800 Degrees

After adventures in Seattle, Whistler, Los Angeles, and Hawaii, winter break slowly comes to an end.  I enjoyed my vacation at home and skiing in Whistler with the family, and my hours of training at SC and the University of Hawaii, but back to school it is!  After a long and uncomfortable plane ride I was greeted in my freshly cleaned apartment by my roommate Kate and her mom.  After unpacking, showering and doing some laundry, they generously invited me out to dinner with them.  It has almost become a ritual, as one of our parents comes to visit, they treat my roommates and myself out for a nice meal.  Knowing that I am the "restaurant connoisseur" of the group, they asked me for a recommendation.  They definitely weren't looking for anywhere too fancy, but I still took this opportunity to cross off a place from my wish list.

Kate, Andrea, and I at 800 Degrees!

I take my Urbanspoon account very seriously.  Along with being sure to check into all the restaurants I visit in order to keep my "dine line" up to date, I also keep a wish list.  That way I can remember all of the places I want to try.  Whether reading about them on blogs, hearing reviews, or simply walking past them on any of my adventures, I am always sure to add them to my list.  

I suggested 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria in Westwood.  Although we would be crossing into Bruin Territory, the positive reviews I've read on yelp and other blogs influenced me to take the risk.  Besides my diving meets and other sporting events, I will also venture into UCLA for one other foodie addiction, Diddy Reise.  The ice cream cookie sandwiches are too good to pass up.
  

Although I have visited the area several times before, my adventures have always led me to the Diddy Reise side of town.  After parking and walking to the restaurant, I noticed much more upscale vibe to Westwood.  Passing Palomino and other nice restaurants made me want to come back and try out some of the other places Westwood has to offer.  The Glendon Bar and Kitchen particularly caught my eye.  Add to wish list: Check.

The pizza line after we sat down.

Gorgonzola Salad
Butter lettuce, walnuts, dried cranberries

Tartufo
Truffle cheese, roasted
mushrooms, caramelized
garlic, and arugula.

Luckily when we arrived there wasn't much of a line and the four of us were able to walk straight up to the pizza bar.  We started by ordering two of the speciality pies.  No sense in making our own, since the professionals know their ingredients the best.  I ordered the Tartufo (a pizza without marinara sauce) and the Vege.  Andrea and Kate also ordered the Carne, but substituted broccolini for the pepperoni.
After checking out the "800 degrees" wood burning pizza oven, we were able for find a table large enough and wait for our pizzas.  To start, we shared the Gorgonzola Salad.  Making sure that there were no strawberries in the dressing (Andrea is allergic), we enjoyed the light and crispy salad.  I especially liked the sweetness of the cranberries and their complements to the cheese.The pizzas were out of the oven within minutes.

Vege
Mushrooms, artichokes, broccolini.

Kates leftover crust.
I think its the best part!

The first slice I tried was the Vege.  Pretty plain tasting, but I loved the thin crust and the sauce to cheese ratio.  I believe those are the two most important factors in any pie.  The crust should be thin, light and crunchy.  And the sauce should have a distinct taste and definitely overpower the cheese.  Not a big fan of Dominos marinara with globs of cheese on top.  Cheese should be used like salt, just to add flavor.  The Tartufo was my favorite dish of the meal.  I love the truffle cheese, and the way that the mushrooms soak up the flavor from the garlic and onions.
Overall the pizza selection was great.  The crust had that burnt flavor that I love and the toppings were unique.  In my opinion, I liked the truffle pizza better at Stella Rosa on Main Street, but we had a great time!