Chef Wes Ávila’s Ambitious New Venture
On Friday, September 6, Wes Ávila, the chef behind well-known Los Angeles restaurants including Angry Egret Dinette and Guerrilla Tacos, will debut MXO, his most ambitious venture yet, in West Hollywood. MXO, with its concentration on wood-fired cooking and creative interpretations of traditional Mexican cuisine, will add a new element to LA’s dining scene and is inspired by the steakhouses of Monterrey, Mexico.
Ávila has long been a lover and ambassador of Northern Mexican cuisine. In 2014, he took the stage at Pabellón M in Monterrey during the Paralelo Norte chef conference to promote this regional style. “This idea has been in my head for years, and it will be something no one has ever seen in Los Angeles,” Ávila said. His presentation at the conference on the fine dining taco encouraged chefs in Mexico to embrace contemporary tacos in their restaurants. Chef Diego Hernandez inspired Ávila by influencing a new wave of Mexican cuisine, stating, “Ávila’s presentation encouraged chefs in Mexico to fully embrace contemporary tacos in their restaurants.” It was four years before chef Enrique Olvera introduced his taco omakase at Pujol, further highlighting Ávila’s impact.
Ávila’s excursions to Monterrey’s steakhouse and his encounters with the grill masters showcased at Paralelo Norte inspired the idea of MXO, which stands for “Mexican Origins.” The centerpiece of the restaurant will be a Santa Maria grill, which will be used for wood-fired cuisine. “LA Needs a Mexican steakhouse,” declares Ávila, ushering in a new era for the Alta California cuisine he assisted in creating.
The new team at MXO has modernized the Spanish Kitchen, which occupied the area for ten years while keeping important elements like the outside patios and fire pits. With a central bar that creates a welcoming, airy ambiance, the 150-seater dining room was created by Jae Omar of Jae Omar Design, a renowned firm best known for celebrity home projects for Zedd and Joe Jonas.
What to Expect at MXO: Menu Highlights and Ambiance
Diners at MXO can expect whole cuts of dry-aged steak, such as porterhouse, rib-eye cap, and bone-in New York steak, all grilled over hot embers. One of the standout dishes will be the birria beef martillo, a braised wagyu beef shank served with marrow and consommé, priced at $275 and large enough to serve a group of eight to twelve. Additional main courses include a whole spatchcocked chicken marinated in achiote and turmeric and a seared striped sea bass with a tomato and cabbage salsa inspired by the shrimp taco by Mariscos Jalisco.
To allow customers to create their own tacos with the grilled meats, other menu items will include flour or hand-pressed corn tortillas made with Kernel of Truth masa, served with a variety of salsas such as salsa tatemada, grilled onions, chiles toreados, and guacamole. Inspired by the vegetable preparations at Palominos in Hermosillo and La Nacional in Monterrey, Ávila has also created a variety of unusual side dishes, such as lobster ceviche, a braised and seared cabbage Ceasar salad, and roasted carrots and pumpkin seeds dressed in salsa seca.
The beverage menu will include a varied wine list with options from California, Mexico, and Burgundy, as well as agave-focused drinks like a Negroni prepared with Dos Hombres mezcal, the brand started by Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul.
Until now, Ávila’s path has been complicated, overcoming several obstacles, including mending flat tires on his food truck, avoiding health department enforcement as a street vendor, and even acting as the unofficial plumber at the Angry Egret Dinette. With MXO, he feels as though the results of his efforts are finally being appreciated. “We are finally reaping the rewards,” Ávila reflects.
Ávila is confident that MXO will redefine the dining experience in Los Angeles. “This will be something no one has ever seen in Los Angeles,” Ávila said.
