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I finally went to Mother Wolf! I’ve been meaning to go to this restaurant since it officially opened in early 2022.
Before we get into it, I think it’s important to talk about the sister restaurant, Felix Trattoria. Both restaurants are owned by celebrity chef Evan Funke. With two James Beard award nominations, a book, and his 2018 documentary, Funke, which is “an ode to the dying art of handmade pasta”, Evan Funke is considered one of the most renowned chefs in LA.
Felix Trattoria has been sitting inconspicuously on the quieter side of Abbot Kinney since 2017. Those who know will recognize the restaurant by the F on the storefront. Otherwise, if you’re a passerby or a tourist, you’ll just walk past it.
I couldn’t believe this gem existed in the heart of Venice when I first found out about it. I went back with my family and needless to say, we had an incredible meal.
In early 2022, Mother Wolf opened in the heart of Hollywood. While Mother Wolf is an ode to Roman cuisine, Felix Trattoria focuses on food from Northern and Southern Italy.
For decades, the most famous celebrity restaurants in LA have been Craig’s and Giorgio Di Baldi. I’ve been to Craig’s and overall, it’s not worth going back unless you want to see celebrities and paparazzi at the entrance.
The first time I ate at Felix, I could see why he had a loyal celebrity fanbase. As opposed to other LA celebrity restaurants, Felix is not a place where people go to be seen or to be photographed — people go there for the food. Very rarely will you find paparazzi at the entrance.
Since the opening of Mother Wolf, a handful of celebrities have been seen there: Beyonce and Jay-Z, Michelle Obama with her daughters, Olivia Rodrigo, Mandy Moore, Jeff Bezos, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom.
In late 2021 before it opened, Evan hinted at the atmosphere with vintage photos of Rome on Mother Wolf’s Instagram feed. When it officially opened, I was bummed because it seemed impossible to get a reservation through Resy. I called a few months later and surprisingly, someone answered! The girl was really nice and told me there was no problem going there by myself.
I went there on a weekday straight after work. The best thing about getting there at 7PM on the dot is that you can park on Sunset Blvd. without getting your car towed! There’s plenty of street parking and you can save money by not parking with the valet.
I walked from Sunset and I mistakenly entered two places before finding it. Just like the Venice location, the entrance of Mother Wolf is very inconspicuous. There are a few art deco buildings that remain in this area of Hollywood, and I liked how Chef Evan played off of that.
The best way to describe the interior of the restaurant was Titanic meets The Great Gatsby. From the old-school renovated decor to the clothing of the waiters, I felt like I was transported back in time. The art deco accents from the 20s and 30s gave the place a special charm. A few of the waiters even had handlebar mustaches. Even when I made my way to the restroom, the hallway resembled the interior of an old ship.
From the moment I sat, the bartenders and the managers were extremely efficient. I kept looking at the waiters pacing back and forth with armfuls of plates and cups, and I could only imagine the experience you have to have to work at a restaurant like this. Most of the staff was well into their mid 30s, early 40s.
Before going to Mother Wolf, I studied the menu the week before. These dishes are not cheap, so I wanted to make the right choices. Since I had already tried the tomato-based pastas at Felix, I wanted to try the Carbonara to switch things up, as well as the Margherita pizza.
The pasta was al dente. The sauce was cheesy and creamy. The spicy black pepper added that extra punch to the overall flavor, and the bits of guanciale made for the perfect combination of salty, savory and cheesy. It was great to try it, but if I go back next time, I’d probably stick to the tomato-based pastas. Here, I felt the black pepper was too overpowering and the bits of guanciale were too salty for my liking. If you really like cheese combined with salty flavors, then you will love this dish. It was good, I just didn’t love it as much as I loved the other pastas I had at Felix. After all, very rarely do I eat Carbonara pasta. I wanted to make room for the pizza, so I only ate half and asked the waiter to have the leftovers to go.
The best way to know if the pizzas from a place are good is to try the simplest pizza, in this case the Margherita. Everything was so fresh and tasty! This pizza did a great job showcasing the quality of the produce they use. The crust was thin, charred and bubbly, and because it was so thin, I ate the whole pie in one sitting.
For dessert, I really wanted to try the Marizotto, which is the dessert I’ve come across the most in photos and reviews, but I was already full and since I went by myself, I wanted something a little lighter. Plus, one of the waiters said that if I don’t like too much whipped cream, then he wouldn’t recommend this dessert. The Marizotto has strawberries inside, but in the end, the whipped cream is the star of the show.
I ended up ordering the Torta Di Miele. Wow. The sponginess of the torta, the richness of the honey flavor combined with the silky texture of the apricot gelatto and fruit bits were heavenly. The textures and the layers of flavors were so decadent. I loved it. 10/10.
Conclusion: I had a great eating experience at Mother Wolf — the pasta portions, as you can see in the pictures, are very generous. The service, the sumptuous decor, the ambiance and the stellar desserts make the price worth it. My total was $93.64, tip included, which is not outrageously expensive for three dishes at such a famous restaurant. By the end of my meal, I was so full!
As I made my way to the door on my way out, there he was, Chef Evan Funke in the flesh doing meet-and-greets with guests who approached him thanking him for their delicious meals.
If you’re a first-timer to Evan Funke’s food, I would suggest going to Felix Trattoria first, where the pasta menu is a lot wider, the atmosphere is more laid-back, and it’s a lot easier to score a reservation if you’re going with someone else. When I went there with my family, we ordered 4 pastas and by far, our favorite was the Orechiette pasta. This one is not available at Mother Wolf. Lastly, the noise level at Mother Wolf was very loud, so I would say there was a more intimate atmosphere at Felix compared to Mother Wolf.
But, if you want to experience old-Hollywood charm and ambiance, then I would definitely go to Mother Wolf.
If you’re going to make a reservation, I would call the phone number first to see if they have any availability and whether or not they’re able to accommodate your party. Even if you call during off-hours, they’ll pick up.
Address: 1545 Wilcox Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Website: MotherWolfLA.com
Instagram: @MotherWolfLA
In May 2023, Chef Evan Funke opened Funke in Beverly Hills. Read my review here!
Hours
Tuesday – Thursday: 5:00pm – 10:00pm
Friday – Saturday: 6:00pm – 11:00pm
Sunday – Monday: Closed
Make a reservation here, or call their phone number: (323) 410-6060
Have you been to Mother Wolf or Felix Trattoria? Let me know!
