Pub Food Revisited

British food is often thought of as, in a word, bad. While I was here, for the most part I did not find this to be the case.

One of the first places I went after my arrival in London was the food halls of Harrod's department store. While the buildings of some Russian grocery stores I have been in are more impressive in detail, they cannot compete for sheer size. I was impressed not only by the amount, but also by the variety of foods they have. In many cases a french cheese stand is situated next to a dim sum counter.

During my time here I have eaten almost exclusively in pubs. In addition to having a good selection of beers and ales, the vast majority of the pubs I ate in viewed their food as more than merely something meant to settle your stomach between pints.

Despite what is apparently a recent trend toward improving the quality of cuisine in pubs, the food remains rather simple. It relies on high quality ingredients and preparation, instead of complex combinations of spices. The result of this is that traditional dishes such as steak and Guinness, and cottage pies, actually are a pleasure to eat. Some of the pubs have even ventured into creating their own culinary fusions. For example, when I ordered beef lasanga, what I got was a fusion between the traditional Italian dish, and a British meat pie.

As I have mentioned, these gastro-pubs do not focus on the kitchen at the expense of the bar. A pint of one of the many varieties of bitters on tap is the perfect complement to a simple but delicious meal.