With so many trendy spots in the city of Santa Monica it’s hard to know which restaurant to chose for a night out and good, fresh food. Obicà Mozzarella Bar Pizza e Cucina choses ingredients from sustainable, organic and local suppliers, and amazing mozzarella di bufala, brought in daily from award winning producers near Naples and Salerno. At first glance it has the appearance of a sushi bar, it is bright, clean and inviting. Located in the popular area of Broadway Street, this is a great stop for light toppas and wine, or a full, elegant meal.
The Experience Magazine was invited to sample the DineLA menu at Obicà on a hot Thursday evening in July. We were immediately served a crisp and delicious Rose wine along side our fresh bread and olive oil to start. Our waiter Anders was knowledgable and personable with a fun personality that kept the experience light and enjoyable.
For our first course we had Tartare di Tonno and a Classic Caprese Salad. The Tartare was beautifully prepared with knife cut Ahi tuna, Taggiasche olives, Pantelleria capers, Heirloom tomatoes, lime, and an avocado puree. The capers added a fun bite to the mellow flavors of the tartare. The Caprese salad features gorgeous, tri-colored, organic heirloom tomatoes, handmade Mazzarella di Bufala Braid and bright green leaves of basil. Both appetizers paired delightfully with the cold rose wine.
For our main course we chose the Pappardelle al Ragu d’anitra e Arancia – a homemade rosemary pasta with Tuscan style duck Drago and orange zest. A very hardy yet summery dish that was satisfying and delicious. We also had the Ricciola, seared greater Amberjack with sautéed asparagus and fresh oregano salmoriglio. The amberjack fish was incredibly flaky and cooked to perfection and so enjoyable on a hot summer night and was paired with a light, crisp white organic wine.
To top off the meal we had two unique takes on two very traditional desserts. The Tiramisu Ricetta Tradizionale was served in a bowl almost pudding style. The chucks of coffee infused cake pieces made each bite fun and different. The Panna Cotta al Frutto della Passione was a classic Italian Panna cotta with fresh passionfruit garnish. Lightly chilled, sweet, with just a touch of fruitiness from the garnish.
At Obicà you can enjoy more than the freshest, creamiest mozzarella outside of Italy. The chef takes time to perfect each one of his creations and flavor combinations so that every bite is a masterpiece.
