The Marquis Cornwillis

The Marquis Cornwallis.

Bloomsbury, London.

Taps on taps on taps

The Marquis Cornwallis is my British McLaren's.

This neighborhood pub is less than 5 minutes away from home and always bustling with a crowd of all (legal) ages. It is charmingly traditional to the point of being cliche, but being in London, the cliche is now reality. The worn wooden floors, little British flags, fireplace, and cozy furniture are not an act. While the whole standing-and-drinking custom took a little getting used to, drinking the Marquis Cornwallis has become quite dear to my heart.
Although its been stereotyped and over analyzed for ages, pub culture is truly at the heart of British life. Pubs are where you go to socialize with friends, relax after work, get belligerent over football, conduct business matters, and grab a bite to eat. Pubs are not pretentious, bouncer guarded places where you see girls teeter in on six inch heels. They are welcoming or fiercely tight knit communities, there to share their daily lives over a pint or two. As my friend says, pubs are places to drink and be yourself with friends, not get "pissed" and pretend you are something you're not. Fun fact: pub is short for "public house" and pub owners are called "publicans".

Sambrook's Brewery Wandle Ale and Pipps Cross Cider

British pubs have a wide selection of ales, bitters, lagers, stouts, ciders, and more. Bitters, a British style of beer, seem to be the beer of choice, but ales and lagers hold their ground at the taps as well. 

Some ales, in lieu of serving them ice cold, are served only a bit colder than room temperature to let the deeper flavors come through. "Real ales" go through a secondary fermentation in the cask to produce more flavors and are often hand-pulled from the cask with no extra pressurized gas, only natural carbonation. 

Then there is cider. Cider is not a beer because it is made of fermented fruit juice, often apple. And despite being on the sweeter side, cider can sneak up on you with up to 8.5% ABV. 

What you drink is entirely your choice.

Camden Hell Lager 

So, can I just take a seat and order a drink for myself?

Nope. While there's no hard and fast rules written down, there is some unspoken pub etiquette:

Here you order/pay for drinks at the bar and make sure to wait your turn!

Mixed drinks are highly unusual and beers are ordered as half pints or pints. But be aware, British pints are 20 fl oz., a bit more filling than the American 16 fl oz. 

Also, all those nights spending $18 on a cocktail + tip are over, do not tip at British pubs! 

And when with friends, it is common to buy in rounds. Once a round is finished, the next round is on another friend. If you can't afford to buy a whole round, don't be an arse and sneak off, just offer to buy your own drink.

Feel free to strike up a conversation at the bar. It's a perfectly normal way to chat up strangers!

Chips with malt vinegar and ketchup

I love you 'Murrica but your buffalo wingz and blue cheese has got to go. 

The pub grub here, ranging from fish and chips to scotch eggs to bangers and mash, is spot on.

Not your usual gin and tonic: a double shot of gin and Orchard Pig Very Berried sparkling juice.

Brits take casual drinking to another level. Here's some cheery folks on a Tuesday night!

Drinking may be the main attraction of pubs but come Sunday afternoon...

...a pub is the best spot for a Sunday roast. 

Venture upstairs at the Marquis Cornwallis for even more taps, a hodgepodge of mismatched tables, and a warm, cozy atmosphere for a Sunday roast.

Definitely more character than the neighborhood TGI Fridays.

Roast leg of Cotswald lamb, cut from the bone

A Sunday roast is a quintessential British meal comprised of roast meat, vegetables, Yorkshire pudding, potatoes, and more. The Marquis Cornwallis does a proper Sunday roast with beef, lamb, chicken, and even a nut roast. As per tradition, the roasts are served with roast seasonal vegetables, baby roast potatoes, gravy, and homemade Yorkshire pudding. Not pudding-like at all, Yorkshire pudding is a simple batter baked into a puffy, soft bread. Originally baked in the roast's drippings and served as a filler, Yorkshire pudding is well suited for sopping up any escaped gravy that is sacrilegious to waste. 

Roast 21 day aged, West Country beef

 The usual "tender" or "melt in your mouth" adjectives do not do their roast beef any justice, even though it cuts like butter. Although aged for 21 days, the roast does not have the usual dry aged funk but rather hearty beef flavor and fattiness. Pub on a plate, all the flavors combine like a haphazard Thanksgiving meal but with a distinctly British feel.

Looming Yorkshire pudding and delectable baby roast potato minions

The roasts may be superb but the sides really steal the show. The crisp, buttery Yorkshire pudding and browned baby roast potatoes with baked potato interiors are good enough on their own. 

Roast accompaniments: horseradish & cream, English mustard, mint jelly, apple & sage jelly

Every Sunday roast can find its soul mate in these four customary accompaniments. Horseradish & cream for roast beef, mustard for ham, mint jelly for lamb, and apple & sage jelly for pork.
Although not traditional, roast beef and apple & sage jelly makes for a Thanksgiving-like combo.

More Orchard Pig! Totally Minted pink grapefruit, mint, and lime drink

 Some effervescent British drink that will make you pucker.

Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla pod ice cream

 Sticking with the traditional theme, the sticky toffee pudding comes out steaming in a pool of toffee sauce mixed with vanilla bean ice cream. Almost too rich, each bite has chopped date pieces and a moist sponge cake nearly melting into the toffee.

Strawberry and raspberry Eton mess

 Sunday roast finished with my favorite dessert, the Eton mess. Classically British, the Eton mess is a mish mosh of macerated berries, broken meringue, and whipped cream. After a hefty meal, this dessert is light and summery with little crisp clouds of meringue and tart berry compote.