Pub Grub Good for What Ales You

English restaurants are about as easy to find in the South Bay as taco stands in Burundi. Perhaps the relatively heavy food of Great Britain is not tailored to our climate or health-conscious diets. Still, there are a lot of British expatriates around who yearn for the “pub grub” they left behind, and they can relive their dining and ale-quaffing memories at the year-old Euro Cafe in El Segundo.

“Running a restaurant was the last thing I thought I’d be doing,” says Euro Cafe owner Jacquie Needham, who opened the restaurant last year with her husband, after noticing a small El Segundo restaurant was for sale. The Needhams thought they could fill a void not only for El Segundo, where there are limited dining choices, but also for the whole South Bay British community, many of whom regularly drive all the way to Santa Monica for their native fare. With the help of partner Jackie Fortune, Needham transformed the space into a rustic dining room, complete with pillows, flowered tablecloths, posters of British landmarks and a wooden case of teas, mugs and miniature flags.

The most popular dish here is, no surprise, fish ‘n’ chips ($6.50), but it’s nice to try something a little less familiar, such as the Cornish pasty--a savory turnover filled with chunks of beef--diced potatoes, peas and carrots ($5.50), or the shepherd’s pie--ground beef, peas and carrots topped with mashed potatoes and draped with melted Cheddar cheese.

Bangers and mash is another favorite in the pubs of England. It’s grilled pork sausages (those are the bangers) served with mashed potatoes and beans cooked in tomato sauce and makes a good foil for Newcastle Brown Ale, available on tap.

On weekends, roast leg of lamb, simply seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper, is served with potatoes, vegetables and a dessert ($8.50).

Euro Cafe also features an afternoon English tea with salmon and cucumber finger sandwiches, scones with clotted Devonshire cream and pastries.

Euro Cafe is at 411 1/2 Main St., El Segundo. (310) 322-0400. Open Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.