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| - So full disclosure up front. We're Brits born in Liverpool and having lived in America now, for 14 years and 7 in Arizona, we've adjusted over the years to some wonderful food and local southwest delicacies. For my birthday my son invited my wife and I to dinner at an "authentic" British Pub. Candidly, I've always felt that word authentic is unnecessary when related to food but we gave the British Open a try.
The setting location was a little odd as one of the local stored fronts of a small shopping plaza, but it was in keeping with the rest of the stores to maintain the southwest color schemes. Its just not a Pub.
Inside was dark and i felt the tables had way too much beer residue on them and could have done with some beer mats, which would have been a nice touch.
The food was okay, and I had Fish and Chips, but they never did the British favorite of mushy peas. ( don't knock them until you've had the real stuff). However the fish was tasty and the batter light and crunchy. My son went for Sausage Rolls and my wife the Cheese and Onion Cornish Pasty. Now my wife has been making delicious Pasties an Sausage Rolls for many years, and we've converted many friends and neighbors, when we offer these for a snack, so we're probably tough to please. The Sausage meat was like a bratwurst which is certainly not traditional. The outer pastry too should have been Puff style as it makes them light and flakey. Pasties were okay, but not much cheese and little onion. No crusty lid either.
I also took off a star for serving me a Black and Tan in a Bud Light glass. Surely a little thought about the presentation in a Guinness Glass would have impressed more. Overall it was reasonable food, and hot, but we left disappointed it was not as we imagined. I realize running and operating an English Pub in the desert will have a limited base of customer, and it was good, but not as good as could be in my opinion.
Pity as we've been searching for a traditional British Pub over here to satisfy our cravings for a decent Pint and some Pub Grub. Thank you to the owners and bar staff for the Birthday Pint. With some improvements we could return and return.
An honest and forthright review.
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