Burrata House: Belle of the Cheese Ball

Ah, burrata. An ooey-gooey, cream-filled cheese that’s milky in taste and custardy in texture. An Italian import and an American luxury—it’s the creamiest of cheeses and the star of the show at Grand Central Market’s Burrata House. 

Nestled near the Hill Street corner of the market, stands an uncommon object—a Piaggio Ape truck. It’s distinctly Italian and appropriately out of place. Because let’s face it, the bustling market demands a bit of vendor-peacocking to attract those who aren’t in line for Egg Slut. Brandish or not, the truck is part of Burrata House’s biography as it got its start as a food truck and catering business roaming the streets of Los Angeles. Today, they can be found pressing paninis at their brick and mortar location in Culver City and during their 3 month pop-up at Grand Central Market. 

To understand the difference between burrata and mozzarella is the beginning of culinary enlightenment. Mozzarella is made from a fresh mound of milky curds, continuously stretched and pulled until it resembles a shiny, delicate ball of cheese. Burrata follows that same recipe but adds additional steps for extra credit. The ball is kneaded and shaped until there is an opening wide enough to fill with ribbons of mozzarella and stracciatella cream. Once filled, the rotund and water balloon-like ball is knotted at the top to seal in all the lactiferous delights. The result is the Russian Doll of cheeses. The belle of the cheese ball. The glorious creamy burrata cheese. 

Though this cheese is not as rare to find on a menu as white truffle, it is considered a specialty dish that’s gaining in popularity. Mattia Sorgini, owner of Burrata House and former manager of Factory Place Group (Factory Kitchen, Officine Brera, and Sixth & Mill) is making burrata readily available for Downtowners anytime they have a craving. He and his team offer a menu featuring paninis and bowls highlighting burrata, Italian cured meats & fresh local vegetables. Their burrata is sourced from Di Stefano Cheese, the family who first introduced burrata to the United States and the same suppliers to Nancy Silverton’s Osteria Mozza. 

Order the Crudo panini for layers upon layers of salty prosciutto, peppery arugula, and fresh tomatoes piled-high then meticulously topped with a cold serving of burrata. The cheese’s flesh is sliced open to allow cream to ooze out and cascade into the layers of the sandwich. The saltiness of the cured meats is immediately cut by the milkiness of the cream, and the piquant bite of the arugula is complemented by the sweetness of ripe tomatoes. For $13 you can mentally transport yourself to the cobblestone streets of Rome before having to clock into after your lunch break. 

burratahouse.com | 317 S Broadway, Los Angeles CA 90013

Written by Janica de Guzman | Photography by Jack Strutz