Bar Avoja - Review - Hollywood - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Bar Avoja is a dim, semi-secretive lounge in Hollywood that requires walking through Mother Wolf to access. It’s a decent spot for drinks and snacks, but keep in mind it requires reservations, so if you show up last-minute before catching a show, you’re not getting in. That said, we’d book a table again for two reasons: a folded pizza stuffed with juicy oxtail meatballs called the portafoglio, and the focaccia, which arrives as buttery, pull-apart garlic knots. Otherwise, the Italian-inspired cocktail menu doesn’t really offer anything you couldn't find at Mother Wolf's bar (which is first come, first served, and offers a full food menu), so it frankly makes more sense to just go there. Food Rundown Sfincione All’Aglione All of Evan Funke's restaurants serve some form of the focaccia made famous at Felix, but this version is on another level. The bread arrives more like pillowy, pull-apart garlic knots heavily dusted in parme. These alone are the main reason we’d book a return trip to Avoja. photo credit: Brant Cox Portafoglio When this bulging half-folded pizza hit our table, several “how are we supposed to eat this?” looks were exchanged. So here’s a tip we got from our server: Press the crust down until the oxtail meatballs are smashed and the meaty juices run over the crust. Then pick it up and inhale. photo credit: Robiee Zeigler Fritattina Di Carbonara A block of deep fried pasta? We’re excited.But this way-less-fancy-than-it-sounds dish ends up a disappointment. It's essentially a hunk of dry mac and cheese rolled arounf in breadcrumbs. You’ll need a cocktail or some other liquid to help get it down. photo credit: Brant Cox Cannoli These picture-perfect little guys passed the eye test, but they crumbled in our hands after one bite. A cannoli decostruito, if you will. photo credit: Robiee Zeigler" - Brant Cox