800 DEGREES PIZZERIA

Pizza is one of those special food items that I grew up with. It was and still is an absolute favorite. It’s also one of the only few dishes that I can think of where I’ve said, you can’t mess up pizza. But I know better that than. Indeed, pizza is not just pizza. There’s good pizza and then there’s off the charts good pizza.

In the last several years, wood fire pizza ovens became popular as did cooking at high temperatures to cook a pie in record time. At 800 Degress Pizzeria, which first opened in 2012, you guessed it, the pizzas are cooked at 800 degrees resulting in a fine pizza cooked in minutes.

800 Degrees Pizzeria aims to brings a uniquely American spirit to its authentic Italian Neapolitan pizza where Chef Anthony Carron aspires to bring quality back to this beloved staple.

In fact, 800 Degrees founder Chef Anthony Carron carefully crafts the perfect, made-to-order, Italian-American dining experience. With a background that saw him rise from a prep cook in St. Paul, Minn., to a corporate executive chef for acclaimed restauranteur Michael Mina, Chef Carron is globally acclaimed for his well-honed talent. As a pizza purist, Chef Carron insists upon the highest quality and integrity in not only the food, but the ambiance and experience too. The result is a fast-fine pizza and greens experience.

"The food always comes first," Chef Carron explains.

At the new 800 Degrees Hollywood, rotisserie chicken is a new menu items that expands on the popular pizza joint.

“My inspiration for adding rotisserie chicken to the 800 Degrees Hollywood menu was driven by a visit to Isola d’Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples, where I visited many rosticceria and pizzerias,” says Chef Carron. “After visiting many more pizzerias and delving into the history of cuisine in Naples, I noticed a connection between pizza, rotisserie chicken, and the use of that chicken on pizzas and salads. I couldn’t wait to incorporate my findings on our 800 Degrees menu and I am very excited to introduce rotisserie chicken to our 800 Degrees Hollywood location.”

All chicken orders come with a side of sauce, which is made in-house daily using fresh and local ingredients. Guests can pick from six different sauce options, including a Peruvian Jalapeno-Cilantro Sauce reminiscent of a Peruvian "Aji" sauce made with jalapeños, cilantro, lime, mayo and garlic, producing spicy and cool flavors at the same time. The 800 Degrees Barbecue Sauce is a top-secret homemade version of the American classic, and the Tahini Sauce is a classic Middle Eastern tradition made with tahini paste, garlic and olive oil. The Spicy Tomato Sauce features uncooked Roma tomatoes, blended with garlic, olive oil and Calabrian Chile, and the Calabrian Chile Aioli includes Italian chiles blended with herbs, spices and aioli. Lastly, the Piri Piri Sauce is one of the most popular sauces for chicken around the world featuring a tangy blend of citrus, chiles, garlic, onion, herbs and olive oil.

During our recent visit to the Hollywood locaton for dinner, we started with the popular Doppio Pepperoni pizza, which features classic margherita with smoky pepperoni and spicy soppresseta—delicious! Other pies include the Carni with pepperoni, bacon and rosemary ham; Tartufo with truffle cheese, mushrooms, roasted garlic and arugula (no sauce); Zucca, which is a white pie with butternut squash, caramelized onions, bacon and rosemary oil (no sauce); as well as the Porchetta, another white pie with Italian roasted pork, peppadews, fennel pollen, and arugula.

We also opted to build our own pizza, which included a peso verde base, truffle cheese, topped with bacon, sausage and an egg.

Other menu options include salads, cheeses, hummus, as well as meatballs, and baked goat cheese.

We also ordered a half rotisserie chicken, which was light and fresh and extremely pleasing. The pizza sizes are perfect for sharing and an order of pizza and chicken come across as a very satisfying meal. The restaurant also features beer and wine and if you pay close enough attention at the Hollywood location, you just might stumble upon a first-rate handcrafted speakeasy cocktail bar (more on that to come).

800 Degrees Pizzeria offers satisfying pizza in a comfortable and casual environment, especially in Hollywood, which also includes a nice outdoor patio that aptly creates a relaxed setting to dine and drink.

800 Degrees Hollywood is located at 1521 Vine Street. Call 323-329-9656. Other locations include Downtown L.A., Playa Vista, Santa Monica, LAX Airport and Westwood.

Story and some photography by Jose Martinez

Interior Photo By: Alen Lin - Other Food Photos Courtesy Of: 800 Degrees Hollywood