Many bars and pubs concentrate their effort on their drink menus, while they still serve food, it can sometimes be a bit disappointing as it isn’t their main trade. In some very rare occasions, you go to a bar for cocktails and end up coming back for the food! This was the case for us when visiting Brickfields, in Lewisham, for the second time.

The first time we went, we enjoyed many of their cocktails. Brickfields originally advertised themselves as a cocktail bar but have since started to emphasize their food offer. So the other night, Andrew and I were planning to grab an after-work drink at a place which happened to be closed. We looked on the street to see what was the closest alternative and Brickfields was just 5 minutes away, so we headed there instead.

**** Apology for the not so high-res photographs, I wasn’t planning to document our visit and had to do so using my slowly-dying iPhone****

We took a table at the back of the place, which (side note) is big time interior design inspiration! Emerald green, mustard yellow, moody tones and mirrors, it feels glamourous in there!

Having planned to originally go to a wine bar, we both skipped the cocktails and opted for a glass of rose and a pint. I guess I will have to go back to give you a tour of the cocktail menu!

It was getting late and we were getting hungry so we decided to order some of the small plates to share. We didn’t really have any expectation, Brickfields is a bar first and foremost and all their mains are burgers, so if anything we assumed it would just settle our appetite. As your best friend would say when you are single “it is when you will least expect it that it will happen!”. That best friend is right! We had no expectation and the food really took us by surprise in the nicest possible way.

The flatbread was delicious, it had the taste of good bread you can get in Greece just fresh off the oven. The aubergine was fresh and filling and the chickpea dip tasted like a chunky humous. Simple yet very well done!

The arancini – stuffed fried rice balls – were satisfying and the aioli so delicious that we had to wipe it off the pate with our fingers!

The greatest surprise of all was the calamari! Andrew and I love squid, but too often in England, they are served too fried or too breaded so you end up with flavourless, greasy, chewy bits of beige food. For each good ones I mention on this blog there have been 20 very disappointing ones. Not at Brickfields though! The calamari was really good, not too fried and not covered with batter. The teriyaki sauce was a welcome change from the usual mayonnaise or tartare sauce. One very nice dish!

So if you are looking for good cocktails and some tasty food to keep you sober(-ish), make sure to swing by Brickfields!

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