Nope. There was only one Indian restaurant that was very good. I think it was in Kensington. Forgot the name.
And I am an Indian food connoisseur
British like their food bland. I mean BLAND. So that influences even the way non-English food is prepared.
The Indian food in London generally food can't compete with what you get on the lower West Side of NYC or even what you can get in Berlin or Frankfurt.
I love London! I love the diversity, they speak English, the abundance and diversity of restaurants, theater is relatively cheap and it's great just to walk around. I can't agree with Fisher that their attitudes are bad. I find Londoners quite friendly. In fact, I've had people apologize to me that Londoners aren't friendly - all while doing something nice for me. It's as if they're apologizing, unnecessarily, for their city. Fisher is right that Brits don't consider themselves European, which I find hilarious.
Unfortunately, it's so doggone expensive that we haven't been in a while. When I go on a shopping trip I usually go to the north of England because the hotels, food and transport are cheaper, but the stores are the same. Sadly, it's hard to get good Caribbean food up north, but there is a great Jamaican restaurant in Manchester. The guy has a restaurant in NYC too. There's great Chinese in London and in Liverpool too. I hear that Chinatown in Manchester is the best in England as are their Indian restaurants.
London, like any other city, is pretty much what you make of it. It has its pretty and not so pretty neighbourhoods, it has its clean and not so clean neighbourhoods, and it has its rich and not so rich neighbourhoods... and yes, I'm AM spelling neighbourhoods right - that's how we spell it over here. Tomato, tomatoe...
:)
Mr George stayed in Central London which is a prettier, richer part of the city. Having said that, no matter what part of the city you're in, you'll find bad restaurants with bland food if you stick to the tourist spots. Want good Caribbean, Nigerian, Indian or Chinese food...? Then go into a restaurant that caters mainly to a Caribbean, Nigerian, Indian or Chinese clientele. This is the food they grew up on, this is what they eat at home. Even in China town, you'll find that entering a restaurant packed with white people will yield a so-so meal. It's true that the indigenous british food is bland... no flavour, no taste... any non indigenous brit will tell you that... I'm telling you that! LOL. My background is Nigerian.
As for attitudes, certain kinds of energy tends to attract similar kinds of energy. That's all I'll say on that seeing as the comments here speak for themselves.
And no, we don't really consider ourselves European. Britain is an island or, rather, a group of islands, hence you may have heard of the British Isles. We're cut off from mainland Europe and so tend not to have such a "continental" way or feel... When we cross the English channel (the bit of sea that separates us from the continent) we say we're going to Europe - though, if we're going to just one specific country, then we name that country rather than just lump it under one banner.
So Mr UBM, do come to London. Mr George's depiction and description was pretty accurate and if it appealed to you, then there's no reason you too shouldn't have a good time here. All of my friends from the US who have been have loved it and I see no reason why you shouldn't.
Sorry, I don't have an East End accent... not that I'm sure you'd even be able to recognise one if it drove into you in a double decker bus! LOL.
Michael Fisher - surely you are not referring to "Curry Row" on E6th Street? If so, you sir are no connoisseur!
The curmudgeonly Mr. Fisher aside, many Americans are discovering for themselves that the idea of Britain being the land of bad food is a tired stereotype. For instance, large swathes of London, Manchester, Birmingham, etc., are almost exclusively South Asian, so the "Indian" is indeed most killin'!
I could go on and on but New York Magazine's food critic, Adam Platt, says it best: http://nymag.com/guides/london/29444/
LOL! Aw-raai!' Though I'm sure you mean "wiv" rather than "wif..."
:P
If you wanna hear real East End accents, try watching the movie Sexy Beast (particularly Ray Winstone's accent, as he's a real East End boy). And if you think Leona Lewis sounds like anyone in that film then I'd really advise you to avoid double decker buses at all costs!
nice to see brixton getting a shout out- it's true, has beautiful buildings, interesting shops, an independent cinema and fantastic italian - franco manqua (sp).
also traditional british food isn't bland if you can get some home cooking. nothing bland about a beef wellington w/yorkshire puddings.
Nelson is trippin'.
ReplyDeleteLondon ain't worth it. Bad food, bad attitudes, dirty neighborhoods.
Besides, the British don't consider themselves Europeans anyhow.
^ But I bet the Indian food is killin'.
ReplyDeleteI loved London. They speak all British-y and on saturday it's antique/flea market heaven.
ReplyDeleteThey speak all British-y...
ReplyDeleteHee-hee... Nothing is cuter than black girls with East End accents.
Mills...
ReplyDeleteBut I bet the Indian food is killin'.
Nope. There was only one Indian restaurant that was very good. I think it was in Kensington. Forgot the name.
And I am an Indian food connoisseur
British like their food bland. I mean BLAND. So that influences even the way non-English food is prepared.
The Indian food in London generally food can't compete with what you get on the lower West Side of NYC or even what you can get in Berlin or Frankfurt.
