Exotic Eats in London
As Monty Python would say, "And now for something completely different". One of the best things about living in London is that you can sample cuisines from all over the world without traveling more than a few miles. With 270 nationalities in the capital, the opportunities for gastronomic adventure are huge. So skip the steak and the sushi and saddle up for a foodie foray into the unknown with this guide to London's most exotic ethnic eateries. You owe it to your taste buds.
Garni Restaurant
472 Chiswick High Rd
Hounslow, Greater London, UK
London's only Armenian restaurant, the style of cuisine here shows influences from neighboring Russia, Turkey, and Syria. Armenian food is generally natural and healthy, …
comprising lots of spices, fresh herbs, and vegetables like aubergines, peppers, and olives. Popular dishes include david sasun, a dish of salmon marinated in pomegranate juice and herbs; and utik lesun, fried veal tongue with wine and vegetables. For special occasions, customers pre-order khash, cows feet soup served with radish, greens, and lava bread. Wash it all down with a glass of tan, a drink made with sour milk and water.
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Tito's
4 London Bridge St
Camberwell, Greater London, UK
One of only two purveyors of Peruvian cooking in London, Tito's is a sparse, low-key spot serving tasty Latin dishes like ceviche (raw fish marinated in lime), parihuela …
de mariscos (seafood soup), and arroz con mariscos (seafood risotto). I'm assured that rumors they dish up cuy (roasted guinea pig) on request are false. Which is bad news for lovers of this Peruvian delicacy, but good news for the guinea pig.
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Czechoslovak Restaurant
74 W End Ln
Camden Town, Greater London, UK
Although undisputed world leaders when it comes to beer, the Czechs are less celebrated for their food. But whilst it's hardly nouvelle cuisine, the authentic dishes …
served at this Czech meeting place in West Hampstead are generous and very filling. Expat Czechs and curious Londoners can feast on roast duck, paprika chicken, dumplings and sauerkraut, washed down with delicious Pilsner Urquell beer on draft. For the fastest route to weight gain, try a langos -- a giant flat donut covered in cheese, garlic, and sour cream.
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Mimino Georgian Restaurant
197 Kensington High St
Kensington, Greater London, UK
The most central of London's two Georgian restaurants, what Mimino lacks in atmosphere it makes up for in portion size and an excellent range of quality Georgian wine. …
Popular dishes include lobio, a mix of kidney beans, walnuts, and spices, mopped up greedily with hunks of cheesy khachapuri bread; and chanakhi, a heavy lamb stew made with aubergines, tomatoes, garlic, and basil served like a soup.
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Archipelago Restaurant
110 Whitfield St
Camden Town, Greater London, UK
A fusion of "shock value" world cuisine in a trendy setting, this West End restaurant serves such dishes as crocodile fillet in vine leaves, seared zebra, and even peanut …
crusted wildebeest. If you're unfazed by such exotic slabs of meat, request the special "side dish" options of chilli locusts and chocolate covered scorpions. Cocktails include their take on a mojito, simply called "Pond Life," with promise of "maybe a little (harmless) creature lurking in your glass."
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Adulis
44 Brixton Rd
Lambeth, Greater London, UK
This busy Brixton eatery claims to offer the authentic dining experience of Eritrea, a tiny African nation on the Red Sea. Meals are ample and good value, consisting of …
rich stews eaten with injera, a pancake-like bread which also serves as your utensils. Adulis recommends newcomers try their tibsi, lamb cubes fried in ghee butter with onions, rosemary, and green chilli. Vegetarians would do well to opt for the inappropriately named foul, broad beans with onions, olive oil, cottage cheese, and tomatoes.
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