Ahhhh…subtle! Nice work!
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Forensic boothology, thy name is Porkybelly…
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I most certainly had mortazza at Funke but it was not on the menu when we went a few weeks ago.
Great stuff though.
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they did get one thing wrong with that caption
Funke isn’t in LA.
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true - unless they mean County.
Or metro area.
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I went this week with friends. The group picked Mother Wolf, I probably would not have gone as it’s out of my price point comfort, and I’m not the biggest consumer of cheese.
The place is yuge, like Cheesecake Factory huge, and loud. Cool. Lots and lots of wait staff and they are focused on turning tables. We were in and out within 80 minutes, and we had wait staff picking up plates with food still on it, saying “you look like you’re done.”
No. No we were not.
I tried the NA negroni and found it too sweet. We had the squash blossoms, two pizzas including the Mortazza, and spaghetti alla gricia (guanciale).
The squash blossoms at $26 just came out on a plate, plain. The Mortazza was very good however just over the top for my tastes. I really loved the lemon in it, though.
The pasta dish had a big wait for it, so long that our very high energy server came over unbidden three times to tell us he was still waiting for it, and pressuring the kitchen.
When it arrived, it was very good, but again, much richer of a dish than I like.
If I had to do it over again (on my own dime) I’d try the meatballs with a salad or green vegetable.
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That would’ve annoyed me to no end.
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I always figure they’re saving me from myself when they do that.
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If that were my situation, I would be tempted to reply, “Well, looks can be deceiving.”
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Walked in with no reservation at 8:30 on a Thursday and got a seat at the counter. In five minutes the counter was full so I maybe my timing was lucky. Is it just me or is the decor kind of Cheesecake Factory?
The markups are kind of nuts. I paid $24 retail for the Vermentino they’re selling for $105.
The anchovy bruschetta was good though it really called for a higher-acid wine.
Supplì were excellent. When I took a bite I got a stretchy filament of mozzarella, which is why they call them “al telefono.”
I already posted about the stellar squash blossoms.
The mortazza was good though didn’t really make sense in the context of this meal.
Rigatoncini in oxtail ragù were great. I thought it was odd to call it alla vaccinara since there was no celery. Comments early on about small pasta portions are clearly out of date.
Sad I didn’t have the appetite for a secondo.
Best tiramisu I’ve had in a restaurant in years. In Italy these days most places use whipped cream instead of mascarpone, which is some bullshit.
I think I’m not the audience for maritozzi. Might have liked it more if there had been a shit-ton of Harry’s.
Very hip of them to have Visciola. Great stuff.
Service was exceptional. That was enough food for two or maybe three, took a lot of leftovers.
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I’ve had good luck too at the bar/counter later in the night on a weekday when we’ve done something in the area earlier in the night.
Agree on the pasta sizes, from my experience they give you significantly more than Felix or Funke. Makes sense from a cost perspective since I think Mother Wolf extrudes all their pasta and doesn’t do hand rolled.
I won’t be able to unsee the Cheesecake Factory interior comparison… 
Their material quality and execution is of a much higher level, of course.
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Yeah, no filled pastas at Mother Wolf, so less labor.
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Wish they would change their menu more often. But that’s true for 90% of restaurants I like.
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Mother Wolf —
Warrior: good ingredients, classic Italian preparations and flavor combos. Can’t fault it for anything — it’s textbook cooking. But I’ve lost excitement to eat there as the menu rarely changes. The four-cheese pizza has wickedly good flavor though.
Peony: I like Mother Wolf. I like the flavor. The chef has a good palate.
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Santo Palato from Rome is at Mother Wolf for two night next week: Resy | Right This Way
We loved our meal there this summer. It’s a small casual neighborhood place that is cooking really delicious Roman-style dishes that are not so strictly traditional. Their oxtail polpetta with peanut sauce and cacao powder was memorable, even better than the version on Mother Wolf’s regular menu 
Example of their food from this blog:
$281.25 per guest + tax
- The base price includes 20% gratuity, 5% admin fee + sales tax
- Base price includes five course dinner menu
- All beverages will be charged based on consumption onsite
For $308 after taxes and included gratuity these prices are not soooo bad for LA. If you like Roman style pasta, I would encourage you to try Santo Palato’s food
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from year-end actually. the restaurant thought this was way too much food for 4, but it was actually fine. not pictured: carbonara. we intended to get 4 pastas, but the table next to us sent over the arrabiatta. favorites were the squash blossoms (as always), oxtail vaccinara, and spaghetti arrabbiata.
IIRC the wine list used to be more interesting; it got all corporate feeling now.
overall, Funke is a better experience IMO but I do love Roman food.
i really liked Santo Palato, too.
did you get to try the collaboration meal at Mother Wolf?
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hi @pomodoro
thanks for the report back. the arrabbiata is my favorite too. what’s the dish at the bottom right? yah, thanks.