Craft and Osteria Mozza were summer openings so highly-anticipated, it's no wonder we're seeing a resurgence of chatter less than four months later. Never one to shy away from a hearty debate, we've reposted our first impressions below. The eager—and hungry!—beavers that we are, we got in there early, ate up a storm and determined that these two restaurants were here to stay in our fair land. And now that Craft will be hosting Vanity Fair's Oscar party and Mozza has officially reached TMZ-level of fame, we hope they'll remember to thank the little people who believed in them when they were first starting up.

Alien vs. Predator
Boxers vs. Briefs
Mary-Kate vs. Ashley

And now: Iron Chef vs. Top Chef.

Since two of NYC’s finest celeb-chefs just opened their much-anticipated eateries in our fair city—and on the same day, to boot—comparisons are inevitable. So we found it necessary to pit Iron Chef Mario Batali’s Osteria Mozza and “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio's Craft against one another in a head-to-head, ultimate celeb-chef smackdown.

We don’t want to see these two really fight it out (word on the street’s that Batali bites and scratches). And since the food can’t actually battle this one out itself, I’ll have to wage the ultimate battle…in my mouth.

Getting in: Getting reservations at Osteria Mozza is a snap, provided you’re prepared to wait over a month for your table. In comparison, snagging a reservation at Craft is a surprisingly labor intensive process which involves two confirmation emails and a friendly-but-stern call from Lawrence the Reservations Guy, who will gently inform you that if you don’t reconfirm your reservations, they will be ‘freed up’ for other diners. Thanks, Lawrence!

The scene: Mozza attracts a healthy mix of young and old, gay and straight, foodie and—okay, they were all foodies. Craft, which opened literally steps away from CAA’s expansive new marble-and-glass behemoth, was filled with suits carrying scripts to dinner. Maybe we should call the whole thing CrAAft?

Looking good: Narrow walkways and too much black paint make Osteria Mozza feel cramped. Craft is The Force to Mozza’s Dark Side: the space is decorated in soft, neutral colors, with neat-o, retro electric bulbs hanging overhead and a wall of windows looks out onto lovely outdoor seating as well as a flattering view of—say it with me—the new CAA building.

Let’s rock: Batali, a longtime friend of R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe, is keen on the rock n’ roll, and a selection of shuffled Bowie hits was playing softly throughout dinner. No rock n’ roll at Craft—just frenetic jazz in odd time signatures, lending the space an unfortunate Nordstrom’s feel. By dessert, I was hoping the never-ending sax solo would leave my brain alone. Who invented the saxophone, anyway? They must have hated food.

The grub: The meal at Osteria started off with a ‘Rollitini’—two pinwheels of mozzarella, pesto, capers and olives (they call it an amuse-bouche; I call it free food). Standout dish: the heavenly gnocco. No fancy sauces or balsamic reductions; four tiny pillows of buttery, flaky deliciousness served with a charcuterie spread, which included salami and some heavenly lardo. It’s pure indulgence—just some good ol’ pig fat on a buttery biscuit. And don’t dare leave without tasting the bombolini, in essence a deconstructed jelly doughnut. (Mmmm… deconstructed doughnut). Four round, bite-sized donuts sprinkled with confectioners sugar are plated alongside a creamy lemon mascarpone and raspberry sorbet, and will disappear as soon as they’re set on the table.

At Craft, it seems like being around all those young, eager, experimental chefs on "Top Chef" has rubbed off on Colicchio. The beauty of Craft is in the details: bread comes with unsalted butter that’s been sprinkled with sea salt (salted unsalted butter—love it!). The menu, like NYC Craft, is entirely a la carte. Standout dish: the Duck Egg, a hearty, beautifully presented combo of duck cracklings, gizzards, morel mushrooms and a sunny side up duck egg chillaxin’ on top. The one sore point: a disappointing sweet shrimp and tarragon risotto, which came with a delish tarragon-infused foam ("Top Chef’s" Marcel would be so proud!) but was woefully undercooked.

The verdict: Both Osteria Mozza and Craft have the luxury—and the pressure—of a built-in audience that will fill their eateries to capacity for weeks to come. Mozza gets high marks for balancing rustic charm and an upscale dining experience; but the overall winner is Craft Los Angeles. That Duck Egg dish is a revelation, but they had me at the salted unsalted butter.

Amir Kenan is contributing editor for Metromix Los Angeles.

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