Three rumors have been circulating about Ben Ford’s expansion plans. Tonight’s meal at Ford’s Filling Station allowed me to confirm or deny all three leads.

Ford was supposed to team with Brad Johnson on a burger and beer bar in the Fairfax District. Ford said that he and his partner were eyeing a space on Fairfax across from Canter’s, but that it fell through. Johnson signed on with BLT, and Laurent Tourondel’s empire includes BLT Burger, so it would have been a conflict to open a burger bar with Ford.

On September 9, Angelenic reported that Ford decided to open a second Ford’s Filling Station in downtown’s Rowan Lofts Building. That’s not the case. Tonight, Ford said that he pulled away from that space. Rowan Lofts weren’t selling as well as expected, so he wasn’t able to get the financial support or infrastructure necessary to move forward.

Ford triumphed on the Super Heroes episode of the Food Network Challenge, so I asked if he plans to open a sandwich shop. Ford said he’d love to open a sandwich shop, but that no plans are in the works. His menu already features a variation on the porchetta panini that helped vault him to victory, but that he doesn’t plan to offer the winning lobster BLT because it would cost too much.

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2. Dose of Vitamin P: Ford’s Filling Station 5th Anniversary Roast Pig
3. Ford’s Filling Station (Sunday Roast) – Culver City, CA – Sunday, November 16, 2008
4. Cowgirl Creamery + Lagunitas @ Ford’s Filling Station
5. Larkin’s Expansion Update

1. mattatouille, November 17, 2008:

   evidence that you are, in fact, miles above Eater for (relevant) restaurant news. cheers. Ford and porchetta are like peas in a pod. Lobster BLT…my dream…

This entry is filed under LA Culinary Compass.