria, Adam Fleischman, Allen Ravert, Anthony Carron, California, First Look, Los Angeles, Neapolitan-style in California, Westwood

Top This: Prosciutto, Arugula, and Fried Egg (à la Reservoir)

In the vastness of Los Angeles—between the shuttered Antica Pizzeria and newcomer Settebello—Chef Gloria Felix is the only other VPN certified chef we've got. For this edition of Top This, we learn how to make her addictive Prosciutto, Arugula and Fried Egg pizza.

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4 Comments | Posted by Kelly Bone, December 15, 2011 at 11:00 AM
Tagged: california, Gloria Felix, How-to, Los Angeles, Reservoir, Silver Lake, Top This, VPN

Daily Slice: The Good Pizza, Los Angeles

Every so often, The Good Pizza pop up so-and-so's list of favorite pizza in Los Angeles. Still, every time I spied on their dry cleaner adjacent strip mall location, I'd keep driving. But when The Good Pizza's owner, Ferdinando de Stefano (or just Nando), was spotted chowing down at Olio with Peppe Miele I knew I finally had to check it out.

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9 Comments | Posted by Kelly Bone, December 13, 2011 at 1:15 PM
Tagged: California, Daily Slice, Ferdinando de Stefano, Los Angeles, The Good Pizza

Daily Slice: All'angolo, Los Angeles

The Quattro Formaggi ($9 for the 10") at All'angolo falls stealthily close to being a full on to cheese bomb. Thick layers of creamy mozzarella, parmigiano and lush fontina are dotted with the grey fuzz of gorgonzola and translucent puddles of ivory brie. Crumbling walls of brie rind peek through oozing cheese offering added dynamism to this dizzying Pollock-like canvas. The layers of flavor are phenomenal, each bite a bold new blend of cheeses—if you're keeping count, yes there are five on this four cheese pizza.

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4 Comments | Posted by Kelly Bone, November 15, 2011 at 10:15 AM
Tagged: All'angolo, California, Daily Slice, Los Angeles

Top This: Lemongrass Pizza (à la Pici)

Chef J's Lemongrass Pizza was born the way many menu favorites are—as a late night 'friends and family' kitchen special. While working in an Asian fusion kitchen, Chef J combined his pizza with the house flavors. For this edition of Top This, we learn how to make his Lemongrass Pizza.

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4 Comments | Posted by Kelly Bone, November 10, 2011 at 1:00 PM
Tagged: Beverly Hills, Chef J, Jason Harley, Los Angeles, Pici, Top This, toppings