Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Food in UK, 1: Traditional pub lunch, Wales




I love British country  pubs: in England and Wales, they are such a civilised institution, with their cosy bars, warm fires and good simple traditional food cooked well, not forgetting of course a range of great beers, ciders and perries! I do think that very often a good pub is where you'll find the best food in Britain, at least at lunchtime; restaurants can often be either disappointing or too expensive, sometimes both at the same time! In pubs at least you get good honest local food, no frills usually but well-cooked and satisfying.
We're in Wales right now and today after a good beach and country walk had lunch in just such a great little pub, the Plough and Harrow in Monk Nash, in Glamorgan.
I had local sausages(meaty, well-herbed and peppered, and quite delicious) with tender, sweet new potatoes, as well as carrots and swedes and green beans. The swedes weren't crash hot and I'd have preferred some more greens instead of them but the rest was very nice and with some home-made gravy and a pint of very pleasant perry(Two Trees), it made a fantastic meal, and in very congenial and atmospheric surroundings too. Both David and his brother had the same thing--traditional Welsh faggots with chips, gravy and mashed peas. the faggots were excellent, meaty and peppery, the peas were silky and tasty and the chips were crisp and golden. David teamed his meal with a pint of traditional cider and Richard with ale. Unpretentious food, unpretentiously served, and a very pleasant experience. And with the lilting and lovely cadence of Welsh accents all around us to boot!
Prices at the Plough and Harrow were similar to Australian pub prices--around 8 pounds 50($13.25)per main dish and 3 pounds($4.67)per drink. Dearer than France, and of course much dearer than Russia or Poland, but still very reasonable.

3 comments:

  1. It's been said that simple food can be the hardest to do well, because you can't hide it behind elaborate sauces and such. Sounds like you had a nice lunch!

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  2. Yes it was great! And such a pleasant ambience..

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  3. wagamama serves up delicious Asian-inspired meals, like ramen and rice bowls. Their casual setting is perfect for a quick lunch or a fun dinner. They even have vegetarian and vegan options! Find your Wagamama and satisfy your cravings.

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