Pizzeria Mozza-Keep the Pie, Trash the 8 Track

[noshie]

So, I went for the first time to Pizzeria Mozza. Let me say that I am not a big fan of pizza in general, but I went with high hopes as for many years I have enjoyed the bread and pastries at Campanille (especially their pastry basket with cream for brunch, they used to have this 3 dough Danish thing...anyway)

Getting back to Pizzeria Mozza, first thing I noticed was the VERY LOUD music blaring. I had to sit through Sweet Home Alabama, a sped up version of Freebird....You get the picture. I felt as if the music was a way to turn the tables faster (long line at the bar and door), but when I complained I was told that it was just the restaurant's "classic rock" vibe. Nevertheless, I thought the music was so loud as to impede conversation, and, frankly, it was quite irritating.

We ordered the fried squash blossom and arrancine appetizers. I thought the arrancine were ok but were in a very oridinary tasting tomato sauce. I thought the squash blossoms were sort of bland, although nicely fried. I think that a good alternative as starters would have been one of the salads on the menu, someone had one next to us that looked good, with Parmesan and mushrooms I believe. We got the squash blossoms and arracine because of the reviews I had read here, but I think in light of the two pizzas that came next, salad for starters would have been better.

We then had the fennel sausage and spicy fennel salami pizzas, and I thought both were quite good, although the fennel sausage pizza might have been slightly better, but I enjoyed both. I thought that the crust was just delicious, airy, yum.

For dessert, we split the butterscotch budino, which I was forewarned on this site was somewhat salty (I had a salty dessert at Akasha I wasn't wild about either, forgot the name). Anyway, yes, it was salty, but I thought it was quite tasty anyway.

I absolutely adored the rosemary cookies that came with the Budino. They ROCKED--unlike the music.

[steve h.]

the music at mozza is not so loud. the music at other batali places is not too loud, either. it does seem to be a lightning point for some and, as suggested, they should seek tables elsewhere. i'll be trying tarry lodge, batali's outpost in port chester, n.y. sometime tomorrow. i'll report back on the playlist/volume.

[The Chowhound Team]

If you do report back about the playlist, volume and food at Tarry Lodge, please do so on the Tristate board. A pointer post here to that thread, will allow Los Angeles hounds to follow along. Thanks!

[steve h.]

good point. thanks.

[steve h.]

here's a link to my food and noise review of batali's tarry lodge in port chester (scroll down).

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/588562

[Will Owen]

Re: the loud music: too bad, I was hoping to try this place sometime, but of course now I won't. I love rock'n'roll under most circumstances, but when I'm eating I want either none at all (European style - SO civilized!) or maybe a string quartet doing some Schubert. Quietly.

[Mateo R]

I agree that silence is preferable, but in LA it is very hard to find, even in supposedly european style restaurants.

[Will Owen]

Too true, Mateo. It's not always, or even usually, excessively loud music, but too many people all trying to talk over each other in an acoustically harsh room. The back room at Gus's in South Pas and indoors at Saladang Song are two unnervingly noisy rooms in restaurants I otherwise like. I'm sure one of the reasons I'm always flying to the defense of Maison Akira is how much I enjoy the calmness of the room, with recorded chamber music playing just loud enough to be heard if you want to hear it.

[latindancer]

The importance of the right pairing of music and food is vital at any restaurant and I just don't see Pizza Mozza and a string quartet playing Schubert going together :).
Beyond that, I've never noticed the music being as overbearing as some have mentioned...there's so much going on at Mozza the music just adds to the experience in a good way.

[Porthos]

Regarding the music. It's a formula that has worked for Batali and clearly, the vast majority of people like the ambience given that all his restaurants are packed and reservations are tough to get. Obviously, the great food helps too.

The music is here to stay. There is no point complaining about it.

[a_and_w]

What Porthos said...

[The Old Man]

The only thing I would say is that the, "vast majority of people" who like overly loud, bad, music pack his restaurants.

I am not complaining about it, I'm just not going.

[noshie]

To me, the music in Pizzeria Mozza made me feel rushed (as I have already said). Their particular taste in music also made me feel like I was eating pizza in a college dorm, which would be appropriate for some places, but felt out of place in what I hoped would be a fairly causal yet serious dining experience. I love AJs Steakhouse at the Hard Rock in Vegas, where there is music playing also, but , hey, thats the Hard Rock (which is what I was told when I complained about it to the waitress there, which explanation sounded reasonable to me).

Pizzeria Mozza is not the Hard Rock, nor was I expecting (or wanting) a trip back to my college days.

By the way, I'm not adverse to rock music, and my personal taste in music runs the gamut from Sarah Vaughn and Ella to Husker D. However, you won't find me busting out my old Bad Brains records during a dinner party, and I don't think Pizzeria Mozza should be inflicting such loud and taste specific music on their guests either.

[epop]

Precisely, it is the nature of the beast, unfortunately. I sometimes get a pizza and marrow bones then eat in my car, in peace.

[Porthos]

Et tu, Epop? You're not going to start telling me that Yasuda serves gimmicky toro now are you?

Honestly, I've probably been to Batali's restaurants over 30 times in the past 8 years and never really notice the music. I've always been able to have a conversation with the people I go with, be it a party of 2 or 8.

[lambrusche]

Busy or not he doesn't play Italian music because no one including himself nor Nancy Silverton would understand it. Olive Garden and Romano's Macaroni Grill are packed too.

[a_and_w]

Truly the comments of someone who "wanted to like Mozza"...

[exilekiss]

Hi noshie,

You might consider going during Lunch if the music bothers you. During all of our lunch visits (weekends), the music has been really low.

[noshie]

Thanks exilekiss, that's a good suggestion, that would also cut down the bill as I'd just get a soda for lunch and we'd probably just split a salad at that time of day. I had thought of take-out, but I am not sure that would do justice to the pizza (we'll see, there are two pieces left in the fridge).

Schrutefarms, I did think the squash blossoms were nicely fried (not too bready, crunchy), just too plain tasting.

[The Old Man]

I asked a questions about the music in another thread and got no response. Sweet Home Alabama and Freebird played loudly, I would just as soon hang myself. Even if it was music I liked, I don't want blaring music in a restaurant. It's a deal-breaker.

[schrutefarms]

One of my favorite things about Mozza is the taste in music-I am VERY happy dining in a rock and roll atmosphere- but also the budino and squash blossoms. And fennel pizza. So maybe we can't hang out to see a band, but we can for sure agree on a place to eat. But please, like the squash blossoms! I beg of you!!!