The Oven

The Oven is aptly named: The first thing you see upon walking in is the yawning mouth of the wood-burning pizza oven, located behind the cash register. Bright orange tongues of flame lick upward, ramping up anticipation for what comes out of it.

The answer: six varieties of pizza, including the a fully-loaded Oven special ($7.95 small) – with feta cheese, spinach, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes and olives – and a seafood pizza ($8.95 small) starring shrimp and smoked salmon with pesto. The personal 9-inch pie is the right size to satisfy, or the large 14-inch can feed a small family.

That oven, a holdover from the place’s days as Red Brick Pizza, serves as the big, burning heart of the restaurant and the inspiration for owner Moe Ibessaime to purchase the spot. The owner of Monterey Crepe was aiming to open another crepe joint, but says, “When I saw the oven I was very excited to do pizza as well.”

His pies are inspired by the Milanese creations he loved when living in Italy – ones with thin crusts, good ingredients and fresh seafood.

The kitchen is separated only by a short panel with a clear top, so visitors can watch while pizzas are topped and fed into the burning mouth and salads are tossed to order. Seven booths plus three round tables make for casual dining, and maximize the smallish space. Two television screens were broadcasting reruns of Castle with the volume up on my second visit. For those who prefer quiet and sunshine, the patio is also equipped with basic tables and chairs, from which the hills and oak trees surrounding the Stone Creek Village plaza provide a soothing view.

Décor inside is a bit haphazard. Two small and lonely frames filled with air plants are situated close to door but nowhere else, and decorative wooden pizza peels – used to pull a pie out of the oven – hang far in the back, out of sight.

Food comes quickly. The merguez pizza ($8.95 small) is easily the star. The cheese is melted and gooey, and the medium-thin crust is crisp without being too hard and crunchy around the edges. The die-hard deep dish pizza freak with me admits this creation might make him a convert. The merguez sausage, made with a combination of lamb and beef, offers a pop of bright magenta color and packs a robust, earthy and North African flavor that makes typical pizza sausage seem bland. Roasted peppers and caramelized onions provide a slightly sweet balance.

The paninis ($8.95) are built on artisan bread baked in-house that still has that fresh-from-the-oven aroma and taste. The bread is slightly thicker and denser than ciabatta, but oilier. There are three options for filling: tomato, pesto and mozzarella; cheese and turkey; and merguez sausage, caramelized onion and cheese. The final product is heated through to the center with nice grill marks on the crust that are browned but not burned. They may not be the most inventive creations, but they are hearty enough to fill me up.

Next to the paninis, add-on salads ($3) are generously portioned for the price, so this combination requires a healthy appetite or a take-home box. My side Caesar is evenly tossed with dressing and Parmesan, but excessive on the dressing. The house-made croutons are a good touch.

Salads can also be purchased as a solo dish. The salad Niçoise ($9.95) tosses local greens with roasted peppers, black olives, tuna, hard-boiled egg, avocado and feta, plus The Oven’s own dill vinaigrette. The arugula and spinach ($8.95) is loaded with avocado, apple slices, walnuts, blue cheese and a house-made vinaigrette dressing. On an early visit, some of the greens weren’t at peak freshness, but on returning trips they’ve been better.

The crepes come as a triangular, folded, doughy pillows stuffed full of goodies. Savory offerings range from a turkey and cheese ($6) to chicken and pesto ($8.75). Unfortunately, the sweetness of the dough, like a sugar cone for ice cream, clashed with the flavors of my tomato, cheese and avocado ($6.75). Steering toward the sweet side of the crepe menu is a better idea. Choices there include the lemon and sugar ($4) and the King Zaki ($7.75) with Nutella, strawberry, banana and whipped cream.

The Oven’s drink menu is fairly basic, highlighted by Italian coffee staple Illy. The latte ($3.50 single) has a full-bodied but not bitter espresso flavor, served piping hot. Then there are Italian sodas ($1.65 small) which make a fizzy and dessert-y choice. I can see a fruitful combination in one of these sodas, which come in strawberry or raspberry flavor, and a sweet crepe. Perhaps the Princess Layla ($6.75), with Nutella, almonds, caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla gelato.

The speedy service and accessible location – near the crossroads of Highway 68 and Canyon Del Rey – make the The Oven a good place to grab a quick lunch or a casual dinner, especially for passing commuters, at a lower price point than Stone Creek Kitchen two doors down, and a welcome alternative to the adjacent Subway – all in all, satisfying with a spark of originality. Ibessaime’s venture into pizzas looks like a good move.

THE OVEN 459 Canyon Del Rey Rd., Stone Creek Village, Del Rey Oaks. 10am-7:30pm daily. 901-3998.