Not surprisingly, LA’s wood-fired pizza craze is going mobile! Joining such tasty ranks as Pizzeria Mozza, Stella Rossa, and 800 Degrees, is The Urban Oven…truck! This one-of-a kind wood-fired oven on wheels navigates the city daily, bringing restaurant quality to you. Inspired by his Italian heritage and a period living beside world renowned Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix AZ, Chef/Owner Scott Tremonti devotes his chef-self to artisanal, Napoli-style pizza. Tapping into experience as a caterer and years perfecting his dough recipe, Tremonti recently took to the streets with unique gourmet pizza.
Happy to get right into the action, we boarded the Urban Oven’s close quarters to witness Chef Tremonti and crew prepare made-to-order pies. Forming crust that incorporates sour-dough for added flavor, ingredients began to take their place. Chef Tremonti considers the crust a canvas for the highest quality organic ingredients, sourced locally, placing intense focus on each layer of flavor. “I tend to play around with balance…salty and sweet,” says Tremonti as he lays Molé salumi over mozzarella and Poblano peppers. Later, the 800-degree heat brings out the unexpected essence of the Molé and we taste a hint of nutmeg—a masterful contrast of sweet and savory.
On a second pie, sliced cremini mushrooms met thyme, sea salt and olive oil to create a surprisingly rich flavor for so few ingredients. Yet our favorite, off the weekly rotating menu, is one of their on-going signatures. On it, mozzarella lays a bed for slivers of Brussels sprout leaves that crisp in the heat, while apple-wood smoked bacon and dates strike the ideal balance—divine.
Once the pizzas receive toppings, Tremonti slides them into the oven, manually maneuvering them around blazing almond wood chips. We see and taste firsthand how each Neapolitan style pie continuously rotates over a span of several minutes for even cooking—truly a labor of love. Follow The Urban Oven on Twitter and Facebook to find out where in LA the fire blazes. Should you find yourself waiting in line, grab a piece of chalk and draw on the exterior of the truck, which seconds as a chalkboard as well as a fun distraction!
