As a self-proclaimed “foodie,” I truly believe that food is the window to the soul. I would venture to say that the best way to really experience a different culture is through food, and London is perhaps the best city in the world for discovering a culture (or cultures) through food. One of the things that I have done in my time in London is I have tried to mix up where I eat every week, whether it be trying a new restaurant nearby or cooking for myself at the flat. I would say that I typically cook anywhere from three to five nights each week and go out to eat the other days. As for the type of food I eat, I would be lying if I said I have not been eating a lot of pasta, especially when I cook; however, I definitely like to do different things, such as different noodles, sauce, vegetables, or meat, when I am making pasta so that I am not eating the same thing every time. When I do not cook, I try to be adventurous and try different restaurants with different cuisines—from traditional British food to Indian food to Dim Sum.
One of the goals I had for myself coming to London was to try as many new foods as possible over the course of my program and I can truly say I have tried some very interesting things, although I will say that most of the strange things I have tried have been in my travels to other countries. When I was in Scotland, I made it a goal of mine to try haggis, which is one of the most infamous “interesting” international delicacies, and I can truly say that I was pleasantly surprised with haggis—so long as I do not think too much about it. In Paris, I set a similar goal to try escargot, and I will admit that eating escargot was the most nervous I have ever been trying a new food—and I have eaten a lot of strange things. Despite the nerves, I rather enjoyed escargot as well, although I would likely not order it for myself again.
I think that the food in London speaks a lot to the city’s imperial and cosmopolitan heritage as the capital of the British Empire and a melting pot of cultures. One of the main things that people tell you when travelling to England is that British food is bad, but I would have to disagree. While traditional British food is far from my favorite, it has its perks, being widely available and for the most part inexpensive. But that is not necessarily what London’s food is. The food in London includes not just the traditional British food but the Indian food, Chinese food, Greek food, and even a concerning amount of Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants as well, and I believe that the easy access that Londoners have to all of these different types of food is one of the many things that makes London so unique among other global cities.
