Raising the bar

From the usual suspects to the supremely weird, Raul Dias draws up a top 10 list of the all time favourite and ultra popular bar snacks that can be found jostling for space on any bar top the world over 

1. Popcorn: Now before all you self-righteous booze lovers get your boxers in a bunch over the inclusion of ‘sissy food’ like popcorn in a sacrosanct list such as this, let us set the record straight, we aren’t talking about some random cheesy or caramel-flavoured popcorn here. How about some popcorn that’s been tossed with a luxurious truffle-infused butter? Well, the spiffy Suba in New York does it and so should you!
2. Pistachios: Move over peanuts and macadamia nuts, Pistachios put a whole new spin on bar snacking. Enjoying a revival of sorts, pistachios are the king of all nuts as far as bar snacks go and the Wonderful Californian variety harvested in the Lost Hills region are simply the best. Plain, salted, peppered or eaten with a dash of tangy lime and spicy chili, its time to grab your nuts guys… err! we mean the pistachio kind.
3. Kababs: No great Indian drinking session would be complete without a round of some succulent kababs. Nargisi, shami, reshmi, galouti… the list can go on and on. Perfect with anything from a cold beer to a frou frou cocktail to a warming glass of spicy pinot noir, kabab and sharaab are great barfellows. Hic hic hurray to that!
4. Edamame: If your tipple doesn’t do it for you then a bowl of unshelled edamame will surely get you addicted. Simply put, Edamame are unripe green soybeans that are generally found in Japan. Once tossed with a little smoky salt, they become a bar snack as international as its drink counterpart -- the subtle and delicate sake rice wine.
5. Fried Crickets: Yes, you read right and no that wasn’t a typo. Deep fried crickets and other creepy crawlies dusted with a piquant spice mix is a common staple in bars all over Thailand and Taiwan, best enjoyed piping hot and straight out of the wok. Now about discussing that cricket score over a bowl of crickets?
6. Buffalo Wings: All American and tasty as sin, buffalo wings are often thought of as the ultimate in bar snacks. All they are, are chicken wings marinated in a spicy sauce, broiled, served with blue cheese sauce and a whole load of attitude thrown in for good measure, American style!
7. Pretzels: Although Germanic in their origin, pretzels are now another type of bar snacks like the other P… pizza that the Americans have ‘borrowed’ from Europe. Much like bread, pretzels are made from dough, baked to crispy perfection and then either salted or sugared according to your taste. Although best with beer, pretzels have been known to work superbly with whisky as well. Cheers to that.
8. Bee Pupae: If you thought fried crickets were the limit then chew on this (literally!). A must-have at any bar in the South East Asian nation of Laos, deep fried bee pupae are a delicacy any self-respecting, drink guzzling Laotian would give his right arm to partake in. To bee or not to bee, shouldn’t be a question you ask yourself when in Laos. Just do it!
9. Scotch Eggs: A disclaimer first. No scotch goes into the making of this typically Brit bar snack. Although a lot may be consumed alongside it! A soft-cooked egg, swathed in peppery pork and crisp breadcrumbs, a scotch egg is a thing of true beauty. The Bull & Last on Highgate Road, London, is famed for its scotch egg that has a legion of salivating patrons.
10. Bhujia: No bar snack list would work without this ‘you-can’t-just-have-one-bite’ desi snack. Made either from gram or potato flour and then deep fried, these vermicelli-like short straws are irresistible. A dash of lime and chaat masala sprinkled atop a bowl ofbhujia is enough to transport you to another realm of ecstasy… that is if the alcohol hasn’t already.

(First published in the November 2010 issue of The Man magazine)