341. Thu 15/3/18: El Faro, Cádiz

Beer: Cruzcampo 5.0%

Superior fish restaurant in old town Cádiz. We’ve picked up this tip at the party on Tuesday night in the market (no.332), courtesy of the bloke who said Rick Stein really didn’t go to the best places on his long weekend in Cadiz programme. He might be right… we still love Rick (though not as much as Brian) Stein.

The man in the market advised us to go to the bar, not the restaurant. So we do.

The bar is posh but accommodating. The barman looks like he’d prefer to be waiting our table, but is friendly and courteous. Everyone, it seems, wants the tortillitas de camarones (prawn fritters). They arrive, and are fantastic – far better than the ones we’ve had previously. We also have deep fried anchovy and deep fried prawns.

We don’t see the restaurant of course, but the bar is immaculate. Not the kind of place, though, where you’d necessarily want to stick around if you’re not eating – but then the food is so good (and so deep fried) that you don’t want to be not eating.

Delicious. Not cheap. Best move on.

365. Sun 18/3/18: El Cangrejo, Seville

Beer: Cruzcampo 5.0%

Escape El Rinconcillo, which is a fantastic place – but too much, and back to the Cerverceria El Tremendo environs. Right next door to that – looking though it’s mostly employed to cater for the overspill from its more illustrious neighbour, is El Cangrejo.

We’ve been here before (see episode 58), and been somewhat underwhelmed. El Tremendo is small and basic, and El Cangrejo is a step down from that. It’s just a very small, nicely tiled and brightly lit, bar dispensing “Cerveza Cruzcampo de Barril”. This, I’m starting to believe, is the premium variety of the brew – as endorsed by the bloke in the market in Cadiz – that is only available in a handful of places: here, next door, Casa Morales etc.

It really does taste different… I try and persuade myself. Stephanie (and, to be honest, my age addled tastebuds) aren’t convinced.

Anyway the ceramic sign on the wall, which suggests they sell CCdB, leads me to believe that this bar has something going for it – so (whoever is running the place these days) is this time spared the pity I dumped upon it/them eleven months back.

306. Fri 23/2/18: The Castle, Luton

Beer: Robinson’s Trooper 4.8%

A No-mates Friday – so I decide on some early post-gym pints on Market Hill; the very centre of town, which we’ve yet to bother with this survey. The Crown had nothing but GKIPA and Doom Bar on. The Red Lion looked too bright, too packed – I looked through the window to see two redundant real ale pins, with no clips on.

The Castle has changed quite a bit over the years – back in the 90s it was The White Hart (aka The Wet Fart), before going mock Irish and eventually becoming this “rockers” pub. Every town needs at least one of these; it used to be The Bridge, and to a lesser extent The George II (apologies if my local cultural history is out in this respect), and it’s here now.

Typically, it’s alright: I’m a vague supporter, not necessarily a subscriber, to this form of obstinately alternative boozer (it’s the same kind of commitment level, though £8pcm cheaper, that I afford The Bear). The clientele is nicely eclectic; leaning toward the grungy (and grungy through the ages – millennials to OAPs). Some characters seem to be trying too hard, notably the lass extravagantly showing off her latest tatts. Meanwhile an aged couple are sat amongst a pile of shopping bags. They’ve been to Boots. They also own a small dog which yaps and jumps up at folk returning from the lavs. Victims laugh it off and/or antagonise the wretched tuft o’fur and teeth still further – before skulking back to their corner of the pub, muttering anti-canine curses under their breath. Saw that a couple of times.

Yappy snappy dogs, doing their feisty thing, may be fleetingly amusing - but a pub’s better off without it. The music, which I would almost certainly have found distracting if/when very much louder, is inoffensively dialled down at 7pm. The beer, Iron Maiden’s branded brew, is very decent. The Castle’s alright.

