Lest you think pho houses have the lock on punny restaurant names, allow me to introduce you to Mazal’rella, the kosher Italian restaurant that recently took over the former Scratch Bar space on La Cienega in Beverly Hills. Mazel tov! Mozzarella! Get it!?!

Mazal’rella is owned by Karen Attias, who recently moved here from Paris, where there are many kosher Italian restaurants. She wanted to re-create that convergence of Italian food, bistro atmosphere and kosher status (Mazal’rella is certified Kosher Cholov Yisroel under the Orthodox Union) here in L.A. She's installed a pizza oven, and is serving lunch and dinner menus of Neapolitan-style pizzas and house-made pastas every day except Friday, with brunch to follow in the next couple of weeks. Salads, flatbreads, antipasti and a couple of fish entrees round out the offerings. At lunch, there's a build-your-own pasta bowl option, and a couple of nods to Israel in the form of shakshouka and a dish called “Israeli breakfast.”

Thus begins a new chapter for the space, which went through a fair amount of drama when a dispute between Scratch Bar chef Phillip Frankland Lee and his business partner, Daryoush Danesh, saw the restaurant close, then reopen without Lee, and then close again. Hopefully this endeavor will be less fraught.

Mazal ‘rella; Credit: Greg Rogers

Mazal ‘rella; Credit: Greg Rogers

Mazal’rella, 111 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills. (424) 343-0134, mazalrellabh.com

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.