Tien Nguyen of the LA Weekly reviews LA’s biggest new craft brewery, and he applauds LA’s ok new craft beer destination. Tien spends some time comparing the craft beer movement in LA to the slightly more entrenched coffee-connoisseurship that took LA by storm starting with Intelligentsia a few years ago. He likes the beer, calling Golden Road’s flagship Point the Way IPA “as reliable and comforting as your favorite blend of espresso.” And while he likes the comfort of the pub’s space, and its fun toast-as-trains-wiz-by vibe, he finds fault in the pub’s grub and the expansiveness of the menu:

 …the menu here seems a little too scattered, involving everything from vegan banh mi sandwiches to “Miso Crabby” salads to spaghetti and meatballs. It might benefit from a narrowed focus on just those promising few dishes that have the potential to be as stellar as the beer. As it is, your best bets are the Snacks… That said, at least the hiccups come from the food and not the beer.

We think that Tien is kinda missing the point of the menu-as-miscellany that Chef Adam Levoe has put together. There are 20 taps  lining the wall of the pub, and they pour everything from the “everyday” Golden Road brews to rare kegs of barley wines, black IPAs, and imperial stouts. Patrons would have a hard time pairing such diverse beers to a more focused menu. We’ve been continually drawn back to the pub by the wide selection of entrees, sandwiches, and snacks; whether you’re hungry enough for a full meal or you just want a nosh there is something on that menu to go with your beer.

• Source: The Pub at Golden Road Brewery: Liquid Gold