Thursday, June 25, 2009

Beer and Food Quick Hit

I wanted to post a quick thought on a recent article written by Eric Asimov of the New York Times. The idea is one that many have been preaching about for a while, craft beer deserves more than beer nuts, and frozen and fried mozzarella sticks. Its not that we need to add a level of pretension to beer, I don't think anyone wants that, its that if you are sitting down to drink a craft beer with dinner, don't you want something a little more? Something well made, with good fresh ingredients? Go see Belgian. In most every restaurant good beer is served with good food. I'm not talking about upscale expensive food, but honest, well made, rustic food.
Many bars take great care in serving good beer, and shouldn't they take the same care in serving good food, and if not isn't that a disservice to the beer. This is just as true in Houston as it is in New York. I'm not talking about places like Gingerman that are places to sit, relax in the beer garden and have a good beer. They don't serve crappy food, they don't serve food at all, and frankly thats ok. This is directed at those places, that take care to serve good beer, but do so with mediocre to frankly crappy food. Why?

I also want to point out the somewhat dissenting opinion (be sure to checkout the comments).

2 comments:

The American Don said...

I would say that Houston and Austin have stepped it up big time. All brewpubs in Austin and Houston have excellent food (save Lovejoys). We are getting better food with restaurants with long beer lists like Beaver, Angelos, Brick House, and soon Yardhouse. Those places are always PACKED.

Barleyvine said...

I agree to an extent. I have seen great improvement, but I think that more can be done. I think the way Yardhouse and to an extent brickhouse does it, is right. They serve some really good food and of course really good beer. The food at yardhouse puts Saucer to shame. You also mention Beavers which is in my mind probably the best. As they've grown into their menu especially with Chef JJ at the helm they have really produced some amazing food to go with their beer list.