My first visit to Ford’s Filling Station in now-trendy Culver City should have happened sooner. It turned out to be a nice surprise for my 30th Birthday dinner. Chef Benjamin Ford clearly deserves notice for his skills in the kitchen, not just for being the son of Indiana Jones. Ford previously teamed with Govind Armstrong at Chadwick. His current concept, a spacious gastropub called Ford’s Filling Station, revolves around generous portions of seasonal comfort food.
Instead of the standard loaf of sliced French bread with butter, Ford’s Filling Station treats diners to warm, soft, butter-brushed breadsticks.

Flatbread is just a fancy word for misshapen pizza at Ford’s Filling Station. Thin crust came topped with an atypical but rewarding combination of plump shrimp, white bean hummus, and caramelized onions. There were some unnecessary microgreens, but I easily brushed them aside.

The metal dish of “fish and chips” featured battered slabs of fresh cod and shrimp, a fried asparagus spear and potato wedge, plus pickled carrots. A central dish of tangy tartar sauce was available for dipping. While greasy, the batter had good flavor. It was obvious they recently changed the oil.

Although I was tempted by the lamb loin with brûléed figs, I can’t resist ordering seafood for special occasions. Four massive caramelized diver scallops rested atop silky cauliflower puree studded with chunky florets. Roasted Brussels sprouts added nice textural contrast, and blood orange vinaigrette contributed a citrus kick. Again, I could have done without the microgreens.

Tantalizing sides included roasted beets (with beet greens), which came topped with creamy burrata and a sprinkling of crushed hazelnuts.

Desserts were a weak link, with only three options: pumpkin cheesecake, chocolate pot de crème, and apple spice cake. Thankfully, apple spice cake was better than it sounded, more like a buttery bread pudding, served hot, dusted with brown sugar and cinnamon, and topped with a whipped cream portion that was way too large to be described as a dollop.
Ford’s Filling Station isn’t a standard issue gastropub and Ben Ford’s food justified a birthday dinner.








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