Obicà Sunset Plaza

Mozzarella Bar, Pizza e Cucina

I traveled to Italy on my honeymoon and haven’t been able to go back in many, many years but I was gleefully transported back there when I went to newly opened Obicà Sunset Plaza in West Hollywood, CA. The dining experience at this mozzarella bar makes my belly sing and my heart happy. Mozzarella is imported twice a week from Italy to the restaurant and the freshness and flavor shines through not only in their cheeses but also in the rest of their food.   Executive Chef Erind Halilaj has put together dishes that transported me back to different parts of Italy with subtle flavors that are clean, delicious and fresh.

Some of my favorites were the Mozzarella Experience with 4 different types of cheese paired perfectly with splashes of other fresh ingredients to compliment the different flavors of each cheese. From the light and delicate Ricotta with pine nuts and cranberries to the more robust Mozzarella di Bufala Affumicata with roast artichokes this will be a plate that will make any fan of cheese beg for more.

The Burrata and Mango Salad is not only gorgeous to look at but light and flavorful. The hint of mint and crunch of the hazelnuts was perfect and each ingredient stood out with nothing overpowering or over the top.

I had a dream after I feel asleep the evening of my meal at Obicà and I dreamt of the Pizza Tartufo. It is dream worthy. Obicà’s pizzas start with a perfect crust that is left to rise for 48 hours. Its consistency isn’t chewy and doughy, nor crisp and crackly, it’s just right. Top that with mozzarella, ricotta di bufala, Italian ham and black truffles and you’ve found perfection. Seriously. Dreamy perfection.

I accidently dug into homemade rosemary pappardelle pasta that was tossed with a duck Tuscan style ragu with orange zest and devoured it before I realized I didn’t get a photo. It was that good. It was so flavorful and delightful without being heavy.

 

The Branzino Spinato was another dish that was light but not lacking in flavor or delight. The Italian sea bass topped white beans, veggies and roasted cherry tomatoes and was cooked beautifully.

When I was in Italy I finished every meal with pana cotta (doesn’t everyone?). I loved how it had a slight hint of sweetness without being overly sugary like a lot of desserts we find in America. So when I looked lovingly at the panna cotta from Obicà I hoped I would be just like I remembered. Thankfully, like the rest of my meal, I was so overjoyed to find it flawless. It was topped with fresh passionfruit that was a great compliment and finish to my meal.

 

The food alone will bring me back to Obicà, but so will the wonderful wine list and cocktails. I tasted the Viola, a tequila drink I couldn’t resist trying with a green apple and red beet purée. It was mixed perfectly. The Queen Margaret was another refreshing drink with pink grapefruit that wasn’t too tart, nor too sweet. There is a beautiful outdoor area in the back of the restaurant that had great views and is a perfect spot to grab a drink and enjoy an evening.

Many thanks to CEO Raimondo Boggia and Executive Chef Erind Halilaj for a perfect evening of Italian fare that brought me back to one of my favorite places. Since I may not make it back to Italy for a while you can be sure I’ll be back to Obicà so I can get the next best thing.

Obicà Sunset is the third Obicà in Los Angeles (@obicarestaurant) . They are located at 8630 Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood. They are open Sunday – Thursday 12:00pm – 10:00pm, Friday & Saturday 12:00pm – 11:00pm and for brunch on weekends. You can find their website here or by phone at (310) 360-5983.