Wildcrust

"Everybody looks good basking in Wildcrust’s soft, warm lighting. This narrow Eagle Rock pizzeria is a beautiful restaurant, with crimson banquetes, shiny turquoise accents, and long communal tables with lots of room for friends and a bottle of wine. When it comes to service and ambiance, Wildcrust is charming, but that’s less true of the hit-and-miss food. Although Wildcrust is foremost a pizzeria, we’ve yet to have a standout pizza experience here. It often boils down to not enough of one topping, too much of another, or the way the inside of our mouth gets coated with flour after each bite. That said, the actual crust is tangy and flavorful. Wildcraft also has solid appetizers, which are the best dishes on the short menu: crackly duck croquettes, smooth duck liver mousse (there’s a lot of duck on this menu), and a standard caesar blanketed in parm and breadcrumbs. If you remove the uneven pies from the equation and stick to drinks and snacks, Wildcust can work for a pleasant evening—just don't plan pizza night around it. Food Rundown photo credit: Jesse Hsu Meatballs These meatballs are just spherical meatloaves. Aren’t all meatballs technically spherical meatloaves? Maybe, but these especially. They have the same smooth emulsified texture, with a sweet chipotle tomato sauce that’s similar to a ketchup glaze. Not terrible, but certainly odd. photo credit: Nicolas Zhou Caesar Crispy little gems, check. Tangy not-too-creamy dressing, check. Generous amount of parm, check. This is a standard caesar done well, and the addition of breadcrumbs toasted in brown butter is a nice touch. photo credit: Nicolas Zhou Duck Leg Croquettes The duck-to-bechamel ratio on these crackly, meaty croquettes is 2-to-1, and we’re into it. They’re heavy, but not so rich that you won’t reach for a second. If you like raw garlic, you’ll love the pungent aioli on the side. photo credit: Jesse Hsu Pizzas Wildcrust’s Neapolitan-esque pizzas have a nice chew and sturdy bottoms, but they either lack sauce, have too much residual flour from the oven, or, in the case of the ‘nduja pies, blast your tongue with Calabrian chilis. It’s a little weird to suggest skipping the pizza at a pizzeria, but you won’t miss out on much if you do. photo credit: Jesse Hsu Grilled Cabbage This dish tastes purely of charred and blistered cabbage, which is a wonderful thing. The leaves are smoky and soft, with a sharp and salty pecorino sauce on the bottom. photo credit: Jesse Hsu Pork Chop We’ve had mixed experiences with this chop. Our first visit it was crusted in fennel, pale white inside, and way overcooked. The next time, it was brushed with a tangy tamarind glaze and perfectly moist and rosy pink in the center." - Sylvio Martins

"Pizza spot Wildcrust is the latest newcomer to join the commercial cluster on Highland Park’s York Boulevard. The pizzeria’s expansive indoor-outdoor space is breezy. Miles Okabayashi’s approachable menu features a slate of small plates beyond just pizzas. An order of meatballs includes three supremely plump orbs topped with fresh basil, while the duck pate is amply portioned and served with toasted bread for slathering. But the star of the menu is still the pizzas. The sweet-spicy salame piccante with fermented chile honey is a strong riff on Roberta’s iconic Bee Sting, while the lamb tzatziki with fresh mint is perfectly original." - Eater Staff

"Miles Okabayashi’s pandemic-era pizza pop-up opened a permanent location in Highland Park for its wood-fired, blistered-crust pies. Opened with Okabayashi’s brother Sam and sister-in-law Jean, Wildcrust specializes in sourdough pizzas made with a 48-hour fermentation process. Traditionalists may opt for the Margherita or marinara, while those looking for something different may find themselves drawn to the braised lamb tzatziki pizza or a mushroom pie topped with raclette and garlic vinaigrette. — Rebecca Roland, associate editor" - Eater Staff