Best of London: Pub Crawl

I’ve done the wine country in Napa, California and I’ve eaten with people who would swear they cannot digest without half a glass of red Rioja {Spaniards}.  But I’d never met foodie fananics like Dick and Molly.

I met Dick and Molly in Pizzeria Paradiso in DC. This place is not your usual grease-in-a-box joint. It has greater aspirations than to feed you. It aims to please you with its Italian accent. For example, toppings include that delectable Italian soft bacon called pancetta and fresh olives. In fact, they bring you a complementary bowl of olives before the pizza along with the usual bread & olive oil. Paradiso also has something else behind the kitchen counter.

Beer. Lots of beer. From Belgium to the Appalachians.  They have an extensive selection of beers, some of which you can browse on their website. My favorite is the hibiscus-red beer that I photographed for Gourmande earlier this year.

Molly and Dick were sitting nearby, late 50s both of them. They seemed completely at ease and behaved like young people, teasing each other and leaning in close.  He had piercing black eyes behind clear frameless glasses. Her short auburn hair was freshly washed and held back from her face by a headband. Her wide face broadened further as she smiled. She seemed like one of those people who lived free of judgment of herself and others.

Two men, mid-thirties I’d say, slid at the table between our table and the happy couple. A while later we heard Dick say “It smells but you have to get your noise right into it.” What?

He was pressing his glass in the young man’s face, who, amused, politely refused the offer.
You want a taste?
No, that’s OK.
You want a sniff? The young man assented and smelled the brew.

“Now get your whole noise right in there. Don’t worry about it. Just dig in there.So what do you think? What does it taste like? I think it has the smell of sneakers when they skid on the floor at the gym, that plastic smell. But she thinks it smells like the zoo.”
“Like where the animals live,” Molly interjected.

At this point I was plainly staring at them. Molly said “Ok, maybe the ladies would like to try it, too.” I laughed loudly to show how unusual I thought this was, this asking strangers to drink from their glass. Where were they from? But they were undaunted. If I would not try it from their glass, I could ask the bartender for a taste. I simply must try it and settle their argument for them. What’s the smell of this beer?

It turned out that they came to this pizza place all the time because of the beer.  Dick grabbed a menu and leaned over. He showed us his favorite pizzas and then explained which beers go best with each pizza. None of us stopped them because they were so friendly and just awesomely weird. It was like a Woody Allen movie.

Molly really loved tart beers and if I liked tart then I had to try the cider. Her eyes were shining in a Michele Bachamanesque fashion.

I’d never met beer enthusiasts like them. Then I went to London.

***

In the United States drinking in the street is synonymous with hooliganism. It’s just plain illegal. The first time I saw people drink  in the street openly was in Madrid where youths gather at parks for what they call a botellón {big bottle}. London, however, drank Madrid under the table when it came to public displays of good old-fashioned post-office swilling. People sat on the sidewalks and roadways or gathered in large numbers in parks to enjoy a cold one al fresco.

{Maybe the only Europeans who love beer more than the Brits are the Germans, especially those from Munich, the host of the revered or reviled – depending on your disposition – annual Oktoberfest.}

Beer, unfortunately, has a bad reputation. Wine is thought of as sophisticated while beer drinking often reminds us of bar brawls and the all-time American frat party favorite “kegging.” But, according to the Guardian, the British Beer & Pub Association is trying to change that. Beer, they say, can be classy and caddy. It’s called versatility.

Personally I’ve always chosen wine over beer. Beer usually makes my stomach bulge with air. Attractive, yeah? It’s also uncomfortable. But apparently the magic’s in the quality of the beer. While I was in Europe in July I drank quantities of good non-belly-arching beer!

Covent Garden and Leicester Square are prime areas to people watch or join in the revelry in London. Drinkers order in and then step out as if going for a smoke. They lean against walls, sit on the bare pavement, or stand in circles drinking.

Once you’ve got quality beer between your fingers, you can start to make some interesting pairings. {I’m still talking about beer but I guess that goes for people too!} This brew is not just for  chips& fish. Chris Mercer from the Guardian Food will take down anyone who tries to keep this awesome libation from its greater destiny.

Beer is also a total winner with desserts. The caramel, coffee and chocolate notes of a porter, like Pitfield’s Organic 1850 London Porter, is magic with dishes like tiramisu and dark chocolate gateau. Fruit beers like Früli, a more obvious choice perhaps, work with Black Forest gateau, while a Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale that I tried recently would definitely hit the spot with vanilla and cherry cheesecake. Generally, it is said that stronger beers work better with stronger foods, but there are no hard and fast rules, but you can find some useful tips here. And don’t always think in pints; small is often beautiful.

Have you guys tried beer with desserts yet? What’s the funniest food pairing you love? I believe in sautéed chicken steamed in red wine. The best meal for a hungry party. Right behind the burger, of course. Nothing beats the burger when you’re hungry. It fits one hand! It’s self-contained just like a beer. Therein lies another one of its charms. Wine glasses must be refilled. Beer bottles are just the right size. If your date says “wanna get outta here” you can still chug your beer along.

Drink safely; Pair up Responsibly.