Pub Grub Renaissance

American bar food has always been either salty , greasy or both.However there is a sea change happening.Those nibbles guaranteed to make patrons drink more,now make them want to eat more.They are little plates of gourmet treats and innovative snacks. Customers may head in wanting a drink but upon seeing these snacks, may just rather nosh instead. Jeff Gordonier explored this in his article in yesterday's New York Times Di ing section.Tasty bar food is nothing new. new.The jApanese have izakayas, Spain has it's famed tapas and even England has it's gastro pubs.Americans bars are picking up on this trend now as well.The gourmet plates do bring in customers who are looking for more than a simple beer or wine cooler.They also bring in revenu.Bar food is no longer gratis .There has to be a fee because of the ingredients and labor involved in making them.Some are only $12 to $15 a small plate such spiced nuts.The lounge at Manhattan's famed Bernardin offers the ultra luxe $45 for croque Monsiuers brimming with caviar.Bar food usually reflects the restaurants ethnic slant .A hungry bar hopper can literally go on a global bar food tour in New York City. Norwegian hangouts Aquavit and Torst feature snacks with a Scandinavian slant while Spanish restaurants such as La Vara or El Cornado feature Iberian tapas.If you want to savor pub grub head to Shakespeare or if you want Korean,then Hanjan.Sampling a restaurants bar menus os actually an ingenious idea.It shows how good the food is and creates a pull to come back and try the lunch and dinner menus. One restaurant is completely devoted to bar snacks.It's owner ,the innovative and soon to be culinary superstar,Wylie Dufresne serves snacky plates of chicken wings dusted with a powder that tastes like Caesar salad dressing and onion rings that pay an homage to French onion soup.Other chefs such as Mark Forgione ,with a restaurant of the same name has found a way to use up his potato peelings.They are converted into long, spiral versions of potato chips.These come with a super sized bowl of smoked onion remoulade.Variations of deviled eggs are popping up too .They have twists such as a sprinkle of chicharron and jalapenos. There are also takes on chicken and waffles ,hotdogs and subs. Pub grub has now gone beyond the usual nuts and pretzels.Chefs are recreating tasty snacks that do more than just bring on thirst.They awaken the taste buds,and create a tasty companion to great cocktails,beers and wines.