********THIS RESTAURANT IS NOW CLOSED.********
We kicked off our dineLA adventure in Culver City on Sunday.
We saw the cutest Shar-Pei. Love those wrinkles!
I picked Ford's Filling Station because it was casual enough for Little Monkey Niece. This gastropub serves simple American food with quality fresh ingredients. Oh, and Chef Ben Ford happens to be Harrison Ford's son.
Don't let the empty interior fool you. The place was hoppin' at lunch with patrons on the front and side patios. That's the beauty of January in Los Angeles.
The side patio was perfect for our cozy family meal.
Little Monkey Niece enjoyed her giant breakfast.
The rest of us opted for the dineLA menu ($22 for starter, entree, and dessert).
The goose rillette with micro rocket greens and whole grain mustard was the best dish of the meal. Some serious salty awesomeness. Really enjoyed it.
Sadly, the sturgeon confit with thyme, lemon, and country bread paled in comparison. Bland and blah.
The fish and chips looked glorious -- beer-battered cod, onions, asparagus, pickled carrots, and "ooo-eee" sauce. Good, but a tad too oily. The fish itself was nothing special, but the onion rings were incredibly sweet and amazing.
Also disappointing was the skimpy porchetta sandwich on toasted flatbread with fontina and caramelized onions.
Sort of tasty, but just too stingy on the amount of pork inside. See?
Here's the artichoke risotto with preserved Meyer lemon and mascarpone. Undercooked, underseasoned, underwhelming.
Having had Beard Papa's just the day before, I can safely say that Ford's cream puffs didn't even come close. They looked nice, but even the Toblerone ice cream and chocolate sauce couldn't save the cream puffs from their mediocrity.
The butterscotch pudding with mascarpone cream and candied pecans stood out, though. Rich and dense and buttery. This is not a dessert for wimps. Easily the second-best dish of the meal.
If you're seeking greatness, you won't find it at Ford's Filling Station. But, if you're seeking "good enough," feel free to pay a visit. There are a few worthwhile treats to be discovered, and service is excellent. Just don't expect to be wowed.
We kicked off our dineLA adventure in Culver City on Sunday.
I picked Ford's Filling Station because it was casual enough for Little Monkey Niece. This gastropub serves simple American food with quality fresh ingredients. Oh, and Chef Ben Ford happens to be Harrison Ford's son.
Don't let the empty interior fool you. The place was hoppin' at lunch with patrons on the front and side patios. That's the beauty of January in Los Angeles.
The side patio was perfect for our cozy family meal.
Little Monkey Niece enjoyed her giant breakfast.
The rest of us opted for the dineLA menu ($22 for starter, entree, and dessert).
The goose rillette with micro rocket greens and whole grain mustard was the best dish of the meal. Some serious salty awesomeness. Really enjoyed it.
Sadly, the sturgeon confit with thyme, lemon, and country bread paled in comparison. Bland and blah.
The fish and chips looked glorious -- beer-battered cod, onions, asparagus, pickled carrots, and "ooo-eee" sauce. Good, but a tad too oily. The fish itself was nothing special, but the onion rings were incredibly sweet and amazing.
Also disappointing was the skimpy porchetta sandwich on toasted flatbread with fontina and caramelized onions.
Sort of tasty, but just too stingy on the amount of pork inside. See?
Here's the artichoke risotto with preserved Meyer lemon and mascarpone. Undercooked, underseasoned, underwhelming.
Having had Beard Papa's just the day before, I can safely say that Ford's cream puffs didn't even come close. They looked nice, but even the Toblerone ice cream and chocolate sauce couldn't save the cream puffs from their mediocrity.
The butterscotch pudding with mascarpone cream and candied pecans stood out, though. Rich and dense and buttery. This is not a dessert for wimps. Easily the second-best dish of the meal.
If you're seeking greatness, you won't find it at Ford's Filling Station. But, if you're seeking "good enough," feel free to pay a visit. There are a few worthwhile treats to be discovered, and service is excellent. Just don't expect to be wowed.
Jealous you could dine outside-- even though the food was just ok.
ReplyDeletei always love me some serious salty awesomeness! ..but i only thought that was found in Mcdonalds french fries
ReplyDeleteYeah - I agree with your review of Ford's. It's just "OK."
ReplyDeleteI love that you took a pic of the salt/pepper thingie. A group of us went to eat there a couple of years ago and after a few glasses of vino, we decided we MUST have the salt and pepper dishes ourselves. So each of us swiped a set from the restaurant. I still have mine :)
I love the "City of Culver City" sign :) Looking forward to the rest of your dineLA adventure recaps!
ReplyDeletethe ambiance looks nice, very welcoming.
ReplyDeletethat does not look like risotto. at all. but I'll take the pudding.
It's very hard to ruin fish and chips - and it's only 8:48 here, but I'm dying for some now! Too bad Harrison wasn't there...
ReplyDeleteNext time you come down to SD I'm taking you to Starlite....you're going to love it.
ReplyDeleteYour pictures look really fabulous! My favorite is the first one of LMN. please share your photog tips!
ReplyDeletejustJENN said about the same thing in a post last week. Culver City is fun though :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, did somebody say Toblerone ice cream?
ReplyDeletei was just thinking of going there. won't now. just good enough is never good enough ;)
ReplyDeleteFords = gross
ReplyDeleteMost of these spots are so busy during lunch and I'm convinced it's because the Sony employees are just too lazy to leave the area for better food.
I've dined at nearly every restaurant in Downtown Culver and have yet to be impressed. The two exceptions being Honey's Kettle and Ugo for happy hour.
I'm hoping it was Ben Ford's day off. :/
ReplyDelete"Good enough" in your book is probably Michelin to me! The photos look really nice, must be that camera that's *so much better than mine*. I want the pastry, it may not be Beard P's but it sure looks tasty.
ReplyDeleteThat dog doesn't look real. It's too perfect looking. I think that's a testament to your photo skills.
ReplyDeleteThat confirms it, nobody I know who has been to FFS has liked it. I hear bland quite often. It sucks because their menu looks awesome :(
ReplyDelete:( i've wanted to try the place, but sounds like it's a pass.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to say I told you so, but...
ReplyDeleteYeah, but where else are you going to take a rowdy three-year-old for dineLA? No Bubba Gump for me -- no, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe food photos and descriptions made me smile. But not as big as her little face. I really needed that right now.
ReplyDeleteLOVE that Sharpei. Adorable.
ReplyDeleteaww, boo. i've always wanted to try this place, but if the food's barely "okay," i'm crossing it off the list.
ReplyDelete