Afghanistan Travel and Tour Guide
Traditionally, England may not be famous for its food. But in the past decade this seems to have changed quite a bit. With the opening of numerous London restaurants that rival many of the top restaurants around the world, London can now rightly consider itself one of the culinary capitals of the world. Even more impressive is the sheer number of excellent London restaurants catering to just about every taste and budget. In a recent survey of chefs for Restaurant magazine, 11 out of the 50 are best restaurants in London, with another three located in other areas of the UK.
London, the quintessential world city, evidently contains cuisine drawn from every corner of the world. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, you are sure to find a venue in London that specializes in cuisine from every country.
The highest concentration of restaurants can be found around the city center, with Soho containing a sizable collection of tasty eateries. Chinatown is the best place for Chinese, of course, with similar concentrations around parts of East and West London, notably Bayswater (around Queensway) – an area also renowned, along with Edgware Road, for Middle Eastern cuisine.
For Indian/Sub-continent cusine, you need look no further than the nearest High Street, but two areas worth considering are Southall in West London (where in some shops you can pay in rupees!) or Brick Lane in East London (although this is less genuine). Italian and French restaurants are everywhere as well, not to mention the many gastropubs where you can find traditional and modern British or fusion cuisine. The many restaurants which act as Bars in Central London during late night.
London restaurants really do cater to all, from cheap jellied eels in Bow market up to Haute Cuisine at Claridges or the Ritz. Sea Food and Chinese Cuisine is also very popular in London One thing is for sure — you won’t go hungry here! That said, London is rather expensive, therefore it is difficult to find a higher-end restaurant, which doesn’t cost the world especially, if you are on a budget. You will have browse through the restaurant section in your London travel guide a bit closer, but rest assured, there are enough places to choose from where you can truly enjoy yourself without breaking the bank.
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wonder_years_fonder_years
May 1st, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Rick Steves is definitely the way to go! Lonely Planet guide books are excellent, but I found them to be more helpful for accommodations and less informative for site seeing.
Rick Steves will have all the information you are looking for about safety, converters, customs, etc. He also has excellent information about the sites you will see and provides excellent walking tours.
s_indiangirl15
May 1st, 2009 at 3:41 pm
la porchetta just off of finsbury park (north london) is nice and cheap and its a great fun place (they sing you happy birthday)
Hotel Reservation
May 1st, 2009 at 3:44 pm
you, sir, are freakishly talented. congratulations.
Cheap Air Deals
May 1st, 2009 at 4:32 pm
AMAZING!! love it!
its like u took a picture@@
MonaLisa Overdrive AM VT wannabe
May 1st, 2009 at 7:20 pm
These are small bistros which generally have a small three to five-course menu ranging from 25-35€ and a reasonably priced wine list.
L’Entredgeu
83 Rue Laugier 75017 M: Porte de Champerret (01 40 54 97 24)
My current favorite. The chef has a good pedigree, and is cooking up a storm for just 28€ for dinner. The cooking here is hearty and delicious, and with a finesse that separates them from the rest of the field. The room is cramped but very cheerful and charming. One of the best price/value rapport in the city.
L’Ourcine
92, rue Broca 75013 Paris (01 47 07 13 65)
A delicious new bistro, overseen by Yves Camdeborde of La Régalade fame. Very cute little space, run by a very agreeable African lady who speaks perfect English.
L’Os à Moelle
3, Rue Vasco de Gama 75015 M: Lourmel (01 45 57 27 27)
My parennial favorite. The chef is a Constant protégé. The menu here is still very refined, with at least 5 courses, each complex in its simplicity. They are on the higher price end of this group, with the dinner menu at 38€, but worth every penny.
Le Repaire de Cartouche
8, boulevard des filles du calvaire 75011 M:St Sebastien Froissard (01 47 00 25 86)
Here is another Constant protégé, in a space that looks like it could be an old hunting lodge. The cooking here is big and bold.
Chez Michel
10, Rue de Belzunce 75010 M: Poissonnière ( 01 44 53 06 20)
Yes, yet another Constant protégé, with roots from Brittany which show in the menu. When I am here I always order something from that region, his yummy Kig-ha-farz, a pot au feu of sort, with pork jowls (the Kig bit) and curious doughy dumplings with sweet raisins (that would be the Farz bit). A great spot for a meal before/after the Eurostar.
L’Ardoise
28 rue du Mont Thabor 75001 M: Beaubourg/Les Halles (01 42 96 28 18)
An ever popular spot for Anglo gastro tourists, but has managed to not let the quality goes down the drain even with the mainly non-local clientele.