299. Wed 7/2/18: The Frog & Rhubarb, Luton

Beer: Batemans Gold 3.9%
Trouble is, you see, although mindful that a few publess days during the week is a good thing – when my father suggests we meet in the boozer, it never seems a terrible idea. My change of gymnasia regime from March will sort that out…

In the meantime, Greene King are taking the allure off, after all the good things I’ve suggested lately, by a rather lacklustre midweek selection. It’s the above or GKIPA. There’s a Sharps beer clip on a pump – with one of those labels which says that the beer in conditioning in the cellar. That surely suggests at a lack of timing and/or enthusiasm. Anyway, though it’s not good news for the punter, there’s probably sound financial grounding in a hostelry trumpeting beers they cannot as yet provide.
The Batemans Gold is alright, bright and hoppy… if this was a Slip End session, I’d be looking to take it on to The Rizz – or even embark on that wander to the Working Mans’ Club which I keep thinking about. London Pride a standard, I’m led to believe.

Dad arrives eventually – my sister and niece in tow. Another pint is procured, and we’re treated to part/page one of The Scary Camping Story (what will become) a 500 word thriller. Risking spoilers; the girls in the story are excited, but Leah voices her concerns about bears. And beasts. My favourite character is the teacher, Miss Pam.

We sup up and, before Toad in the Hole part 2 (a relative triumph), we then start a “clearing some space in the loft” project.

272a. Fri 29/12/17: The Duke of Wellington, London

Beer: Salopian Shropshire Gold 3.8%

London can be irritating. On a day when the price of a travelcard made me wince, the suspension of the North London line and the works around Highbury Corner meant a two hour journey to Dalston. When I got to the Wellington, service was snail paced. The evening was, however, saved once my chums turned up (Ched, then John the Sid, then Steve). And despite the slow service and titchy tiny pool room, I like the Wellington for its 'proper pub' feeling, despite some of its trendier clientele.

The pool was free. While we were playing a couple of blokes asked if it was 'winner stayed on'. We asked if it was ok if we played a couple more frames, then let them have the table. This was witnessed by a couple who'd come in to the titchy tiny pool room to watch the rugger. By the time we got to the bar and advised the blokes we'd finished, the couple had set up and started a game of pool. Cue discussions, churlishness and quite justified sulking.

290. Tue 30/1/18: The Carpenters Arms, Harpenden

Beer: Caledonian Edinburgh Castle 4.1%

Steph’s birthday – so out with her folks (and her). The Carpenters Arms should be absolutely idyllic on a quiet Tuesday night – what with the cold outside and two open fires roaring.

The pub is toasty, and the beer is good. The artificial lights seem too bright and too Christmassy. The blokes on the table behind us are too loud, and swearing too much for as genteel a spot as Harpenden… they’re old enough to know better too.

The nearest fire is too close – I’m sweating cobs. The pub seems too busy for a Tuesday evening – 60% less people here would be lovely.

The blokes behind carry on. They appear to be of a socialist bent which, again, one possibly wouldn’t expect in these parts. Nice one comrades… but keep it down a bit.

Having put the world to rights they leave and, ‘cause there’s a dog at the table near the bay windows, Steph’s folks get talking to another couple. General pleasantries. The dog, apparently, is a sweetie. The couple get back to talking, loudly, to each other. They seem like your more stereotypical Harpenden Tories – all Brexit and what Thatcher would have done…

Still, I do like this pub, it’s clearly popular – but I’m pleased to drink up and get out of the heat.

203. Sat 14/10/17: The Bricklayers Arms, Luton

Beer: Nethergate Suffolk County 4.1%
LUTON TOWN 7 STEVENAGE 1

High spirits back at The Bricks; the football went reasonably well.

The pub is quite packed, and so we wander outside and discuss the possibilities of catching the Mlada Boleslav v Bohemians 1905 football match in Czech in a months’ time.

Other than that – discussions revolve around the football and how, despite being prone to a gaff now and again (once or thrice a season) we love our captain Cuthbert. There’s hilarity over the fact that John’s new pet dog has had, and severely chewed, his new £2K hearing aid. There’s then an ongoing critique of one of these bleak Scandi detective TV series – that I’ve never watched.

And with that passing over our heads – Steph and I head off toward Asda.