Plugs* is The Angel’s recs column. Every Saturday, you’ll get six picks — a restaurant, a bar, a shop, an ingredient, a person, and a treat — from someone in Los Angeles who knows what they’re talking about.
#6 is Marianna Fierro, an art director and multimedia illustrator who hails from northeast Italy and now resides in Silver Lake. You likely know her for her Mortadella beach towel, olives print, and other covetable food stickers, magnets, t-shirts, and more. Her work has been published in the Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, and Mr. Porter and she’s collaborated with a range of reputable brands from San Pellegrino to Converse, Spotify, and Uniqlo. Marianna loves food, and has impeccable—and naturally Italian-leaning—taste. Here are her L.A. plugs.
Restaurant — Simón
This is how I sell LA to all my NYC friends who come visit me—I’m lucky to live just a minute away from where Simón parks in Silver Lake, and I couldn’t be happier. All it takes is a fish al pastor taco, which I usually describe as a “jammy piece of 12-min baked salmon” with pineapple, achiote paste, a little guac, and crunchy and caramelized onions. “Can you get this in NYC? Wearing shorts in October? No, you can’t!” If someone needs a little extra convincing then I add a soft shell crab taco to the order. Mamma mia! And on a hot, hot day nothing beats their aguachiles. Don’t ever change, don’t ever move, Simón!
Bar — Capri Club
When I’m here, I’m home. Capri Club reminds me of Italy and parking myself at the bar with my friends playing cards and catching up for hours. The drinks are great. As an amaro lover I enjoy nerding out with the staff and ordering Venetians and Fennel spritzes on repeat. The vibes are vibing. I tend to go earlier in the day when I can get a little table for myself and just relax for a bit. It’s then fun to see it come to life with people and have friends join me. Something I miss a lot from living in both Italy and NYC is people watching and I always get my fix when I’m here. Last but not least, the food! Their fried polenta sticks speak to me on a deeper level and here you can find some of the best mortadella in town. Okay one more perk: Walt’s, another favorite of mine, is just a short walk down the street. One of these days I’ll find a way to have a Capri martini and a Walt’s hot dog together!
(P.S. I love Capri Club so much that I worked with them on a series of illustrated prints, which are now available online.)
Shop — Kamp
My local Shoppy Shop! If it’s not evident yet from my previous two picks, I love being a regular and going to Kamp is no different. Whether I am intentionally going in to shop for wine and get a new snack or just stopping by on a walk to catch some AC and chat, I always feel welcomed. Recently they got me hooked on Gourmais, which might have had something to do with my current polenta era…
Ingredient — corn flour aka mais
Mostly because it’s the number one ingredient in polenta and as of lately I’ve been consuming it in many forms. I like to make it creamy with melted cheese on top, or grilled for a crustier experience. I also stock up on mais bread sticks when I’m in Italy, which are great with prosciutto. I think nostalgia plays a big role in this ingredient and dish for me as I grew up in Friuli Venezia Giulia, which is pretty big on corn and I’ll always remember my mom telling me about her own upbringings eating warm polenta for dinner and cold leftovers dipped in milk for breakfast.
Person — Francesco Allegro
Another reason to love Capri Club is because that’s where I met my fellow Italian and now good friend Francesco while he was leading the kitchen and food program. You might call him chef and he’ll proudly let you know he’s a pastaio—a pasta maker and sfoglino. I am 99% gluten free, but I break for Francesco’s fresh pasta. Currently, you can enjoy his lasagna at Capri Club on Mondays (and more soon, on Tuesdays, for Pasta Night), and at any other time at Rossoblu downtown. If tortellini, tortelloni, and tagliatelle are your love language, I’d recommend keeping an eye on Francesco’s Instagram.
Treat — Supplí from Ceci’s
When the supplì craving hits, it hits. For those new to the delicacy, I’m talking about a rice croquette filled with mozzarella and tomato sauce. That’s it. I get my fix at Ceci’s, another friends-filled establishment in Silver Lake. Diet coke in one hand, fried rice ball in the other, can’t lose!
*Eventually, Plugs will be paywalled. But for now, The Angel is entirely free. :)