The Gallivanting Gourmet:

Although most of us occasionally enjoy getting all dressed up and going out for a fancy dinner, who wouldn’t really rather have a great meal right in the neighborhood while still dressed in our jeans? Now, you can do just that at the new Crow Bar and Kitchen on East Coast Highway in Corona Del Mar. It’s the hot place to be for a casual atmosphere and excellent but unpretentious dining.

It’s sub-titled “an American gastropub.” In London, where people primarily socialize in their local pub, food used to be something to soak up the booze but in recent years we have seen the emergence of the gastropub, where food is as important as drink.

Chef Brandon has taken traditional pub grub like bangers and mash, Scotch eggs and fish ‘n’ chips to a new level but he also serves duck confit, an ahi Nicoise burger and fava bean black truffle crostini, dishes that are definitely on the “gastro” side.

The Crow Bar’s stated mission is to “establish a new category of neighborhood restaurant that will maintain the classic attributes of comfort and affordability while delivering superior food and service to its guests.”

They “ aim to bring people closer to the production of their food, both by incorporating local, regional and sustainable ingredients whenever possible.”

When you first enter, you are struck by the fact that people seem to be having a very good time as evidenced by the decibel level and the impression that everyone is busily engaged in the tasting and sharing of food.

The attractive, contemporary room is dominated by the bar area with its two tall long communal tables.

A brown leather banquette stretches along one wall and an open kitchen provides a view of Chef Brandon and his busy crew.

As you begin to make your choices, be sure to check out the specials written on one of the larger gold-framed mirrors over the banquette.

The menu has an original format: listing a large variety of small appetizers and cheese plates, then salads, brick oven flat breads, plates both small and large, burgers, sides and fanciful sweets.

You can begin with nibbles such as duck fat fries, blue crab deviled eggs, blue cheese stuffed piquillo peppers, Spanish-cured meats or Serrano ham wrapped dates with goat cheese and port syrup.

We put ourselves in the hands of our delightful waiter R.J. who suggested the fava bean black truffle crostini with reggiano parmigiano.