Father's Office Culver City Media Preview Party

The new Father's Office location in Culver City finally opened its doors last night, for a bustling gathering of media and VIPs. Chef Sang Yoon was on hand to greet the gastropub's eager patrons, who gobbled up a small selection of appetizers and sampled the many, many beers already on tap.

This Father's Office feels similar to its Santa Monica sister, but the space, located in the Helms Bakery complex, is much larger (probably twice the size of the SM locale). A long bar stretches through most of the space, and there's now outdoor seating: but pub-style, with communal benches looking towards Beacon.

Waiters circulated with trays, and guests sampled from a small buffet with a few treats from chef Sang Yoon's original FO menu, like spiced lamb skewers and sobresada-manchego cheese bites, as well as grilled asparagus, mushroom salad, tuna bites and steak tartare. EaterLA reports that once the burgers hit the floor, "people were picking up three, four, five halves on one plate. Total party foul."

A smattering of celebrities were out, including Tony Hawk (squee!) and the doyenne of L.A. cuisine herself, Nancy Silverton. And the fabled Nazi-like attitudes of FO's servers were happily nowhere in sight: our bartender, Bob, was friendly, helpful, and greeted each new guest like an old friend.

The restaurant is scheduled to open to the public in "late April," and should be a positive addition to the Culver City scene. I mean, Father's Office in a bigger space, with better service? This might be a whole new chapter for the growing franchise.