Bez Compani, owner and chef at Mother Dough, is ready to bake a vine tomato pizza inside a handmade wood-burning oven imported from Italy. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
A charcuterie platter is one of the starters on the menu at Mother Dough. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Waiter Clay Sandell serves wine at the restaurant, a narrow brick-walled space. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Jen Sachs eats a slice of a Margherita pizza, made with San Marzano tomatoes, bufala mozzarella, basil, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
One of the desserts on the menu is oven-roasted pears with chocolate shavings, creme fraiche and hazelnut liqueur. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
The restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard was designed by the chef, who also acted as construction foreman. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
