Dove Vivi: Restaurant Guide 2014

DOVE VIVI
By MARTIN CIZMAR

2727 NE Glisan St., 239-4444, dovevivipizza.com

[IT SOUNDS CORNY BUT…] Pizza? Sorta. Taxonomically, Dove Vivi's round cornmeal crust pies are at least as much casserole. Delicious? Quite. The crisp, biscuity crust is unlike anything else in town, tracing its lineage to an ancient (1985) recipe passed from a Franciscan (Vicolo) to an Angeleno (Zelo) and finally to this dim and cozy little shop, as romantic a space as any restaurant that shares walls with a dry cleaner and bodega can be. Everything other than the pies is small but well-chosen: beer handles, budget vino, three salads options including a standout beet and blue cheese ($8) with crunchy walnuts and a wonderful shallot vinaigrette. Most of the pies—$23.75 whole, $12 half—have mozzarella, but few have marinara. One of the best has more corn, plus chives, marinated red onions and mozz both plain and smoked. Even better is a pie with big crumbles of housemade andouille sausage, scallions and tomato sauce. MARTIN CIZMAR.

Pro tip:

You don't actually have to choose, since the shop offers a chef's choice sampler with six different slices for $23.75.

4-10 pm nightly. $$.

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