RECONSIDERING BRITISH PUB FOOD IN LA
By Steve Coulter
For dineLA.com
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On a recent Sunday afternoon I popped in at the Fox and Hounds for a late lunch. Some locals were throwing a game of darts in the corner of the dark and crowded bar, there was football on all the TVs, and the pungent smell of Guinness and fried fish wafted through the air.
If that sounds like a scene from a weekend in London, think again — it's Studio City. British pubs have long been a colorful part of LA's dining and nightlife scene, giving UK ex-pats a familiar place to hang their hats and locals a taste of the Old World.
This culture clash has helped LA's lively pubs to develop a distinct character all their own, one that would hardly be recognizable to a Brit here on holiday. Nowhere is that more obvious than on the diverse menus featured at the various public houses across LA.
"It’s a casual family restaurant with a lot of local customers, but we do get British people who come over to visit,” said Lynne “Dusty” Kerr, the manager of Ye Olde King's Head pub and restaurant in Santa Monica. "It’s an interesting mix of people.”
This stylish and grungy drinking establishment is only steps from the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica and has become something of a Westside institution thanks in part to colorful crew of locals including ex-pats, surfer dudes and movie stars.
The menu features an interesting mix of cultural influences, representing the culinary diversity you’re likely to find at similar pubs around the southland. While hearty fare like fish and chips is at the core of “pub grub,” regional variations and influences give each establishment its own local flavor.
The British ruled over India for several decades so it isn’t shocking to see chicken tikka masala and samosas sharing the menu with Welsh rarebit, Scotch eggs, and steak and kidney pie. Likewise, three decades in the New World has had its effect on Ye Olde King’s Head which regularly offers roasted salmon served with broccolini and couscous, or the intriguing British quesadilla.
"We’ve got all of the pub food I would normally get back home (in Leeds), but we’ve also got everything from salads to burgers. There’s something for everyone,” Kerr said.
The great thing about developing a taste for pub food is that it’s easy to find. Most communities around LA boast a little British pub the locals can call their own, whether you’re at the Whale & Ale in San Pedro, the White Harte in Woodland Hills or Lucky Baldwin’s in Pasadena.
One of the better known taverns is the Cat & Fiddle in Hollywood, a sort of English restaurant and beer garden that caters to a younger, hipper crowd than your average neighborhood pub. The menu here features several authentic dishes like sausage rolls and shepherds pie, but they are scattered among a more extensive menu of American dishes like steak sandwiches, and mac ‘n’ cheese.
Maggie’s Pub in Santa Fe Springs boasts a more traditional pub atmosphere and a menu with items named for famous British personalities. Next time you’re in the neighborhood, stop in for the Winston Churchill (fried fish and potato fritters), Benny Hill (bangers and mashed potatoes) or the Tony Blair (Reuben sandwich).
Whichever pub you choose, complete your experience with a robust pint of Guinness stout or a lighter Boddingtons bitter, and be sure and add your name to the waiting list for a game of darts.
Cat & Fiddle, 6530 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, 323.468.3800
Fox and Hounds, 11100 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, 818.763.7837
Lucky Baldwin’s, 17 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, 626.795.0652
Maggie’s Pub, 11900 Telegraph Rd., Santa Fe Springs, 562.944.5399
Whale & Ale, 327 W. 7th St, San Pedro, 310.832.0363
White Harte, 22456 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, 818.224.3822
Ye Olde King's Head, 116 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, 310.451.1402