Café Constant
139, rue Saint-Dominique 75007 (01 47 53 73 34)
The first outgrowth in Christian Constant’s plan to take over rue Dominique. A simple neighbourhood bistro serving simple and good food. The clientele is a mix between high-rolling Le Figaro readers to local workmen.
Les Fables de la Fontaine
131 rue Saint-Dominique 75007 (01 44 18 37 55)
The newest of Christian Constant’s places on rue Dominique. This one focuses on fish and seafood. A lovely spot for a deliciously fishy lunch.
Mon Vieil Ami
69 Rue St Louis en l'Ile 75004 M:Cité (01 40 46 01 35)
Another favorite. This is a bistro outpost of the fabulous three-star Le Buerehisel in Strasbourg. The menu is not entirely Alsatian, but gives a nod to the general direction. Also on the higher price end of this scale (dinner menu 38€), and in a more refined -and highly designed- atmosphere than all the others. It is on the charming Ile St.Louis from where you could take a romantic and enchanting walk along the Seine to digest the meal.
L’Ami Jean
27, rue Malar 75007 M:Alma Marceau (01 47 05 86 89)
The chef here was once a sous chef at La Régalade while Yves Camdeborde was still cooking. The menu is very similar to La Régalade, robust, hearty food. They do very good game (wild meats) during the season.
À la biche aux bois
45 Ave Ledru-Rollin 75012 M: Gare de Lyon (01 43 43 34 38)
This place is always packed with locals. The tables are so closed together you’d think you are eating from a communal table –not that there’s anything wrong with it. The menu is completely void of pretension, the cooking is perhaps simpler than the others on this list, but no less tasty, and a great value at only 25€.
L’Avant Gout
26 rue Bobilot 75013 M:Place d'Italie (Auguste Blanqui exit) (01 53 80 24 00)
My friend Mr.Naughton is in love with the incredible 12.50€ lunch menu here. You get an entree, plat, a glass of wine, and coffee, all included for the price, the bargain of Paris in my opinion.
La Table de Lucullus
129 rue Legendre 75017 M: La Fourche (01 40 25 02 68)
Clotilde introduced me to this place, a favorite of hers. I've only had foie gras and chocolate here (such a hard life I lead), but they were so lovely as to warrant a mention in this list. The affable young chef Nicolas Vagnon is reportedly a wiz at fish and seafood. His specialty dessert, chocolate saucer with ginger ice cream is a delectable treat.
Hotel Reservation
May 1st, 2009 at 10:27 pm
amazing, how is that possible!? !?
Nugatory
May 1st, 2009 at 10:46 pm
Hi there.
Rather than guess wildly about what a stay here might set you back, I'll give you — I hope! — some info so you can work out accurately how much you may want to spend.
If you're thinking about backpacking and hostelling, your trip here will cost less than a 'typical' holiday. Which is just as well — accommodation is expensive, and right now the $-£ exchange rate isn't being kind to you. Well, that may all change by next year… =D
If you're considering the hostelling option, please go and have a look at http://www.yha.org.uk/about-yha/ — the Youth Hostels Association. Brilliant organisation (not just for young people but for anyone travelling on a shoestring.) Clean, friendly hostels across the country, including several in London, which offer the best-value accommodation in my home city — £16 a night ($32) including breakfast, in the heart of the old City of London.
So, a month in YHA hostels is going to set you back some £500 ($1,000).
But you could cut that sum down hugely if you're the kind of person who'd enjoy Couchsurfing.
This is a worldwide network of travel-loving people who offer their sofa or in their spare room to other Couchsurf members. No one takes any money — it's all done voluntarily (though many guests bring some kind of small thank-you gift for their host.) Here's the site where it all happens: http://www.couchsurfing.com
With a year ahead, you could build a good network of people to host you — start by joining the local groups for London, Glasgow and Dublin and chatting to hosts there. To give you an idea, there are more than 6,000 Couchsurf members in London alone.
Not only will Couchsurfing cut your expenses massively; it'll also give you a whole bunch of people to socialise/ sightsee with.
Ok… you now need to add the costs of travelling around, food, and sightseeing (though there's a surprising amount of events and attractions that are free.) Go to http://www.londontown.com/attractions/ to amuse yourself with what's to do/see in London; Glasgow http://www.glasgowguide.co.uk/ and Dublin http://www.visitdublin.com/
First, travel. A London-Glasgow return ticket by train starts at £55 ($110). But I think in your shoes I'd opt for the Caledonian Sleeper train — double the price, but what a great way to travel. Have a look here: http://www.seat61.com/CaledonianSleepers.htm
and here for rail bookings from the US: http://www.seat61.com/RailShop.htm
(The "man in seat 61" is one of my travel heroes and I'm a shameless fan of his website.)
