Plugs — MOTHERMARY

L.A. food and drink recs from the retro-futuristic Art Pop band + LINKS

Plugs is The Angel’s recs column. Every week, 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. (Plugs are for paid subscribers of The Angel only. However, if you’re in the restaurant industry and want a free subscription, hit me up. :))

#31 is MOTHERMARY, otherwise known as musical duo and identical twins Elyse and Larena Danielle Winn, who split their time between L.A. and New York. Named after the mother of Christ — “the ultimate symbol of religious hypocrisy and the impossible expectations placed on women” — MOTHERMARY makes retro-futuristic Art Pop that’s hard to explain but utterly seductive. In 2022, they released a showstopper of debut album, I Am Your God, via Italians Do It Better. (My personal favorite song is Catch Fire.) Now, they’re working on their second album. If you happen to be in New York on May 31st, you can catch them at the Knockdown Center alongside Desire, Johnny Jewel, and Black Marble. Here are their L.A. plugs! 

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Restaurant — Lasita & Queen St. Raw Bar & Grill

Larena: Picking one restaurant feels like a cruel punishment. It’s such a context based decision. Sometimes your local L.A. street taco experience feels equivalent to a Michelin star meal at a fancy restaurant, but I’m choosing Lasita because the entire experience feels like an L.A. adventure. Located in a frozen-in-time Chinatown strip mall, Lasita glows sexy red with outdoor and indoor seating—a choice which is a must in this desert town that goes from a lovely mid 70s temp to somehow sub-zero after sunset. I’m from Montana and the winters there feel mild compared to the torture of sitting outside in L.A. with a strong wind. When you enter, its artsy colorful atmosphere feels cozy and welcoming offering booth seating, which everyone knows is the best. The food of course is where Lasita really shines. I like to bring at least four people there whenever I go so I can order essentially the entire menu. I lie to my dinner hostages telling them portions are small so I can have leftovers the next day, and even though I’m not drinking much these days their natural wine selection is too tempting not to indulge. If you can’t order the entire menu then try not to miss the sizzlin’ pork belly sisig, garlic fried rice, vegetable atchara, and the shrimp chips! However, you must order ALL the sauces. You heard me. You will need them to top the inevitable pile of pork, rice, and pickles you will be mixing together lasciviously like a consumed villain.

Elyse: Queen St. in Highland Park really took me by surprise. I went to join friends for happy hour, have a cocktail or two, and hit the road. I had a dinner party planned at my house only a couple hours later so I wasn't planning on eating anything more than a lil appetizer. I warned my friends (as they were ordering what seemed to be everything off the menu) that I wasn't going to be eating much, but as soon as the food started arriving I knew I had made a grave mistake. Every bite was better than the last. I not could not resist eating more than my fair share of everything that came to the table and left completely full yet still wanting more.