Pizza, meet lobster
Italian comfort food gets authentically homey at Mozza by Cocotte
THE KITCHEN Group continues its mission to nourish Bangkok diners on la cusina di mamma (Mom’s cooking), having already swaddled tummies in love at its rustic rotisserie Cocotte Farm Roast & Winery and the Mediterranean-inspired Pesca Mar & Terra Bistro.
Its newest restaurant, Mozza by Cocotte at the EmQuartier, specialises in the two most popular Italian dishes, pizza and pasta. There are in fact 11 different choices in pizza, from simple Neapolitan style with tomato sauce and mozzarella to the fancy lobster and bisque tomato sauce offering – and that’s a whole lobster.
Mozza by Cocotte offers Italian comfort food and a choice of indoor seating and sofas outside.
“The star at Cocotte is big tomahawk steak, while the classic Spanish rice dish paella satisfies the diners at Pesca,” says Julien Jourdan, the Kitchen Group’s marketing director. “At Mozza, it’s pizza, which is beloved by so many because it’s perfect for enjoying on your own or sharing among friends and family.”
The bistro has both indoor and outdoor dining areas, enough to seat about 100 people altogether. The inside has warm lighting, a patterned floor, wood and marble tables and chairs upholstered in deep blue material to evoke the vast Mediterranean.
Jourdan points out that the other two restaurants are standalone operations, whereas Mozza, located in a mall, has a design that “plays on authentic but warm ambience that people feel comfortable with.
“Our signature open kitchen adds a dynamic vibe and the round tables are best for sharing. The brick oven imported from Italy is another prominent structural highlight.”
Diners can browse a cheese station and make their selections from among many different kinds of Italian cheeses and cold cuts (Bt590 for three picks and Bt920 for five).
The chef’s choice goes into the Italian Board (Bt980) – three cheeses and three cold cuts – and another fine option is the Mozza’s Board (Bt1,490), with five of each.
The restaurant’s name of course refers to mozzarella, quite basic in taste yet a crucial ingredient in Italian cuisine. It goes well with anything, from salad to pizza to pasta and in fact is used in almost every dish prepared on the premises.
Burrata with Mango, Bell Pepper and Parma Ham
If you really love mozzarella, order one of the Burrata dishes in which it forms the outer shell, holding a soft filling of stracciatella and cream.
Burrata with Mango, Bell Pepper and 24-month Parma Ham (Bt620) features diced ripe mango in sweet-and-sour sauce and slightly salty parma ham.
Eight-cheese Latteria pizza
If you like your pizza cheesy, the Latteria (Bt560) contains eight kinds of cheese – gorgonzola, talegio, scamoza, fontina, asiago, provolone, ricotta and toma.
Familiar to Thais is Mangia Fuoco (Bt680), a slightly spicy and garlicky pizza redolent with chilli, nudja, ventricina and burrata and, yes, garlic. The fanciest pizza is Lupicante (Bt1,390), the one with the whole lobster, plus bisque tomato sauce, mozzarella and green peas.
Lupicante pizza
In addition to the usual pastas like bolognese and ricotta gnocchi, Jourdan suggests trying a non-mainstream dish – Trofie Tartufate (Bt790). It’s rarely found in any Bangkok Italian restaurant.
Trofie Tartufate
“This authentic dish is made from a family recipe of our chef, Samuele Alvisi, whose hometown is Riolo Terme, near Bologna in northern Italy,” says Jourdan. “It’s cooked with beef cheek in a delicate and time-consuming process, along with sauteed mushrooms, parmesan and truffle shavings. It’s a nice combination.”
Caciucco
Jourdan knows that Thais love seafood, but few are acquainted with Caciucco (Bt1,290), an Italian-style stew of Maine lobster, mussels, clams, octopus and scallops served with home-made toasted garlic ciabatta.
Delizia al Limone
For dessert, opt for a tangy and creamy Delizia al Limone (Bt290) – a ladyfinger biscuit on a bed of breadcrumbs topped with limoncello and lemon jelly.
Sitting next to the open kitchen is a bar whose proprietor will help pair drinks to your dishes. A great non-alcohol aperitif is Garden Berries, a shake of blackberry, raspberry and strawberry juice mixed with syrup and fresh lime. Another is Green Velvet, combining fresh spinach, celery, kiwi puree and fresh lime – healthy and good for detoxifying. Each costs Bt120.
Garden Berries and Green Velvet
A nice cocktail aperitif is the Spritzy Spritzy, made with sparkling wine and grapefruit liquor. Presumed to aid digestion after the meal is the Tuscany Breeze, a mix of whisky, peach liquor, lime and raspberry syrup. Each of these costs Bt340.
Eighty per cent of the wines at Mozza are from Italy.
Tuscany Breeze cocktail
MAMA MIA!
Mozza by Cocotte is on the ground floor of the EmQuartier |in Bangkok and open daily |from 10 to 10.
Call (097) 004 0072 or visit www.Mozza-Bangkok.com.