So, you've blown $200 on train travel… London-Dublin is about £50 ($100) return by train and ferry — a bit cheaper, maybe, with one of the budget airlines but you'd then have to add train fares to one of the smaller London airports so much the same in the end.
So that's $300… plus you'll a pay-as-you-go Oystercard (cheapest way of travelling by tube, bus, tram etc in London.) You just top it up with cash as needed. Allow $12 for each day you're travelling in London.
Food… Well, despite what you've heard, we have an astonishing range of food available — Michelin-starred restaurants; great neighbourhood bistros; foodie pubs; restaurants from every corner of the world. Plus all sorts of familiar fast-food names if what you need is a burger/ pizza hit.
Eating out here is more expensive than in Texas. Reckon on paying in pounds what you pay in dollars (in other words, double the cost of that McDonald's meal). A decent pizza, fab chocolate pudding, plus a beer cost me £15 ($30) this weekend at a local pizzeria.
The cheapest way of eating is to buy food at supermarkets and do it yourself. I buy my non-perishables from supermarkets but all my fresh fruit and veggies from high-street greengrocers (much cheaper than big stores.) Have a look at this site: it's the online store of Sainsbury's, one of the UK's largest supermarkets. http://www.sainsburys.com/groceries/index.jsp?bmUID=1216682268342
Tesco ( http://www.tesco.com ) is the most popular UK supermarket, but on their site you have to register to check out prices.
Hope that's helpful. You're already on the right track, not trying to see the whole of Europe in a week.
Love from a Londoner up past bedtime… =D
Cheap Air Deals
May 2nd, 2009 at 2:09 am
wow
Cheap Air Deals
May 2nd, 2009 at 3:48 am
can’t believe it’s drawn out of nothing, could be a photography!
Cheap Air Deals
May 3rd, 2009 at 11:36 am
holy shit ur awesome i wish i had ur talent keep up that good work/natacha
god
May 3rd, 2009 at 7:57 pm
I really thought about helping you out here, just because it would be fun to write. Then I looked at your profile and see that:
1. You answer other people's questions so obviously without care and thought and apparently just for points so you can go ask more questions.
and
2. The people that are gracious enough to assist you or answer your questions most of the time don't even recieve the courtesy of you selecting the "best answer" but they are instead selected by voters.
So instead I decide that if you are not interested in doing the right, then why in the world should anyone be interested in helping you?
Jade
May 3rd, 2009 at 9:38 pm
The Sabbath day is the seventh day of the week, Saturday.
The observance to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy was part of the Law of Moses, the Old Testament.
In the New Testament, there is no command to observe the Sabbath. Instead, Christians in the New Testament met upon "the first day of the week". (Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:1-2)
In fact, the Old Law was nailed to the cross with Christ. (Colossians 2:14) This being the case, the New Testament states, "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to… a Sabbath.." (Colossians 2:16)
Remember the Sabbath is part of the Old Testament. We can learn a lot from a study of the Old Testament, but for instructions on how to worship and serve God we now need to look to the New Testament.
In Galatians 5, some were trying to bind an Old Testament command on New Testament Christians. Verse 3 says if they bound this one item, they were "debtor to keep the whole Law"!
If we bind one command because it is in the Old testament, we must keep it all (animal sacrifices, feasts, yearly trips to Jerusalem, etc.)! "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10)
If we try to Justify ourselves by the Law of Moses, then we have fallen from grace! (Gal. 5:4)
The New Testament now gives the instructions for our worship. The examples in the New Testament show Sunday worship.
Sunday, however, is never called the Sabbath in the Bible, but we are not under the Law that commanded the Sabbath.
♥☼♪
May 3rd, 2009 at 9:53 pm
No, its okay i guess,
amy b
May 4th, 2009 at 12:33 am
BENADRYLL! (or however you spell it.) TRUST me. It will allow her to sleep the whole trip rather than stand at the back of the airplane with her in your arms, screaming- like I did with my little one for 4 hours straight. Trust me, trust me, trust me.
Snacks- (read the above) but have a variety of goldfish (you can tell stories with those) and animal crackers are great too. Raisins, dried fruits, etc. But again, from my personal experience, you'll go with the benadryll (kids of course and only give as recommended) and you'lll be so happy you did.
sharkee
May 4th, 2009 at 1:08 am
I thought you lived in Africa;) Sharkie are you fibbing? On another note those buses are fun but so slow I always took the underground.
Cheap Air Deals
May 4th, 2009 at 3:22 am
GOOD JOB! I Will Susrcibe!
Hotel Reservation
May 4th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
my favorite actor! too!
Johnny Depp! best movie Edward Scissorhands! your Awsom! artist!
Anonymous
May 4th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
AMAZINGGG