Evan Funke opens Hollywood restaurant Mother Wolf, an ode to Rome

Mother Wolf

Chef Evan Funke’s anticipated ode to Roman cuisine and centuries of culinary tradition is now open in Hollywood, serving pizzas, pastas, antipasti and entrées loosely inspired by the region’s shepherds, artisans and the legend of twin brothers Romulus and Remus, who were said to have been nursed by a wolf and grew to be founders of the Eternal City. Whereas Felix Trattoria is a broader ode to Italy, Mother Wolf is hyper-regional in its focus, serving Roman classics such as carbonara, pasta alla Gricia, arrabiata, porchetta, grilled meats and fried artichokes. Housed on the ground floor of the historic Art Deco Citizen News building, Mother Wolf spans 8,600 square feet — with more than 3,000 of them dedicated to an open kitchen. Indoor dining is available across the dining room, the bar and a pizza bar with seats overlooking the restaurant’s wood-fired ovens. Mother Wolf is open from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, from 5:30 to 10 p.m. on Friday, and from 5 to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

1545 Wilcox Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 410-6060, motherwolfla.com

Lemeir Mitchell’s rainbow-hued Philadelphia water-ice company, Happy Ice, is one of Smorgasburg’s new vendors for 2022.

(Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)

Smorgasburg’s return

Sprawling weekly food festival Smorgasburg is back for 2022 after a brief pause during the holiday season, and it’s kicking off the year with some new vendors: Chimmelier, the Korean fried-chicken offshoot from the team behind Hanchic; Cali Dumpling, with pan-fried dumplings and soup dumplings from husband-and-wife team Candace and Allan Tea; B’ivrit’s vegan Israeli shawarma and falafel from chef Amit Sidi; Say It Ain’t So, an all-vegan take on fast food classics, including Crunchwrap Supreme-inspired “crunchadillas,” from chef Chris Olsefsky; and Happy Ice, Lemeir Mitchell’s Philadelphia-style rainbow water-ice operation, which previously popped up during Smorgasburg’s Ice Cream Alley event. Smorgasburg runs every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. within the ROW DTLA complex in the Arts District.

777 S. Alameda St., Los Angeles, la.smorgasburg.com

Laidrey

Coffee aficionado Gacia Tachejian left her career in science to start a Tarzana coffee cart in summer of 2021, and on Jan. 7, with her mentor Marisa Briones and Briones’ husband, Paul, will open the first bricks-and-mortar Laidrey coffee shop at the cart’s Tarzana location. The new coffee bar and roastery will host free coffee cuppings (tastings) the first Friday of each month — for those who’d like to learn about the company’s ethically sourced beans. The cafe will also sell pastries from local wholesaler Bakers Kneaded, along with loaded toasts and, on weekends, breakfast burritos. Expect a full espresso bar, pour-over coffee, and nitro and cold brew lattes on tap. To celebrate the opening, Laidrey will offer free drip coffee all day on Jan. 7. Indoor and outdoor seating are available, as is a walk-up window for order pickup. Open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

18600 Ventura Blvd. Tarzana, (818) 938-9304, laidrey.com

A Tarzana coffee cart becomes Tarzana coffee shop and roastery Laidrey this week, serving tartines, pastries and weekend breakfast burritos, too.

(Cara Harman/Laidrey)

Mr Furley’s Bar West 3rd

Gastropub Mr Furley’s Bar has opened in Beverly Grove, the newest of three locations that include Sherman Oaks and Glendale. The newest Mr Furley’s serves burgers, wings, stromboli, Bavarian pretzels, nachos and other bar bites in the former home of the Shelby, and while the cocktails selection remains roughly the same as the other two outposts, the craft-beer selection has been pared down and the wine selection has been expanded at the West 3rd Street bar. The new space offers indoor and outdoor seating, multiple TVs and a small private dining room. Open 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

8445 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (323) 250-8575, mrfurleysbar.com