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Welcome back to Insta Stories, a column examining the London restaurant scene through the often-problematic medium of Instagram. This week’s filter is the perfect gift for the whole family.
News of the week
If someone works in the U.K. food and drink sector but wasn’t at the Observer Food Monthly awards this week, do they really work in the U.K. food and drink sector? To put it mildly, the ceremony was a Big Deal, with the great and good coming together in celebration of some highly deserving winners. The highlight of the evening from Instagram’s point of view came at the end, with a goodie bag so packed with branded content it could put an Oscars after-party to shame. As the old saying goes, there’s no FOMO without O, F, and M.
Seasonal delicacy of the week
Let’s talk about ceps, baby.
Other seasonal delicacies of the week
Among the deluge of mushrooms and edible gourds, it’s worth keeping eyes peeled for two slightly less common but absolutely wonderful autumnal signifiers — both of them requiring fairly aggressive intervention before eating.
Spooky rivalry of the week
Treat or treat?
Questionable excess of the week
Look – it’s a few degrees colder; it’s definitely the time of year to be tucking into something comforting as opposed to something zesty and light. But in the name of all that is holy, there are limits.
Even more questionable excess of the week
The expression “putting a hat on a hat” usually describes layering a joke on top of another joke, only to see the whole bJenga tower collapse in a deeply unfunny way. All of which is to say: one of the city’s best burgers? Great. One of the city’s best pasta dishes? Also great. One of the city’s best pasta dishes inside one of the city’s best burgers? Total hat on a hat.
Evolving pre-match ritual of the week
1990s football cliché: the prawn sandwich brigade.
2010s football cliché: the Vacherin Mont d’Or, ‘nduja, vinho verde and bougie toastie brigade.
Useful PSA of the week
Only a few days left to snap a shot at one of London’s most Instagrammable restaurants. The food also looks quite nice.
Playoff for dish of the week
Not common for Noble Rot to come out worse in a one-on-one, but yikes this is a landslide.
Shot of the week
Redefining that deeply millennial affliction, avocado hand.
