Italian fusion restaurants are big in LA. Angelenos head to MICHELIN-starred Orsa & Winston for a daily changing Japanese Italian menu. Indian sports bar Pijja Palace is the go-to spot for tandoori spaghetti with a side of games playing on flatscreen TVs. And now, another cool one-of-a-kind mash-up just joined the fray with Mama’s Boy restaurant in Los Angeles.
This new Venice Beach spot has a decidedly Texas twang. Former Hatchet Hall chef Wes Whitsell—the restaurant earned a MICHELIN Star when he was at the helm—leads the kitchen, which is part of ultra-hip music venue Winston House. He’s leaning on the food he grew up eating in the Lone Star state, and as the restaurant’s name might have already told you, his mom’s cooking plays a part.
“It’s what we in Texas call ‘I-talian,’ those flavors of classic red-sauce Italian infused with Southern sensibility,” Whitsell says. In a city filled with good Italian food, it’s one of the more dynamic and highly personal takes on the cuisine
Read on for how that comes to life on the menu at Mama’s Boy restaurant in Los Angeles, and make a booking on OpenTable.
What to eat
Don’t expect your standard menu of pizza and pastas—Whitsell’s pies, made with SoCal-grown Tehachapi Sonora wheat, are topped with country ham and jalapeños, among other unusual combinations. Inspired by the pizzas his dad used to make, they’re almost cracker-thin.
Those pizzas should definitely be part of any meal here, as should pastas like Whitsell’s take on his mom’s agnolotti filled with cottage cheese that sit on venison ragu. He grew up eating a lot of wild game, so don’t miss the venison Bolognese on polenta. And Southern notes come through in dishes like pimento cheese-topped arancini on red pepper jelly and Gulf shrimp with grits and smoked tomato butter.
What to drink
Sip spins on classic cocktails named by beverage director Dave Purcell after famous songs, a nod to Winston House. My Way is a martini spiked with lemon oil. Try the Glycerine if you’re hankering for an espresso martini; it has a nutty sweetness from Amaretto and savoriness from smoked salt. And the Margaritaville is, as you guessed it, a margarita, but with two kinds of tequila and makrut lime curaçao syrup. Or go for one of the wines by the glass, which are limited, but feature familiar names like Stolpman and Flamingo Estate.
Where to sit
Head to Winston House’s back room to find Mama’s Boy, transformed into a rollicking red-sauce fantasy, complete with red-and-white checkered tablecloths. Request one of the elevated booths for a view of all the action, including a live DJ. “The team is looking forward to inviting in some surprise DJs and musical acts that really sell the experience of a dinner and a show or a fun, lighthearted spaghetti western to our diners,” Whitsell says. “The goal is to create somewhere that’s perfect for dates, groups, or families.”
When to go
Mama’s Boy restaurant in Los Angeles is open for dinner Thursday to Saturday from 6 pm to 11 pm; Winston House stays open until 2 am. “It turns into a party at a certain time,” Whitsell says. “It’s a sexy spot at night.”
Karen Palmer is a pizza- and pasta-obsessed food writer based in Los Angeles. She is the former editorial director of Tasting Table, and her work has appeared in Eater, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and many other publications. Follow her on Instagram at @karenlpalmer.
