Restaurant of the Month: Hudson House

South Bay Events presents its pick of the month for February 2013!

Neighborhood gastropubs are well beyond the normal curve of trendy, tell tale signs of a foodie culture that likes to hang out in artistic pubs, liquor store kitchens that serve gourmet burgers, and tweet about favorite food truck locations are ubiquitous. The gastropub phenomenon could be a reaction to all the bragging on social media or maybe just a substitute from all the fried food & domestic drafts found at traditional sports bars. One thing is for sure, food is the new rock n roll. Las Vegas, the ultimate hipster destination, opened two gastro style pubs with the same moniker "Public House" in 2012, one at Luxor and the other at the more elegant Venetian. Really though, there are a bunch of creative beer bars serving crafty food in the South Bay that don’t require the glitz of Sin City.

Well before Vegas started dealing gastropub food to tourists, Hudson House in Redondo Beach was catering their fare to folks looking for a solid combination of craft beer and tasty grub. On any given night, especially closer to the weekend, Hudson House has a steady flow of traffic and a small wait for a booth or shared table is likely. It really does feel like walking into someone’s house, the gray stucco façade and dual wooden doors don’t scream for attention but blend in to one of the busiest sections along Pacific Coast Highway. The inside is dark and smoky with a diverse array of beer styles and brands chalked up on the walls. Hudson House is anchored by a chef couple, Brook Williamson and Nick Roberts who have created a menu that picks from seasonal ingredients and consistently produces better than average pub food.

Since it is February and Cupid’s come hither bow and arrow will be forcing the hand of capitalism into all types of South Bay restaurants, there’s no better time to try (or circle back again) to Hudson House. Immediate love for the Hudson Pretzel Burger helped create a buzz among food fans because there’s nothing more American than boasting about the origins of two fabulous food icons: a burger and a pretzel. Bragging rights are well deserved. Between the soft-pretzel buns comes some crispy bacon, wild arugula, Jarlsberg cheese, and grilled onions. The Pulled Pork Pretzel Croissant Sandwich takes the pretzel theme to a new level and is as good as it sounds. Small plates that focus on vegetables round out the meatier side of the menu with some Toasted Cauliflower and Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

Hudson House is no doubt sticking around for the long term and will (hopefully) remain a South Bay neighborhood pub for a long time, long after Las Vegas turns the lights off its gastropub movement. Hudson House is located at 514 North Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach. Their phone number is (310) 798-9183. http://www.hudsonhousebar.com