Like Pokemon Go, you’ll want to catch, or in this case, eat, them all. MidiCi Neopolitan pizza is a beautifully designed elegantly casual pizza spot in Sherman Oaks, and it offers exceptional pizza, tasty salads, terrific desserts, plus wine, beer, and coffees – all served up Neopolitan style.
And just what does that mean?
Essentially, it means drool-worthy pizzas that are light, airy, and purely delicious.
The pizza is fresh and natural, made with non-GMO high quality ingredients including double zero flour imported from Naples, pure water, salt, and live yeast. The result: crisp, delicious, lightly chewy crust that’s never oily or gummy. It’s healthy, too: with dough that has no sugar or oils and organic cheeses and produce, this pizza is a guilt-free delight.
Dough is created 24 hours before serving, prepared in a special room off the main kitchen, controlled by temperature and humidity.
Above, Pizza Al Parmigiano, no mozzarella here, just pure imported Parma cheese.
Pizza here takes just 90 seconds in ovens that are the nexus of attention in the restaurant’s open kitchen.
The ovens are made by Napoli’s Acunto family crafted from Vesuvian rocks found in the Sorentino region. Their methodology heats the stones to 1200 degrees. Careful, don’t touch!
So what comes out of those ovens? Pizza Pomodorini, is made with crushed organic Italian peeled tomatoes, fresh whole mozzarella, grape tomatoes, baby spinach, parmigiano-reggiano, fresh garlic, sweet organic basil, and non gmo organic extra virgin olive oil.
The classic Margherita is incredibly delicious, made with fresh whole buffalo mozzarella.
Above, the housemade fresh pesto pizza, made with fresh, organic basil. It’s incredible.
“We want to bring Neopolitan pizza to America,” MidiCi’s CEO Amit Kleinberger says, “we want to do what Starbucks did for coffee.”
“We think one of the magical things about MidiCi is that it appeals to all generations, millennials, couples, families, it has a pure and authentic appeal that everyone loves,” Kleinberger adds. “It’s our mission to bring people together, make the world a better, more friendly place. It’s our belief that people coming together to enjoy themselves is the best thing that can happen,” Kleinberger says.
The Sherman Oaks outpost is just the start for Kleinberger, with 350 locations awarded all across the U.S., including plans for two more locations in Los Angeles. And in each location, the restaurant plans a commitment to sustainable, organic ingredients.
“Wherever restaurants are located, we will find small, organic farms that provide fresh, clean, sustainable produce,” Chef Miele says.
Although pizza is the star attraction, there’s more to the menu including salads, antipasto, desserts, on-tap wines and beer, eclectic sodas and coffee.
The authenticity and freshness of the ingredients includes pesto made fresh in house, imported Parmesan aged 20 months, and classic Victoria Ardino coffee.
Sodas are served from Ferina machines, designed in Europe.
We had the wonderful Purple Kale salad, which combines incredibly sweet kale with baby spinach, medjool dates, and fresh lemon zest, and the wood-fire baked Truffle Cheese Bread to start.
The bread uses a black truffle cheese from Venice, which infuses truffles into the cheese, as well as fresh whole mozzarella, parmigiana-reggiano, and fresh, natural mushrooms.
Also wonderful: the simple and perfect Burata with Beets and Balsamic.
Dessert is equally memorable. A must-have is The Drowning Gelato, a simple and rich gourmet vanilla gelato drowning in espresso.
For a lighter option, try the fresh berries plate with just a drizzle of nutella and fresh pine nuts.
Or go for the gold: the Nutella Calzone is crisp and perfectly sweet, and is accompanied by fresh berries and banana.
The entire restaurant is beautifully welcoming, created by Sam Marshall, the architect behind LA-mainstay Republique. Note the bustling, magnetic open kitchen, the 50-year-old olive tree planted indoors, and the patio with glowing fire pits.
So what are you waiting for? Do what Kleinberger and Miele insist: eat, enjoy, be happy, celebrate! Neopolitan pizza is going to revolutionize the way you think about your favorite pie.
Midici is located at
14612 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
- Genie Davis; All Photos: Jack Burke