Wildcrust Review: Highland Park’s Charming Sourdough Pizzeria Sets a New Standard for Wood-Fired Cooking | Eater LA

"A stylish, midcentury-esque, comfortable spot on the edge of the neighborhood, this wood-fired sourdough pizzeria from chef Miles Okabayashi — opened with his brother Sam and sister-in-law Jean — serves some of Northeast Los Angeles’s best pizzas, ranging from traditional to adventurous, and even uses the wood-fired grill for mains like whole branzino with a shiitake beurre blanc, best paired with wines curated from small producers. Starters show a unique touch, including Brussels sprouts doused with makrut lime and Snake River Farms meatballs bedded on a chipotle tomato sauce. Every pie comes from a homemade sourdough starter that Miles carried on a flight from New York to Los Angeles and a 48-hour fermentation. Order the classic margherita to let the blistered crust and balanced marinara do the talking, or go daring with a bacon onion jam pie with goat cheese, pickled chile, and chives; the lamb tzatziki pizza layers tomatoes, fior di latte, tzatziki, feta, Calabrian chile, mint, and saucy braised lamb — a combination that encompasses Los Angeles culture in a dazzling bite — and there’s also a marinara or a mushroom pie topped with raclette and garlic vinaigrette. The wine list spans bottles from Italy and Argentina plus a mineral-forward Albariño from Sonoma, and if you’re not feeling wine, ask the server to recommend a perfect sake and beer to pair with the food. Large windows, a patio, and lighting are some of its best assets, and the southwest-facing room rewards grabbing a reservation time when you can watch the California sky seep from day to night. Though there is a parking lot, it fills up quickly because the space is shared with croissant bakery Fondry and Queen’s Raw Bar & Grill; street parking is typically plentiful." - Mona Holmes