Proper pub food should be enjoyed from a pub! That’s what my British friend told me when I mentioned that I absolutely needed to try every traditional British meal during my time here. I’d like to think I live a pretty healthy and active lifestyle, so going out to eat is not something I do often. However, this is definitely as much of a need as a want.
What better place to start than fish and chips? Around the corner from my accommodation is a place called Stick or Twist, a pub under the JD Wetherspoon chain. They serve a variety of real ales and pub classics such as bangers and mash, British steak and kidney pudding, and (of course!) fish and chips.
Since I turned 21 this past February, going to bars and pubs is a fairly new thing for me. I walked up to the bar to order my food and the bartender asked me for my table number. First mistake. I hadn’t even checked, so I walked back like a proper rookie and told everyone to remember we were table #39. I repeated the table number to myself all the way to the bar. Since the freshly battered cod and chips came with a drink, I also ordered a glass of Strongbow Dark Fruit cider.
I’ve had fish and chips before, but not from a British pub. The serving was HUGE! The fish took up nearly half of my plate and came with a side of thick-cut fries (the British call “chips”) and some mushy peas. The batter lightly coating the fillet had a satisfying crisp. When paired with the soft, warm bite of the chips, it was magical.
What can I say about mushy peas? Well, they’re mushy and reminded me of baby food. It wasn’t gross or inedible, it just wasn’t my favorite thing on the plate. I think I’ll opt out of the mushy peas and go for regular peas instead! Next time I eat fish and chips, it’ll be from a street vendor in London!
Over the weekend, a few friends and I explored the northern Yorkshire towns of Harrogate and Knaresborough. We decided to grab a bite from another pub, (there are pubs everywhere) called The Old Bell. Learning from my first experience at Stick or Twist, I walked up to the bartender, said my table number, and ordered a steak and ale pie like a pro.
What’s a steak and ale pie, you ask? I had no idea either, so I Googled it. It’s essentially a beef pot pie without the veggies inside. This dish came with a side of roasted carrots and parsnips, and some “chips,” which were even thicker than the ones I got in my fish and chips. I had never been more full from eating a slice of pie in my life! I couldn’t even finish my fries.
All in all, my first couple British meals have been delicious! Although I don’t think I could eat these meals every day due to how heavy they are, I could certainly see myself craving them whenever I need some comfort food.
Erin de Leon is a double major in dance and kinesiology. She is studying Fall semester at Leeds Beckett University in the United Kingdom
The global experience, as told by SDSU students 
Comment on this post