OhmyGaaawd. Are you kidding me? I’m swooning, buzzing, flushing and all around basking in the glow of my first Budino experience at the famed Italian restaurant, MOZZA, off Highland and Melrose.
What is Budino, you wonder? Great question. Budino is the Italian word for pudding. Alas, it’s not just any pudding! It’s Italian, velvety pudding with fresh cream, dynamic flavors and surely, a dash of aphrodisiac-dust.
Mozza’s budino starts with a feathery smooth butterscotch pudding that’s slightly burnt in flavor for a scarcely bitter touch that gets counteracted by a top layer of sweet, buttery caramel sauce, so fresh you can detect every simple and natural ingredient in it. A sprinkle of Maldon sea salt adds further dimension for a trio of bitter, sweet, and salty tastes. Finally, a dallop of creme fresh helps calm the bold flavors below it, and together the layers perfectly harmonize like Pavarotti and Friends at the Vatican.
But we are not done! No my friends, the genius chef at Mozza accompanies this dessert with delicious rosemary pine nut cookies. I thought these were little random and quixotic afterthoughts, until the waiter instructed me to eat them with a spoonful of pudding. Holy Halelluja! These shortbread cookies escalate the experiences from a 5-Cherry one to a Golden Cherry event.
Wooowee, I’m a little excited here. Add a bottle of wine and a hot date with this budino and you’d be in for one special night!
For more info on Mozza Pizzeria, click here.
Stay tuned to see my upcoming thoughts on Mozza’s Olive Oil gelato!

I am making you my version next time I see you!! I’ve got the recipe posted on my blog : )
I LOVE budino!! Next time you have it at Mozza you have to have it with a glass of Muscato. The balance is fantastic!
EHHNN.. Mozza’s rosemary olive oil cakes w/ olive oil gelato kills this pile egg & cream. Dear DD: are you a new-ish Angeleno? This dessert has been on Mozza menu since ’07 opening me thinks.
Hi SinoSoul! Firstly, I had the olive oil gelato and it was nearly perfection. But compared side by side to the Budino (which is how I had it), it was like Danielle’s plain younger daughter looking up longingly to her model sister on the Real Housewives of NJ.
I’ve been in LA for a while, just super late on the Budino.. I’ve heard about it for years and finally decided to drop in for a taste 😉
Jenny, you should check out the butterscotch pudding at Gjelina sometime. I actually like it better than the budino at Mozza. And their mushroom pizza with truffle oil and goat cheese ain’t too shabbe either! 😉
Hi Diana! I’ve had the butterscotch pudding at Gjelina- Amazing! And so is the mushroom pizza for sure :-9 I’d love to do a side by side comparison~
Wow, this one looks great,….nice look delicious.
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