'Tis the season for bar openings. Tar Pit, the old-style (“reminiscent of a 1940s-era supper club”) La Brea restaurant and lounge from Mark Peel and Jay Perrin (Campanile) and Audrey Saunders (NYC's Pegu Club), finally opens its doors to the public today. It was a long time coming. Peel and Perrin searched for 2 years for the right chemistry: of place, of food and drink, of partners.

Peel will have classic American dishes from the 1940's on his menu (duck rillette and Stilton; Shrimp Louis; Steak Diane). Saunders and her team will be creating cocktails, plus mixing classics (gin-gin mule, The Old Cuban, agave bravo). Perrin, Campanile's longtime wine guy, will have some 27 wines from around the globe. Shrimp Louis and The Old Cuban. Sounds like an old Western or an unpublished Hemingway story. Perfect.

Tar Pit: 609 N La Brea Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 965-1300. Open daily from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.