Tag Archives: pizza

Quick Look: Davanti, San Diego

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Davantiflatbreadandhoney

Crispy Italian flatbread with local San Diego honey at Davanti (Brad A. Johnson)

When I lived and worked as a critic in Chicago, I always loved Mia Francesca’s, an always reliable neighborhood Italian joint. At the time, there was only one location, but it has since blossomed into a successful chain. So I was really excited when Francesca’s chef/owner Scott Harris recently opened Davanti in San Diego’s Little Italy. The pizzas are excellent. The pork belly, truly massive. The brussels sprouts, a revelation. But the best of all? An incredible crispy flatbread smeared with local honey. Here’s a quick look around…  Continue reading →

Review: Pizzeria Mozza Newport Beach

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Mozzapizza

Pizza Margherita at Pizzeria Mozza OC (Brad A Johnson)

One pizza. One salad. One dessert. And an almost impossible reservation. That’s pretty much all you need to know about the pizzeria jointly owned by celebrity chefs Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton.

First, the fennel sausage pizza. It’s important to adjust your expectations about the crust. Mozza’s dough doesn’t taste like typical pizza crust. It’s not modeled after the styles of Naples or New York or Rome or even L.A. Instead, it’s got the unique snap-crackly crunch and tangy DNA of Nancy Silverton’s La Brea Bakery sourdough. It’s extremely puffy around the edges but micro-thin in the center. And it’s excellent.  Continue reading →

The Best Pizza in the World!

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Naples, Italy (photos by Brad A Johnson)

The goal: Find the best pizza in Naples.

“But hasn’t it already been determined that Michele makes the best pizza in Naples?” asks a friend in London who travels to Italy often just to eat.

“Really?” I ask. “Says who?”

“I don’t know,” he says. “Everybody?”

I email a chef with long ties to Naples. He emails back: “Michele makes the best pizza.”

I obviously need more opinions. So I email the chef at the new Romeo Hotelin Naples. He’s a native Napolitano, just back from a stint at the acclaimed Fat Duck in England…  Continue reading →