It was quiet in the restaurant and that’s exactly what I needed.

I was sitting inside of Wood in Silverlake and my head was pounding from the 200 mile drive I did for work earlier in the morning. Add to that, my left eye couldn’t stop twitching from the lack of sleep, or was it my right eye? It was definitely one of the two, but honestly they’re so similar it doesn’t really matter. To be seated in the restaurant with “San Francisco” and “Come Fly With Me” by Frank Sinatra playing in the overhead speakers was exactly what I needed. It felt relaxing being in the colorful space and the air conditioning only made me feel even better. Grabbing the menu and looking over the items available, there were already a few I knew I had to get. It was in that moment that my friend, Cyndhia arrived with an appetite as eager as my own.

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We immediately ordered and went with two starters and two entrees.

For the starters we had the Chopped Salad ($8 small, $13 large) and the Charred Broccoli ($8). The chopped salad wasn’t a favorite of mine, but it was also not my order. What drew an interest for Cyndhia to order it was the variety of ingredients that it was comprised of. The small order was a colorful salad topped with slices of salami, cucumbers, onions, pepperoncini vin, garbanzo beans, and sprinkled with mozzarella. While it was a combination that I wasn’t intrigued by, she smiled as she mixed the salad on the plate. Unfortunately, the grin that originally ran across her face wasn’t there as she went further into the plate. It was a bit of the beans, a bit of the olives, and a lack of a unifying component that could properly bring such strong items together as one. It was just too much and it was clear that it was a dish neither one of would finish nor have interest in doing so.

A dish we both equally enjoyed was the charred broccoli. I’m a bit shocked at how much I liked, broccoli, but Wood did a really nice job at making the ordinary vegetable taste delightful. The menu description of romesco, parmigiana, and bread crumbs was all it took to win us both over. Cutting small portions was a horrible way for us to both get enough of it since we really didn’t, but we made do. I liked the way they took cheese and bread crumbs—two of my favorite things—and put them on top of broccoli. Any parents who may be struggling to get their kids to eat broccoli, throw some cheese and bread crumbs on them; that should do the trick!

After the starters we split the entrees. Two large pizzas easily caught our attention in scent, look, and taste. The Classic Margherita ($13) was made of a pomodoro sauce, fiordilatte, parmigiano, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. The margherita was such a light and beautifully done pizza. It was another example where the restaurant was able to take a few simple ingredients and create something incredible. It was just the right amount of everything with the basil tying it altogether that made it one that we were so pleased to be splitting it. Just as satisfying was the Zucchini Squash Pizza ($17). I was fairly surprised with how much non-meat focused food we were having, but even with this pizza I wasn’t even mad about it. The second pizza to the simple lunch took buratta, oregano, garlic confit, and baby heirloom tomatoes. I loved the varying citrus flavors from the tomatoes against yellow and green squash and how it paired with the creamy burrata. It was the type of pizza where each bite made you want the pizza to become never-ending so you can enjoy it for as long as possible. That wasn’t the case, but self-control and to-go boxes are the closest alternative.

Boxing the remaining food left on the plates was bittersweet. It was the reality that there was no internal space to further enjoy a delicious meal in the space that was so relaxing after such a long day. It was also an indication that the casual lunch with a good friend had come to an end. But that was ok. Thanks to places like Wood in Silverlake, the food is affordable and the atmosphere is so inviting that a repeat visit won’t be too far away.

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Address: 2861 Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90026
Phone: (323) 667-9940
Hours: Daily 11:00am to 11:00pm
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