"As someone who writes regularly about London restaurants, I remain ambivalent about the sheer number of new openings introducing diners to an ever-expanding range of cuisines. Georgian food? London has it covered. Japanese? The capital now boasts Michelin-starred restaurants that rival Tokyo, alongside a deep bench of izakaya-style venues. Some even argue that chicken tikka masala qualifies as a national dish, though that claim is open to debate."
"For much of the 20th century, the international view of cooking in the UK was deeply unflattering. Wartime rationing during the First and Second World Wars (with rationing after the Second World War lasting until 1954) flattened culinary ambition. Overcooked vegetables, bland sauces and a general suspicion of seasoning prevailed. Those decades did lasting damage. My own mother, born in the 1930s, recalled never being allowed into the kitchen to learn to cook because food was so scarce."
London offers an ever-expanding range of cuisines, including Georgian, Japanese, Italian, French, Indian and pan-Asian options, some reaching Michelin-star levels. British food retains a strong tradition based on excellent local ingredients—meat, dairy, game and seafood—prepared simply and seasonally. Historical factors, especially wartime rationing and scarcity through the mid-20th century, damaged international perceptions and culinary ambition, producing overcooked vegetables and bland sauces. British staples include the Sunday roast, pies, puddings, regional cheeses, smoked fish and baking. British restaurant culture evolved from inns and coffee houses, with the modern restaurant emerging under French influence in the late 18th century.
Read at www.london-unattached.com
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