Terrific news for people with taste buds – City Tavern’s lunch menu. First, allow me to set the mood: vintage leather dining benches, dark-wood tables and chairs, a communal table with pull-out seats, all leading to a gleaming copper-and-walnut bar. The distressed brick walls lead upward to exposed wooden beams, skylight and industrial, Edison-inspired bulbs that cast a flickering glow on the reclaimed wooden floors. Outside, a sprawling front patio features rustic wooden tables and a large cafeteria-style table.
But atmosphere is just the tip of the iceberg. The menu is short and sweet, not overwhelming like at too many restaurants that don’t know what they’re trying to be. City Tavern is the real deal – classic, robust American food creatively prepared by chef and co-owner Dave Northrup.
The beer and wine selection, in contrast, is not so short but sure is sweet. And the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and can assist in helping find the right beverage for your palate. Furthermore, diners can order tasting glasses to sample beer on tap, rather than committing to an entire glass or pitcher. I recently enjoyed an Old Rasputin imperial Russian stout that was dark as midnight, with notes of chocolate and caramel. For those who like a full-bodied dark beer, I highly recommend.
The most difficult decision of the day was choosing between the oysters and the charcuterie plate (in retrospect, we should have considered not choosing, and simply ordering both). We opted for the oysters, which are served in a patch of spices on a beautiful slab of stone and come ready-to-eat.
As an entrée, I feasted on the pulled Carolina pork sandwich. The tender pork is topped by red cabbage and every bite is delicious. My date ordered the steak salad, which was as much steak as salad. It included a charred head of romaine lettuce in a parmesan-caesar vinaigrette. On the side, we shared the potatoes gratin, served in a small iron skillet, the way my grandmother used to make it. I can’t recommend it enough.
For dessert, it was the rustic apple tart, which features Fuji apples in a glaze of apricot, apple and mango, and served with a heap of vanilla whipped cream. A glass of smooth-as-silk 16-year-old scotch completed the meal fit for a king.
And that is how you do lunch. In addition, it’s affordable. Considering the quality of the food, it’s one of the best values around. And for Culver City residents, enjoy the 90232/90230 10% off discount Sundays and Mondays after 5 p.m.
“Hoppy Hour,” 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekends, features 32-ounce draft beer growlers for $10 and house wine (red and white) for $3. And check out the bar snacks menu, which includes cheesy poofs, oysters and charcuterie plate to tide you over before dinner.
City Tavern is located at 9739 Culver Blvd., Culver City. It is open Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to close; Saturday from 3:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday from 3:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Reservations for the tap booths are recommended and can be reserved by calling (310) 838-9739. For more information and to check out the menu, including beer and wine selections, go to CityTavernCulverCity.com.
