While English cuisine has long been associated with the myth of being bland and boring, in my opinion that is precisely what it is – just a myth. Perhaps the strong colonial influence on the Kiwi diet has equipped me with realistic expectations of what can be found in England despite having never been there before, and thereby allowing me to make more informed decisions – such as steering away from the "quintessentially British" fish and chips, not only because we can enjoy ones that are just as "authentic" back home, but also because we know how hard it is to even find a decent one! However, educated guesses aside, the cultural melting pot that England (and London in particular) has gradually turned into has also introduced some innovative talents into the culinary scene and opened up a refreshing dimension to the definition of English cuisine that challenges the current stereotypical view. Though we had neither the insatiable appetite nor the inexhaustible wallet to trial every single restaurant that caught our fancy, we did thankfully have plenty of time to carry out some careful research and narrow down our options - unsurprisingly most of these final candidates ended up in London since we were staying there for the majority of the second half of the trip. A week was not long by any standards, but I dare say we did manage to get a taste of some of London's very finest.
