Thanks to @moonboy403 and @PorkyBelly for the tip whilst I was figuring out dinner plans. I dearly wanted to dine in, but given family concerns (i.e., a toddler who was in a grumpy mood), I decided to do take out. So take this post with that in mind, though I believe a dine in review from porkybelly is forthcoming.
The below is the spread. We ordered the Margherita (not pictured), Diavola, and Bismarck. Also ordered a Caesar salad, tricolore, and prosciutto + mozzarella di bufala, and the guardiniera pickles.
The Diavola - tomato, fior di latte, basil, soppressata, olive, parmigiano reggiano, chili flakes, EVOO
The Bismarck - Fior di Latte, prosciutto cotto, egg, Pecorino, basil, truffle oil, sea salt
The Prosciutto + Mozzarella Bufala appetizer (includes arugula and toasted bread)
The undercarriage
Pizzeria Sei is run by a husband & wife team. Chef William Joo has had stints at Providence, Angelini Osteria, and then Ronan, so he has quite a lot of experience. I was told the pizza they’re making is pure Neopoletana style, inspired by Pizza Savoy (in Tokyo).
A note that for dine in options, there is a counter with 7 seats, another 2-seater inside, and then two small tables outside. As mentioned previously, I got take out, though I made sure to down a slice of the Margherita piping cardboard hot as soon as I got in the car. It was… fantastic, though it had softened a little from the steaming in the cardboard box even from that short time. Once I got home, I poached, did a quick high temp blast in the toaster oven and that did the trick.
The pizza crust has that pillowy, malleable texture typical of Neopolitan pizza - the cornicione also has a delicate crispness that makes to that soft texture. The tomato sauce was a touch sweet, but not too cloying, and the fior de latte had a fantastic richness and freshness.
It’s tough going wrong with the straight up Margherita. I liked the Diavola (some porcine flavors with a touch of heat, plus the savoriness of the olives) as well. The olives definitely showed restraint - too often I feel olives disrupt a pizza with their saltiness.
The Bismark is unconventional - there’s some truffle oil in there, but the highlight is the runny yolk oozing over the prosciutto cotto.
One thing to note - the caesar salad has a sweet dressing - my wife didn’t like it, so fair warning for what to expect.
All in all, this was fantastic, even if I didn’t get to eat the pizza fresh out of the oven. This is a unique offering even relative to the other neo-Neopolitan styles.
Also, i saw Stephanie Breijo there as I was picking up my food, so I would expect an LA Times piece on this place imminently. You should try to get in before the lines start getting massive!
EDIT:
I was able to go back for another visit and actually eat at the restaurant, and I stand by everything positive I mentioned. The crust (never having touched a cardboard box) was supple and soft, but with a slight crisp. I am far from an expert but I suspect the nod to Japanese style means the pizza is a bit dryer and not as oily/watery as “pure” Neopolitan pizzas I’ve tried. Still highly recommended from me. My favorites are the margherita and the funghi.
Shown below are the Napoletana (add cheese, which I understand is a “Romano”) and the Funghi.
