Pubs part 1

So it's been a little time since I last blogged and you'll be pleased to know that I'm still as grumpy as ever. The delay is mainly down to my laptop setting on fire as I was using it (it's old and the fan gave way). No new laptop yet so the next post may be similarly late. Apologies.

The Pub. A fantastic place. To be honest. one of my favourites. A great pub is a place that you'd happily spend, hours, days, weeks of your life in.

In the winter they have the warmth of an open fire, strong ale and red cheeked people escaping the cold and catching up on gossip. During summer they have beer gardens, BBQs, live football on TV and a refreshing, thirst quenching larger (spritzer for the ladies).

However, there are 2 major things that are spoiling them for me right now. I'll discuss one now and return to deal with the next one later on. I'm sure the suspense is killing you.

Right, so. Here's my problem. You're out on a freezing cold day shopping/going to the football/having a walk/insert what you like to do outside here, and you feel peckish. You remember there's that lovely old pub round the corner that you've been meaning to go into for ages and it might be perfect for a bit of pub grub. You get all excited a picture a nice sausage and mash or pie and chips in your head and pick up the pace. The cold doesn't seem so bad anymore as you round the corner and see the pub. Then you notice the dreaded sign. One that has plagued you on many a lunch time trip out the office. "Thai Food Served Here". Your heart shatters, head drops and the cold feels more biting than it ever did before. This was not what you'd imagined.

Before you start saying "I like Thai food, it's an interesting and exciting mix of Indian and Chinese", I'd like to point out that I kind of like Thai food. In fact I find it an interesting and exciting mix of Indian and Chinese.

My problem is that this is a pub. Not a Thai restaurant. I'm all for diversification amongst publicans who battle against insolvency but this is not the way to go. Pub food should be pub food. Pie and chips, fish and chips, scotch eggs at the bar. Simple.

The quality of the Thai food you get in pubs is awful and standardised. No interesting flavours, vibrant colours or imaginative combinations. It makes a good pub bad and I will avoid giving it custom out of principle.

Publicans of Britain please take heed (I'm sure there are loads of you reading my blog), if you serve Thai food I shall not frequent your establishment.