I’ve been going to London so long I’ve stopped counting.
Nowadays, I go for one special reason, London’s a smorgasbord of pleasures. Pubs and Plays, just to name two. But, between pints and the theater, I cram in
museums, bookstores, shopping, and an upscale bar or two. Man cannot live by beer alone, although
goodness knows I’ve tried, so I seek out some wonderful restaurants. Wonderful, I said, not top hat and evening gown
elegant, or pricy enough to melt your plastic.
There’s a fabulous array of restaurants, ethnic and
otherwise, spread throughout this magnificent city. A couple of decades ago, I would have been
among the culinary mourners. English food? Blah and bland. These days, the choices make me drool, while
my heart beats like a snare drum.
Indian cuisine has always been in Soho, but now those fragrant flavors flow into every artery of the city. In Kensington I found one of the best, Light of India, a permanent stop of mine.
Indian cuisine has always been in Soho, but now those fragrant flavors flow into every artery of the city. In Kensington I found one of the best, Light of India, a permanent stop of mine.
At Light of India, even the table settings are sooooo tasteful! |
Rogan Josh at the Light of India |
Then there’s Chinatown! Right behind Leicester Square. Several blocks of Chinese restaurants race
you from one end of China to the other, from steaming dim sum, to the sweet and
sour Cantonese, to Beijing duck, and taste bud punishing, spices from Sichuan
Province. Don’t know which one to choose?
Try Leang’s Legend and sample
it all!
Leang's Sweet and Sour Pork |
By the way, anyone enlighten you about the eight major
regions of Chinese cuisine? Aren’t you
glad I asked!
My favorite fast food is doner kabab, a Turkish dish of
shaved meats, which the Greeks call Gyro.
On the corner of Leicester Square, there’s a fabulous doner spot, Fiori. Turkish?
Yeah, kinda. Fiori also serves pizza and all the waitresses
are drop dead gorgeous and from eastern Europe, but the food is as authentically
fragrant and tasty as any I had in Ankara.
There’s also Japanese, Peruvian, Vietnamese, and dozens of
others. And don’t neglect the gastro
pubs that serve everything from Thai to aged steaks.
If you’re as addicted as I am to Japanese ramin, then Kanada-Ya is your kind of place. Steaming noodles in wonderfully filling miso broth is perfect for a London lunch on a chilly day. Located in several parts of the city. Expect to wait in line. Yep, it’s that good!
If you’re as addicted as I am to Japanese ramin, then Kanada-Ya is your kind of place. Steaming noodles in wonderfully filling miso broth is perfect for a London lunch on a chilly day. Located in several parts of the city. Expect to wait in line. Yep, it’s that good!
And if you want the best of gastro pubs, try The Churchill Arms in Notting Hill for
Thai, The Queens Arms in Kensington
for pub food with a French flair and The
Porcupine near Leicester Square, for pure English pub fare fit for a king.
Roast Chicken with Yorkshire Pudding at The Porcupine |
Can’t make up your mind and want a taste of everything? Try the wonderfully expansive Boroughs Market (Closed Sundays). Don’t you dare miss this one!
And, let's not forget breakfast at my favorite spot, Café Forum!
And, let's not forget breakfast at my favorite spot, Café Forum!
The Full English |
If you go hungry in London, have yourself checked for
tapeworms and scold yourself for your lack of imagination!
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