The Knife

Ben Ford answers questions we didn't know we had

Mr. Ford seems like a nice guy and it's probably not a bad way to spend a Wednesday evening. And I'm curious to see who he has in mind as guests. However, he is apparently unfamiliar with The Food Snob's Dictionary and with Wikipedia.

The word has floated around for some time now without much clarification. Foodies and those in-the-know aside, most people, at best, have an ill-conceived notion of what exactly a gastropub is. Ben Ford of Ford’s Filling Station will end the confusion and clear up discrepancies on January 23, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. by hosting the first lecture in a series planned for 2008.

During the “What the Hell is a Gastropub?” lecture and dinner – at $75 per person – Ford will discuss what typical gastropub fare is, what makes an establishment a gastropub, and various other sub-topics. He will be joined in discussion by special guests to be determined at a later date.

For what it's worth, the lectures are "planned to bring community together at Ford’s Filling Station in the spirit of lively discussion, and great food and drink.... Each event will feature special guests and an original menu created for that evening." Other topics include “Snout to Tail,” “Artisan All-Stars,” “Cooking by Hand,” “Heartland Dinner” and “Pig Out Night.”   

#6 Ford’s Filling Station: MAYBE

Ben Ford should be giving his dad career advice; Harrison's son is on a roll.

High point From the exposed-brick walls to the logo-shaped bar coasters, this is textbook gastropub. Great: lentil and frisée salad with duck prosciutto. So are the flatbreads, unless...

Low point Depending on the day, dishes can have a "yeah, whatever" quality -- the dull split pea soup, a Caesar salad dressing that seems to be mostly mayonnaise. Offhand service can make the noise level seem even more annoying.If there's a wait (and there often is), it's not worth it.

Saving grace It's in the restaurant-deprived Culver City -- for now, that's grace enough.

Ford's Filling Station,  9531 Culver Blvd. (310) 202-1470.