Ivan Vasquez has been growing his empire of Oaxacan restaurants with the power of mole and mezcal. And Angelenos have responded to the high quality of the food and cocktails at his Torrance and Palms establishments, leading Vasquez to finally debut his big West Hollywood location in the former Pitfire Pizza/Gesso space with the country’s largest selection of mezcal, upwards of 400 bottles. This Madre started with a takeout-only window in July, but beginning next Monday, diners will be able to have cocktails, dinner, and brunch with on-premise outdoor dining.
Vasquez has kept the great bones of Gesso, with its huge open lighting and minimalist dining room, giving this Madre location perhaps the most impressive space of the trio. Still, there’s a Oaxacan charm to the look, including five traditional wooden masks depicting the devil from Dia de los Muertos dances, outdoor agave plants from an actual mezcal producer (Real Minero in this case), and wood countertops a local LA carpenter who grew up in Mexico City. Finally, the stunning plates in West Hollywood are next level, made by Oaxacan producer La Chicharra Ceramics.
Fans of the restaurant will have classics like mole negro, memelas, and an array of tacos, but the menu overall looks a bit sharper, more edited compared to Torrance and West LA (sadly, the phenomenal mole estofado isn’t available up north). However, Vasquez did retain the space’s old wood-fire oven, which opens up the kitchen to make barbacoa de borrego (lamb barbacoa), and pescado sarandeado — fresh red snapper with hoja santa salsa verde with Oaxacan chiles. This location also has a separate brunch menu with Oaxacan flavors imposed on favorites like a chapulines omelet, pancakes with nanche and fig marmalade, and of course, the weekend favorite of barbacoa de borrego.
