what i want to eat: English Treats

1. Fish & Chips - I've been to London a few times already and I always, always make it a point to get some fish and chips. There's this restaurant called 'Fishbone' near Regent's Park that gives great-sized portions for the price. The fish is fresh with a nice, airy breading and the chips are crisp on the outside, mealy on the inside. Perfect. Remember to generously douse your meal in malt vinegar and get some sides (like mushy peas, gherkins, onions, or even beans).
   
2. Stilton blue cheese - this (cow's milk) cheese is poked with needles to allow air (and mold) into the core, giving it its signature blue veining. It's only permitted to be made in 3 counties in England (though, ironically, Stilton is not one of the permitted counties).
   
3. Pasty - pronounced 'past-tee' NOT 'pay-stee' - rhymes with 'nasty,' not 'pastry' - basically a pastry filled with both sweet and savory ingredients - like beef and potatoes or jams and fruits. They originated as a way to make lunch portable and used leftover dinner ingredients, like stew and fruits (filling) and dough (skin).
   
4. Scones & clotted cream with tea - I love having tea in London, it's just so fitting, and nothing goes better with the warm tea than a nice, fluffy scone, clotted cream, and jam. I highly recommend the Orangery for high tea. It's a bit pricey, but it's located in the beautiful Kensington Gardens and the decor is relatively fancy and sweet. Food is delicious (finger sandwiches and salads) and they have many different types of teas. I love their darjeeling.
   
5. Indian food! - there's a relatively large population of Indian people in London so it's definitely worth getting a taste of their cuisine here. Here's a list of restaurants I found through a simple google search. If you're a first-timer with Indian food, I'd recommend Masala Zone, which is a chain with a few locations throughout London. They have a simple and reasonably-priced menu and the style of the menu and courses allows the diner to try multiple dishes.