Eating my way through London
Food Blog Post
By Isaac Overman
June 18 2022
What I am about to say might sound sacrilegious but I am afraid that I must, in the words of Shakespeare, “to myself be true.” The best theatre I saw was not on the West-End or in cramped fringe theatres—it was in the dining room. I see how this might seem offensive. After all this is a theatre trip not a cookery trip. When people think on what is art—things like literature, painting, music and theatre come to mind. However in my world, food is the highest art. This is not because it is the hardest or most beautiful but because it is the only art that is essential to our very existence. Do not get me twisted, plays have the potential to move people to tears or laughter which is precious to all that have attended this trip. But food is necessary for us to survive, and by making delicious food—we stimulate the body and the mind. I preface my food adventure with this because to understand what I ate it is essential to understand why I eat.
My food experiences on this trip are extensive. I have eaten at over thirty different restaurants from fine dining to street vendors. I could easily gush about the food I had at the most prestigious restaurants but I think that would undermine the city of London. This city has the most diverse offerings of food in the world period. And that is made clear from any market that you could visit. Instead, I want to talk about a little restaurant that I found that represents the food culture that I love so dearly. Tabi and I during the first week were trying to conserve some money but still wanted to eat good. This was partially due to the fact that I tend to blow through my weekly allowance in one or two meals. Nevertheless, I found a place that look cheap enough but seemed to be of quality. We entered Hiba Street Food around six. Within a few seconds we were seated at the end of a long, slender hallway in which the whole restaurant was contained. To put into perspective just how small it was, the entire thing was about the size of a hotel room. The smell as we sat eagerly waiting to order was some kind of torture. Hiba specialized in Lebanese cuisine which is similar to Greek and Mediterranean. I ordered some spicy humus, one of my favorites. Our waiter brought out fresh pita and some of the most creamy and salivating humus that I have ever had. I ordered Lahem Meshwi which is a dish of skewered lamb and spiced rice. The lamb was tender and juicy with the just the right amount of spice. The rice was fluffy and sucked up the leftover juices of the lamb which packed each granule with even more umami. We finished our meal with some flakey baklava. The best part is that for a starter, two mains and desert it was only thirty euros. The food was not fancy. There were no frills. Only flavor unadulterated by the accoutrement of modern dining. I will later write a second food blog giveng my food awards and recommendations. Bon Appetit mes amis.
Theatre in London U of A 