Jeffrey “Stonch” Bell was feeling lazy today, so the only thing he posted on his blog was the day’s chalkboard menu at his pub. And just take a look at it! “Chicken Liver Pate.” Oh, well, la-de-dah. “Chargrilled Chicken Breast with Salad.” What’s the matter? Good old boiled or fried chicken not good enough for you? No, we need to chargrill it. Fancy, fancy!
It only gets worse from there. More of that precious chargrilling on the pork chop, which is then all fussied up with a poncy green pepper sauce. Hardly stuff that belongs in a pub, says I. And what’s with the “French Fries”? English chips too pedestrian, Stonch? And don’t get me started on the “Stuffed Tomato with Ratatouille” or the “Fishcakes with Fennel.” How simply precious!!
When are bar and pub managers like Mr. Bell going to learn? Beer drinkers, especially craft beer drinkers, don’t want quality fare served at a reasonable price. We want crap food like frozen and refried fish and chips, soggy nachos layered with orange cheese and canned jalapeño peppers and desiccated burgers served on stale, store-bought rolls.
It’s the “soft ping-ping-ing sound of a microwave” as sue nowak phrases it, reheating something encased in cryovac, out of sight in the kitchen, that makes me shudder.
The smell of smoke from something actually chargrilled would be reassuring.
Have a great time at GBBF!