Hudson House is open in Redondo Beach

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At their 3-week-old Redondo Beach gastropub, Hudson House, chef duo Brooke Williamson and Nick Roberts (Zaks, Amuse Café and Beechwood in Venice) are fancying up the South Bay bar and lounge scene with what they’re calling ‘an enlightened take on what bar food can be.’

Drawing from global flavors, the pub-style menu that accompanies more than 30 microbrews, a long list of hand–chosen wines by the glass and inspired fresh cocktails, includes spiced ground lamb laced with Indian paneer cheese wrapped around a sugarcane skewer served alongside a spicy harissa-yogurt sauce and marinated olives. There are grilled shrimp tacos too and a chicken meatball sandwich with mamma mia red sauce and melted Swiss cheese. The signature burger rests on a pretzel dough bun, its freshly ground meat topped with applewood smoked bacon and grilled red onion.

Sweets lean toward playful takes on Americana: a giant red velvet cupcake and chocolate-dipped frozen banana ‘pops.’ Weeknight happy hour deals from 5:30 to 7 p.m. offer $2 Hudson Ale on draft, $4 mango margarita and $2 bar nibbles -- freshly baked bacon-chive biscuits and a pail of crisp sweet potato fries, among them. Also on draft are Belgian Hoegaarden beer, Scrimshaw Pilsener and Arrogant Bastard ale. Look for upcoming beer tastings and specialty taco nights.

Hudson House, 514 N. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, (310) 798-9183, www.hudsonhousebar.com

-- Linda Burum