Resistance is Phutile

Pub grub aint all bad.

Lucy Mangan writes in today's Guardian how pleased she is that Gordon Ramsay has come to save pub grub. I never knew it needed saving. Undoubtedly, there's some rubbish out there. If you have ever eaten a meal in a Wetherspoons pub you'll know that.

I actually worked in a Hogshead kitchen once and will admit the food did not represent the height of culinary possibilty. On the other hand, it wasn't anything like the atrocious stuff they serve up in Wetherspoons. Still, neither of these franchise's can be seen as real pubs, anyway.

I can't help thinking Mangan just doesn't know what signs to look out for before she eats in a pub. Firstly, word of mouth. If a pub serves up really good food, you'll hear about it. If you've just stopped for a quick pint in an unknown place and fancy a bite to eat, just see if others are eating, and snatch a glimpse of their food before you order. I love eating out, it's one of my favourite ways to spend an evening, and obviously a pub is not generally the place that springs to mind when thinking of where to go. Having said that, my all-time favourite place to eat is a traditional English pub called the Cricketers, which also houses a Thai family who take care of the food side of things. The food is the nicest you'll ever taste, so good I'd move into the place if I could, even though it's in the middle of boring, generic Kingston Upon Thames.

And what about pubs that do a carvery? I know one that does the nicest roast dinner you're likely to find for miles, including in any restaurant.

I'm not suggesting all pub food is good, but it's a bit unfair to write it all off as shit.

Not that I'd object to accompanying my Guiness with a lunch cooked up by Gordon Ramsay, of course. Even if he is a bit sad with his little "campaigns" (get women cooking again; cook more English food; whatever) in a desperate attempt to attract publicity and keep up with Jamie Oliver's school dinners and cooking in Italy bit.

posted by Phu @ 11:33 am