I love London! I love the diversity, they speak English, the abundance and diversity of restaurants, theater is relatively cheap and it's great just to walk around. I can't agree with Fisher that their attitudes are bad. I find Londoners quite friendly. In fact, I've had people apologize to me that Londoners aren't friendly - all while doing something nice for me. It's as if they're apologizing, unnecessarily, for their city. Fisher is right that Brits don't consider themselves European, which I find hilarious.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, it's so doggone expensive that we haven't been in a while. When I go on a shopping trip I usually go to the north of England because the hotels, food and transport are cheaper, but the stores are the same. Sadly, it's hard to get good Caribbean food up north, but there is a great Jamaican restaurant in Manchester. The guy has a restaurant in NYC too. There's great Chinese in London and in Liverpool too. I hear that Chinatown in Manchester is the best in England as are their Indian restaurants.
^ Sounds so cool, GG.
ReplyDeleteThat's supposed to be Indian restaurants on the Lower East Side, by the way.
ReplyDelete^ If you're a serious connoisseur of Indian food, Mike, next time you get to L.A. check out Gate of India in Santa Monica.
ReplyDeleteI'm a curry fanatic, and they've got some great exotic curries.
yea I may need to make a trip to the parts Nelson went to when I have a steady income and have a lot of cash saved up.
ReplyDeleteLondon, like any other city, is pretty much what you make of it. It has its pretty and not so pretty neighbourhoods, it has its clean and not so clean neighbourhoods, and it has its rich and not so rich neighbourhoods... and yes, I'm AM spelling neighbourhoods right - that's how we spell it over here. Tomato, tomatoe...
ReplyDelete:)
Mr George stayed in Central London which is a prettier, richer part of the city. Having said that, no matter what part of the city you're in, you'll find bad restaurants with bland food if you stick to the tourist spots. Want good Caribbean, Nigerian, Indian or Chinese food...? Then go into a restaurant that caters mainly to a Caribbean, Nigerian, Indian or Chinese clientele. This is the food they grew up on, this is what they eat at home. Even in China town, you'll find that entering a restaurant packed with white people will yield a so-so meal. It's true that the indigenous british food is bland... no flavour, no taste... any non indigenous brit will tell you that... I'm telling you that! LOL. My background is Nigerian.
As for attitudes, certain kinds of energy tends to attract similar kinds of energy. That's all I'll say on that seeing as the comments here speak for themselves.
And no, we don't really consider ourselves European. Britain is an island or, rather, a group of islands, hence you may have heard of the British Isles. We're cut off from mainland Europe and so tend not to have such a "continental" way or feel... When we cross the English channel (the bit of sea that separates us from the continent) we say we're going to Europe - though, if we're going to just one specific country, then we name that country rather than just lump it under one banner.
So Mr UBM, do come to London. Mr George's depiction and description was pretty accurate and if it appealed to you, then there's no reason you too shouldn't have a good time here. All of my friends from the US who have been have loved it and I see no reason why you shouldn't.
Sorry, I don't have an East End accent... not that I'm sure you'd even be able to recognise one if it drove into you in a double decker bus! LOL.
^^
ReplyDeleteWhat The Wendilicious Wonder said.
Michael Fisher - surely you are not referring to "Curry Row" on E6th Street? If so, you sir are no connoisseur!
The curmudgeonly Mr. Fisher aside, many Americans are discovering for themselves that the idea of Britain being the land of bad food is a tired stereotype. For instance, large swathes of London, Manchester, Birmingham, etc., are almost exclusively South Asian, so the "Indian" is indeed most killin'!
I could go on and on but New York Magazine's food critic, Adam Platt, says it best: http://nymag.com/guides/london/29444/
Sorry, I don't have an East End accent... not that I'm sure you'd even be able to recognise one if it drove into you in a double decker bus!
ReplyDeleteGirl, who you think you dealing with?
I'm talking about something like this.
@UBM: Like I said before, double decker bus... East End accent my arse! LOL.
ReplyDelete^ Ah-ight then. As long as you say "wif" instead of "with," I'll be happy.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Aw-raai!' Though I'm sure you mean "wiv" rather than "wif..."
ReplyDelete:P
If you wanna hear real East End accents, try watching the movie Sexy Beast (particularly Ray Winstone's accent, as he's a real East End boy). And if you think Leona Lewis sounds like anyone in that film then I'd really advise you to avoid double decker buses at all costs!
:0
Oh, and I say "with." I'm not particularly cool or "street."
ReplyDeleteThough I'm sure you mean "wiv" rather than "wif..."
ReplyDeleteBloody 'ell!!
LOL! OK, NOW you're getting the hang of it!
ReplyDelete:D
late reply is late.
ReplyDeletenice to see brixton getting a shout out- it's true, has beautiful buildings, interesting shops, an independent cinema and fantastic italian - franco manqua (sp).
also traditional british food isn't bland if you can get some home cooking. nothing bland about a beef wellington w/yorkshire puddings.
but never go to a harvester pub. bleurgh.
^ Thanks for commenting, lucy!
ReplyDeleteLOVED "Sexy Beast". Ghandi plays a great evil gangster, but I digress.
ReplyDeleteYou need to get Mr. Peters to stake you at least a week at his flat...