Beacon: The Culver City Father’s Office Solution
Dear Father’s Officers,
There is only one thing worse than spotting your parents downing a pint in your favorite burger and beer joint: finding your aunt and uncle instead.
And, I’m reluctant to report, this recently occurred at Father’s Office in Culver City. At first I thought I was seeing shit. But, nope, they were there. Eating and drinking and being merry. And when I approached I quickly found out this was not their first visit. In fact, they consider themselves “semi-regulars.”
It is with this pronouncement I make another: Father’s Office has officially jumped the culinary shark.
Look, I love my aunt and uncle. I even crashed at their house for two summers back in college. And I know my freaking mom is going to email them a link to this post so I’m going to be in trouble. But, let’s be honest, no one wants to see their middle-aged aunt and uncle at the bar you frequent. It simply makes the place so un-cool I can no longer go there.
It’s not like this was the first warning sign. Father’s Office has been slowly becoming less and less cool as the days go by. I started to raise a white flag a while back when a co-worker – with a deathly dairy food allergy have you – was told she simply could not get a burger sans cheese. My concern grew even greater when F.O. started to sell skateboards for no particular reason. Not to mention the horrific seating arrangement that has plagued the gastropub from the very beginning.
I am in luck, however. There happens to be a better burger exactly 100 steps away from F.O. in Culver City at the oft-overlooked Beacon. I know it’s a hundred steps because I counted them. And they were certainly worth it. Also in the former Helms Bakery building, Beacon is one of LA’s finest Asian-fusion restaurants. A prime example is the burger, which kicks ass. A grilled half-pounder with crispy Nueske bacon, oozing gruyere and a sweet soy glaze. All this in between a perfectly toasted Ciabatta bun. We’re talking about real ciabatta by the way. No stupid Jack ‘n the Box shit here.
The fries are perfect as well. Somewhere between thin and steak cut size, they are well seasoned with a little salt and finely chopped parsley. Probably the best fries in town behind Manhattan Beach’s North End Caffe.
Thankfully, no Burgerazzi here, either. Actually, get this, the service staff is … friendly! Yeah, like, cordial and shit. After clearing our plates recently a server said to my buddy and I: “You guys both ate the whole thing? Wow. Good for you.”
Yes, good for us. And for you, too. Next time you pop your head into F.O. and spot your older kin. Make an about face. Walk one hundred steps into Beacon. You can thank me later.
Cheers,
Mike
BEACON
3280 Helms Avenue
LA, CA 90034
310.838.7500
www.beacon-la.com
Also recommend: Avocado Salad, Ahi Tuna Pizza, Black Cod, Grilled Hangar Steak
Hear, hear. I second Mike’s take. Not so much the aunt & uncle thing but the rest. A stop at F.O. just isn’t all that pleasant experience these days. In hindsight, it may never have been.
“cordial and shit” like that, should be on a t-shirt.
Glad to hear you found a better burger.
bummer…but the burger looks GREAT.
I’ve been there twice now, once when FO was unimaginably crowded (which seems evermore imaginable now) and it really is a great alternative. And cheaper, too.
I don’t know if it’s the better burger, but it’s certainly better than standing around like a tit while you wait for a table to open up.
there is no way this place has the beer selection that FO does, i’m willing to bet.
I agree. The Beacon has the better burger. Plus the seating and service is better. Last time I was at FO, I waited 40 minutes for my burger and they didn’t even apologize.
Beacon isn’t about the beer. You don’t go to Beacon just to drink beer. Argumentative.
The burger is far superior; the bread is from Breadbar, and dangit, the chef + wife are there on the daily. Only complaint was the generous use of teri sauce. Ask for it on the side, as the caramelized onions are already plenty sweet. Easily one of the top 10 in the city.
You sound like the kind of person who goes to Father’s Office and order’s a Corona.
Can’t wait ’til you’re a middle aged doof.
Wait – FO has Corona? SCORE!
Oof or worse, Chimay.
so maybe you don’t go to the beacon just to drink beer.
but i know plenty of people (myself included) who go to F.O….just to drink beer.
Seriously “Fraz,” you’re gonna cap on Chimay?! Weird. Plus, forget FO and their tiny overpriced glasses of beer, Corona or otherwise. Oh, and a little customer service goes a long way – I encourage people to demand it of these joints.
Wait Mike – how old are you? Cause you sound kinda whiny for a “cool guy”
Mike – sorry to say it but I actually ran into your aunt and uncle @ Beacon last week. Time to find the Beacon solution. Anything else within 100 paces?
My favorite burger in LA at the moment is any of the Kobe burgers at Lucky Devils. Yeah…it’s kind of douchey in there sometimes and parking is a nightmare and it ain’t cheap… but we’re talking about burgers, right?
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