Except for the odd excursion to Streatham or Croydon, I don't have call to explore further south than Clapham. I'm sure I'm missing out on a lot - the Sunday lunch at The Earl Ferrers in St. Reatham is testament to that - but then London is a big place and you can't do everything.
Being invited to sample drinks and dinner at a pub in East Dulwich was a good opportunity to see what the South had to offer. Head down, hands in coat, and marching through the drizzle from the bright lights of Peckham Rye High Street to the seemingly sleepier East Dulwich, I didn't see much in the way of competition for The Flying Pig. A good place to pitch then, as long as the locals bite.
The bar at The 'Pig can't be faulted, at least not by someone with my limited knowledge of beer. This is a self-proclaimed craft beer bar and boasts an extensive range, hugging the tabs, scrawled on the chalk board, and illuminating the fridge. All the colours of the beer rainbow - dark, pale, and everything in between. With so much choice I, of course, went for two of my favourites, rather than risk the embarrassment of ordering something different. Classically English. A pint of Dead Pony Club (3.8%) followed by Gentleman's Wit (4.3%).
The food here is the choice of the trendy. Pulled pork, ribs, and burger. I'm not sick of this holy trinity, not yet anyway, but when it's paraded from pillar to post you yearn for something a bit different. Although I did criticise certain aspects of their food, places like Smokehouse in Islington thrive on innovation, drawing crowds from further than their own doorstep with inventive recipes. With the range of beers on offer at The Flying Pig, I'm sure the punters will more than trickle in, but if the food doesn't get a tad more inventive I don't see people making a special trip.
*Disclaimer: I was invited for an evening at The Flying Pig by www.appearherepr.com - drinks and food were covered, which was very nice of them.
