If pub food's going to soak up the booze, it's best to give it a little practice first, so naturally, when the folks behind Balham's The Grove decided to give the joint a total refurb, they also laid down a beer-infused new menu to go with it. The plush country home atmosphere includes mismatched furnishings, deep leather booths, and what appears to be the world's longest sofa. Much of the new menu gets an assist from the taps behind the bar, starting with the artichoke dip w/ beer bread (made w/ the same yeast as their bitter), ale-battered onion rings, mussels in lager, and ale-battered haddock, which may upset Tintin, as he prefers whiskey… and so do these ribs, which are brushed with the stuff.They also have non-boozified stuff, like these pulled pork sliders, or their Balham burger, which more than compensates by being cooked entirely in bacon drippings, slathered in peanut butter, given more bacon, some American cheese, and of course... some beer-soaked onions, whose lead you'll inevitably be following.
