Now Open: Mother Dough Pizza

Fans of Neapolitan pizza can celebrate a new addition to the LA scene, Mother Dough Pizza.  Mother Dough is named for the starter that contributes to the pizza dough.  According to the restaurant, "a piece of each day's batch [is saved and added] to the next day's dough mixture" and the term for this fermentation starter is mother dough.  The restaurant is located on Hollywood Blvd just East of Vermont Avenue and is across the street from Umami Burger and down the block from Bar Covell.

The menu is small with five pizzas, all of which use buffalo mozzarella, and and six starters.  The pizzas are made with imported zero zero flour and the dough is hand-stretched before being cooked for 60-90 seconds at 850 degrees in the wood-burning oven imported from Naples.  The Neapolitan style is thin crust and crispy.  The choices are: Margherita, Zucchini, Oven-Roasted Vine Tomatoes, Prosciutto and Arugula, and Sausage and range in price from $15 to $19.  There is a short wine list of about a dozen wines plus half a dozen beers, all imports or microbrews.

I ordered the Margherita Pizza ($15), which is always my tester pie at a new pizza spot.  The ingredients are: san marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil, aged parmigiano-regiano, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt.  The pizza was good but not great.  There was char as I expect with this type of pizza and oven, but a bit too much for my taste. The crust at the center of the pie is limper and chewier than ideal.  But the ingredients are great and the ratio of toppings to dough is as it should be.  I am hopeful and confident that as they get more use out of their oven they will gain experience and the pies will get better.  Do I think they will be a rival to Mozza?  No, but this is a much more casual operation and a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

The Burrata Salad ($11) above was a very nice iteration of the dish.  The portion is enough to be someone's lunch or for several hungry people to share as a starter.  The portion of burrata in particular was quite generous.  The heirloom tomatoes came in a variety of colors and the whole dish was plated attractively.  The salad was simply dressed and some sea salt was sprinkled on it.  I'd happily have this again.  The other appetizers include raw almonds, duck crostini, a charcuterie platter, olives and a mixed green salad.  

The pizza oven

There are currently two desserts on the menu: oven roasted pears with chocolate shavings, creme fraiche and hazelnut liqueur; and triple chocolate mousse with caramel sauce and lavender sea salt.

Mother Dough Pizza is located at 4648 Hollywood Blvd in Los Feliz.  Phone: (323) 644-2885.  Website: www.motherdoughpizza.com  Note: website not currently operational