Track #4 (of 5): Mother Wolf @Fontainebleau
An elegantly designed sanctuary awaits you here. (Image: Vegas 411)
It’s important to give acclaimed restaurants a second chance when your first visit is a disappointment. So I’m delighted to say that my second experience at the ultra-posh Mother Wolf—the Italian eatery inside Fontainebleau that's helmed by Chef Evan Funke—more than lived up to what Los Angelenos have been raving about. That was hardly the case when I dined there a few months after it had opened, with lackluster dishes (including a surprisingly burnt pizza that I sent back) and a waitstaff whose attitude felt overly elitist.
I arrived for my 5pm reservation, immediately noticing a line of eager diners—impressive for an establishment that opened back in December 2023. Fortunately, the warmth emanating from the waitstaff and a true blooded Italian sommelier set the tone for a first-rate dining experience in a captivating dining room with multiple arches and a soaring ceiling.
The world‘s a much better place when squash blossoms are in season. (Image: Vegas 411)
The panzanella (traditional Tuscan Italian bread salad) arrived as a true work of art, with its mix of burrata pugliese, cherry tomatoes, market vegetables, basil, and fried bread, all achieving a perfect symmetry on the plate. Our appetizer—lightly fried seasonal squash blossoms—was equally heavenly, filled with ricotta romana and parmigiano reggiano.
The “Pappardelle Ragu” is worthy of your applause—and an encore. (Image: Vegas 411)
Mother Wolf has built its reputation on its pastas, and the two dishes we ordered were instantly striking. I can’t recommend the luxurious “Pappardelle Ragu” enough. The wide pasta noodle is prepared with a slow-cooked meat sauce (made without tomatoes) and combined with earthy fennel and parmigiano reggiano. The taste was subtle and distinctive—this is food that you worship at the altar of. The other pasta was also top-shelf all the way—the “Rigatoni all’Amatriciana,” made with a spicy tomato sauce, pork and the salty cheese known as Pecorino Romano. There was no time for dessert, as I was headed to the see the mentalist show “Mind2Mind” at the hotel’s Azul Lounge, but I know I’ll return soon enough.
