Critic's Choice: Lively gastropubs for fun that can go late

When Ben Ford introduced his Ford's Filling Station in 2006, the fledgling gastropub was mobbed. The right idea at the right time: moderately priced comfort food in a rustic, no-frills setting. Big portions and hearty dishes — in other words, fuel. Now we've got gastropubs — a term that originated in London to denote pubs with seriously good food — popping up all over the city. Some, like Bar Marmont in WeHo, Waterloo & City in Culver City and the Parish in downtown L.A., hew to a British model. Others, such as Spanish Fly in Koreatown or the Tripel in Playa del Rey, are more eclectic. But one thing they all have in common is a loose, lively vibe, food made from scratch and not only craft beer but often well-chosen wines and inventive cocktails too. Hours tend to run later than conventional restaurants. Hungry after 10 p.m.? Head to a gastropub.

By S. Irene Virbila

October 27, 2012