Cosa Buona (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

Cosa Buona Restaurant
2100 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
213.908.5211
www.cosabuona.com
Sun 05/24/2020, 09:10p-09:50p



If you saw my last post, you'll know that I recently paid a visit to Alimento in Silver Lake. Now I guess I was in a Zach Pollack sort of mood, because I ended up ordering food to-go from the Chef's other place, Cosa Buona in nearby Echo Park, the very same night. Cosa Buona is, of course, Pollack's modernized take on the classic Italian-American pizza joint, and opened back in May 2017.


Cosa Buona's coronavirus menu reads like a shortened version of what the restaurant typically offers. Click for a larger version.


Smokey Mozzarella Sticks [$12.00] | marinara, parsley
Mozzarella sticks weren't quite as smoky as advertised, but were still quite tasty in a slightly trashy sort of way. The cheese itself ate dense and stringy, and formed a foil to its super crisp, gritty crust, while the tart, herby tomato sauce just made sense.



Margherita [$14.50] | tomato, mozzarella, basil
I wound up getting three pies this evening, and the first was perhaps the most basic unit of pizza consumption. The Margherita here was more focused than most in highlighting the back-and-forth between cheese and tomato, with the basil more in the background. That supple, elastic, leopard-spotted crust effectively moderated the interaction, especially given its subtle sourness.


Caesar [$12.00] | gem lettuce, croutons, parmigiano-reggiano, anchovy
Cosa Buona's version of the traditional Caesar was all about the marriage of bright, bitter greens and the dish's unabashedly cheesy, citrusy dressing, the anchovy sort of hiding off in the distance. Also of particular note were the croutons, which were clearly the most overtly bread-like I'd ever had.


Supreme [$19.00] | tomato, pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, olive, onion, jalapeño
The supreme was the pizza of my childhood (particularly if it came from Pizza Hut), and the version tonight was vaguely reminiscent. What really stood out to me was the mushroom, specifically how it meshed with the tartness of the tomato sauce, all while the pepperoni contributed pops of salt and spice. Again, the bitterness and char inherent in the crust was key for contrast, though I do wish that some bell peppers could've made an appearance.


Spicy Potatoes Diavola [$8.00] | ranch, parsley
Potato wedges showed off a sour heat, along with a touch of funk that I didn't mind at all. The ranch dressing, meanwhile, had the desired cooling effect.


Sausage [$18.00] | housemade sausage, mustard greens, calabrese chilies, mozzarella
Last up was the sausage pizza, which was my favorite of the bunch. What appealed to me the most was just the brazen, aggressive seasoning of the sausage, which had a certain coziness to it. Said sausage worked hand-in-hand with the cheese, while the bitterness of the greens offered up a sharp counterpoint.

I don't think Cosa Buona had to change its menu much at all to account for takeout, so not surprisingly, the place lived up to its mission of offering a cheffy version of casual American-Italian fare that's both familiar and just interesting enough. The Chef made a solid showing this evening.