Sampling the new menu at Bar*Food.

My friends know that I'm a HUGE fan of this place and honestly I've lost count of how many times I've frequented Bar*Food since it first opened last summer. I've already posted a glowing review last year and have been touting Bar*Food to anyone who will listen to me as one of the better options for happy hour outings. Select beers and wines for $3.50 and $5.00 respectively, and discounted items like the substantial $6 Bar Burger and the respectable $0 hot dog make this place stand out in the gastropub jammed west side. And so I'm quite surprised that this place isn't more bustling whenever I drop in; tables and bar stools are seemingly always available.

Where are my peeps?

In an effort to lure in the crowds, owner Jason has recently instituted all-night happy hours everyday, an expanded selection of artisinal beers, and a new pub menu with items like Shepherd's Pie and Sausage and Bacon Coddle. Throw in a menu of fine Scotch Whiskeys and you have yourself a destination that would appease just about any patron looking to satisfy both hunger and thirst.

Last Monday night I met up at Bar*Food with my wife, her coworkers, and several of our foodie friends. Upon arrival around 6:30pm, the place wasn't busy at all and our large group of 10 or so occupied several open tables along the east wall. We start things off with an assortment of burgers, potato puffs, spicy tuna, and of course some $0 hot dogs. I've had all of those items during past visits and can fully attest to their greatness, especially the spicy tuna. Pictures:

Spicy tuna

Potato puffs, and the hot dog in the background.

And while I certainly did enjoy a few of those eats, I'm here to test drive some of the new pub menu items. The Shepherd's Pie caught my attention while browsing the menu online, so that's exactly what I ordered:


Slow-cooked lamb and vegetables in a rich sauce are smothered with mashed potatoes and a layer of cheese, then baked until the top is golden. This is a meat and potatoes dish at the most comforting level imaginable. Tender pieces of lamb meat were generous in portion, and the thick, pillowy layer of potatoes were seasoned nicely with parsley, which also added some texture. The potatoes had just the right amount of firmness to make for easy sharing with a few others. I absolutely loved this.


With the Shepherd's Pie completely devoured, it's time for another dish. I wasn't sure what to order next--luckily my friend Linda was with us and she is not shy about ordering food and doing so in a repeated fashion. (Side note: at Rivera, she commandeered the menu and with no hesitation went all-in and ordered one of every appetizer.) After a few seconds of pondering over the Mac and Cheese and Escargot, she zeroes in on the Escargot. You know, I wish more of our life decisions involved mac and cheese and escargot. Here you go:



Pictured above are meaty but mild snails cooked in what tasted like a rich butter and oil sauce, then sandwiched between two flaky and buttery slices of puff pastry. A little messy to eat but we both loved every bite of it. The puff pastry tasted as if it was just prepared and baked, and those snails had a wonderful texture and an equally wonderful taste. Our favorite dish of the night, the Escargot stood no chance against our appetite.

Linda's choosing of the Escargot freed my way to select the Bacon and Sausage Stew Coddle, which is a traditional Irish stew of boiled sausage, bacon, and potatoes:


Both the sausage and bacon pieces were nicely cooked and had great flavor, but I would have liked to have seen more bacon pieces in the stew. Seriously, can you ever get enough pork fat? The carrots were nicely cooked through, but the potatoes weren't and exhibited some firmness and a slightly starchy taste that comes with undercooked potatoes. Toasted slices of bread worked well to scoop up the rich broth. With more bacon and thoroughly cooked potatoes, this would have been a bigger hit with my palate.

It's dessert time and we both agree on not one but two desserts, starting with the Apple Tart A la mode:


I'm a sucker for fruit desserts and this apple tart did not disappoint with its flaky crust and buttery soft apple slices. The scoop of ice cream atop made it all that much better and oh so comforting. Hey it's day one after my long holiday break--I need all the comforting I can get to push me through the work week! And next time I'm ordering one for myself =).

Our second dessert greets us, the famed Bread Pudding:


This is the fifth time I've ordered this--twice on one prior visit--and so I'm obviously a huge fan. A doughy, spongy texture and a rich taste of milk, butter, and caramel make the Bread Pudding one of my favorite desserts from any restaurant, period. It's served hot which helps the generous scoop of ice cream to melt over the sides. The caramel sauce on the plate is very intense in flavor; I dare you to not lick the plate clean. It's that good.

Quenching my thirst throughout this meal were several glasses of Macallan 10-year Scotch Whiskey, ordered on the rocks. Jason brings the bottle to my attention as we chat about the ever so important topic of Scotch Whiskey.


Light, fragrant, and very easy on the ol' taste buds with a mellow finish. Not as complex or smokey as Johnny Walker Black Label, but still very good.

Service was excellent during our meal. Our plates were cleared in a timely manner and our server kept a close watch on us throughout the night. Our dishes arrived quickly and presentation of each was very good considering the price points. I noticed more people filing in as the night progressed, but even at 9:30 pm, the place was not nearly as packed as it should be. I wonder if the parking situation has something to do with this? There's no street parking between 4pm and 7pm, and it's permit-only on the north side of Wilshire. Yet, there's a mediocre sushi joint across the street that always seems to have a line out the door, although parking on that side of Wilshire is permit less.

Bar*Food has always impressed me and it continues to do so with their new drink and food offerings. It has become my go-to spot for whenever a happy hour outing is in order. You can be sure I'll be back to try more of their new menu items.


Bar*Food
12217 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles CA, 90025