Wood Silverlake

A light Italian dinner at Wood in Silverlake was exactly what I needed for a friend hang out over a delicious meal

It was with a sudden immediacy that I realized I hadn’t seen Rosemary for months. After a rapid back and forth morning of texting, we decided to meet at Wood, in Silverlake, for dinner that same day. Another realtor friend, Nick (also a member of one of my dining clubs), had recently visited and posted mouth watering looking pictures on his socials. So naturally, I thought Rosemary would love the seemingly casual but downright delicious menu.

Now, one of the best things about Wood is that they have a dedicated parking lot for customers. There are extremely limited spaces and a HUGE pothole in one of them. But, as long as a space is available and you can choose wisely, you don’t have to suffer with finding parking.

Once arriving at the restaurant, I really enjoyed the vibe. Browsing the menu, Rosemary and I settled on some items and ordered.

As for wine, I originally thought that I wanted an orange varietal. So, I had a taste of the 2021 CATARRATTO by Agricola Gaudioso (Italy). It wasn’t – it. But, I appreciated the fact that my server took note of what I was looking for and brought me two additional red wines to taste: 2020 GAMAY by Clos Roussely Canaille (France) and 2021 TEMPRANILLO by Gran Cerdo Winery (Spain). Because I was looking for a more well rounded, flavor forward red – that was light at the same time, I picked a glass of the 2020 Gamay as my dinner wine.

To split, we ordered the FOUR CHEESE & TRUFFLE pizza (fiordilatte, ricotta, fontina, pecorino, parsley).

When it arrived, mere minutes later, I was delighted. Now, the key to this pizza is asking for a little salt to add some additional flavor contrast. Luckily, when I asked for some – our waiter also brought out additional salt, black pepper, dried red pepper flakes and grated parmesan.

With a sprinkle of salt, the richness of the cheese blend alongside the truffle oil truly presented itself.

For our main course, we decided to also split to dishes: the PASTA AL LIMONE (pappardelle, lemon juice and zest, shallot, cream, butter, parsley, parmesan + added chicken) and GNOCCHI MARINARA (spinach gnocchi, fresh basil, shaved pecorino).

Of the two, I will honestly say that I preferred the pasta al limone over the gnocchi. Both pastas were clearly house made. However, the bright lemon zest of the lemon pasta – especially with a little added black pepper and salt – was perfect on a warm summer evening. Plus, I enjoyed how finely diced the chicken was within the dish. It was a true add on vs being a showpiece.

The gnocchi was also nicely firm and delicious. The cream sauce was rich and also quite good. However, even Rosemary said that the lemon pasta was the better of the two.

On the other hand, Nick also raved about the BURRATA & CROSTINI and the KHACHAPURI (GONDOLA PIZZA) (mozzarella, feta cheese, butter, two eggs). So, that’s something to try in the future.

Overall, it was a delicious evening for hanging out with a dear friend over wine, pizza and pasta. And, for a summer night in Silverlake, you really can’t ask for more to make for a perfect evening.

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