I have something in common with London food blogger A Rather Unusual Chinaman (ARUC), we both hate Anchovies and Rose… Maybe one day we will though! ARUC has been penning his culinary journeys around London and the world for the last few years.
His journeys have taken him from Asia to the Americas and the Middle East, keeping track of the food and drink along the way. We caught up with him for a quick chat this week to find out a bit more about why he writes and what he loves! You can find A Rather Unusual Chinaman (http://www.tehbus.com/) on twitter @tehbus and facebook here
What got you into food writing?
Cutting a very long story short, I had a pretty big operation about 3 years ago, which meant that I was bedridden for a significant amount of time. A month of watching daytime TV was enough to rot anyones brain, so I decided to start keeping a web diary of what I was doing every day during my recovery once I was up and about. It soon dawned on me all I was doing was eating, and that’s where the food blog came from!
How do you choose a restaurant to review?
I guess a lot of the decision making is done by buzz on the internet through twitter or reading other blogs, or by word of mouth and recommendations of others. I’m not one for spending my money wastefully, so normally try and ensure that the places I go for dinner are lunch are places that I will hopefully like.
Who is your current favourite chef?
I really admire what Ben Spalding is doing at Roganic at the moment. He is young, but entirely personable and produces a string of tantalising combinations on his menus. Considering the content changes so often, I am quite astounded at the constant high standard of all his dishes.
Most underrated Local Restaurant? (and maybe most overrated!)
I’m not sure about overrated or underrated, but my favourite local restaurant is Silk Road in Camberwell. Having lived in the area for over 10 years now, people are still reluctant to make the trip, but are consequently missing out on some real gems. Silk Road has received a bit of press over the last few years, so is definitely not underrated but deserves all the accolades it receives.
How has blogging in general changed your outlook on food/restaurants?
I still love going out to eat, but considering it happens a lot more often now than it used to, a little bit of the excitement drops away. Personally, I still think it’s great that so many new restaurants are opening in London, and look forward to every new opening, especially if they bring a new concept or cuisine to an already crowdy environment.
What’s the biggest mistake a restaurant can make in your opinion?
I would say not respecting the clientele. I have been to so many restaurants where a terrible first impression by rude and arrogant staff has left a continue bad taste in my mouth, regardless of how good the food is.
What do you think the London food scene is missing?
I think we are getting to a stage where almost every cuisine is being represented in London, every week a new surprise opens its doors. I would love to see more places with a more casual dining area, ideal for solo diners and much more aligned to the New York model of dining. It would suit singletons like me.
Who’s your favourite food writer/critic?
I always enjoy the musings of Jay Rayner. As a fellow South Londoner, he champions the area and have found his assesments accurate and often witty.
and……
What has been your all-time favourite restaurant experience to date?
Almost impossible to judge, but I always look back to a really enjoyable experience at L’Ecrivain in Dublin. Was it the best food I have ever had? No, but it boils down to the experience. After a good trek around Dublin, I took my cousin to his first Michelin starred restaurant where we were treated like kings. The food was good, but it was the whole experience that made it.
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