Beacon

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At the forefront of Culver City’s restaurant renaissance in 2004, Beacon brought affordable Asian fusion to Angelenos when ahi pizza was still Wolfgang’s responsibility. Six years later, the menu from executive chef Kazuto Matsusaka (a veteran of Chinois on Main) still surprises diners with cross-cultural touches that pack a flavorful wallop. Grilled shishito peppers are sprinkled with briny bonito flakes. Hangar steak gets spicy with wasabi relish. Duck confit comes glazed with plum-ginger sauce. Everything from albacore BLTs to udon comes at a brisk pace out of the open kitchen, where you might spy Matsusaka (his wife, Vicki Fan, runs the front of the house) creating his seemingly effortless mashups. Concrete walls hint at the space’s former life as an industrial laundry, but soaring ceilings and artsy Culver crowds make Beacon a mod-vintage Helms Bakery classic—and still a little ahead of its time.

menu musts

Grilled half-pound burger with caramelized onions, Nueske bacon, Gruyère and sweet soy glaze
Miso-marinated black cod with sesame-tossed green beans
Kaki fry (crispy oysters in lettuce cups with yuzu tartar sauce)
Shishito peppers with bonito flakes in ponzu sauce
Grilled hangar steak with wasabi relish and olive oil scallion smashed potatoes

sweet seats

The industrial-style dining room might be too loud and sterile for some, but two patios provide plenty of outdoor seating.

chew on this

The omnivore’s dilemma: Plenty of vegan small plates beckon, but the Beacon Burger is what this place is known for. The half-pounder with soy glaze, bacon and Gruyère appears on the menu only at lunchtime, but you can special-request it for dinner.

hours

lunch: Mon.-Sat. 11:30 AM-2 PM
dinner: Tues.-Wed. 5:30 PM-9 PM; Thurs.-Sat. 5:30 PM-10 PM; Sun 5:30 PM-9 PM

price range for dinner entrées

$15.95 (Buddha’s bento box) to $22.95 (miso-braised short ribs)