We are not exactly sure when it happened, or who is to blame, but sometime during the past 10 years restaurateurs decided that British people were just going to have to put up with a wider choice of fair than fish n chips, bangers and mash, faggots in gravy, jellied eel, spotted dick, or a cheap curry on the way home from the pub. Seems they felt Londoners were ready to try a more exotic selection of culinary temptations...plus some nonsense about it being a good idea to add protein, carbs, and vitamins, to a dietary stodging of fat, salt, sugar, meat and synthetic custard.
As a result, London is now arguably (often a long and tedious argument, so don't bother getting into one) the most cosmopolitan dining city in the world. On top of this, the people know their food, they love their cooking shows, and chefs such as Jamie Oliver have been elevated to the celebrity status of Posh and Becks - either revered or despised but never ignored, a sure sign you have really made it in Britain.
There are now over 9000 restaurants in London representing 70 different cuisines, so no matter what you fancy eating, there is a good chance somebody is serving it.
As is the case with any new trend, some are in the food business because they have a passion for it, whilst others jump on the bandwagon with the sole intention of making money.
One on hand, you can sit in some flashy or reputed restaurant, hand your defenceless credit card over to a smiling waiter at the end of the night, and watch as it is carried out back for a severe beating, knowing it wasn't worth the anguish. On the other hand, you'll find dozens of lesser-known treasures dotted throughout the city - from Arabian to Zimbabwean and every alphabetical temptation of the taste buds in between.
