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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 a pizza the action.
News of the week
The first law of Instagram dictates that carbohydrates always play better than proteins. The second law of Instagram dictates that bright colours always play better than muted tones. The third law of Instagram dictates that pleasantly symmetrical geometric shapes always play better than jagged edges. Given all this — and the veritable army of influencers already on the case — it’s a safe bet that Arros QD, and Quique Dacosta’s colourful, circular carb-bomb of a paella is destined to become a fixture in the feed for a while yet. Just don’t call it Insta rice.
Incoming threat of the week
If there was a fourth law of Instagram, it would be that pasta plays better than anything. And so Londoners should perhaps already start preparing themselves for the thermonuclear hype explosion that is likely to accompany the new Pophams site in London Fields. The city’s most Instagrammable pastries plus pasta PLUS dippy eggs? Everyone else may as well just give up and go home.
Merchandise of the week
Surely an excellent new addition to London’s lineup of restaurant totes / sweaters / other fabrics.
Multi-hyphenate of the week
As if it wasn’t already the up there with the best bakeries/sandwich shops/brunch destinations in London, The Dusty Knuckle has now also thrown its hat into the pizza-making ring. Labouring mid-market chains, take note: this is how you do all-day dining.
Menu of the week
Insta Stories anointed the Marksman brunch offering one to watch a while back, but until now it wasn’t 100 percent clear what the full offering looked like — unless someone actually visited the place IRL, like a weirdo who isn’t content to enjoy London’s restaurant scene vicariously via smartphone. Final verdict: Wow.
Week of the week
Jeremy Lee presides over a kitchen generating a practically endless stream of Instagrammable #content. But that doesn’t make any of it look any less divine.
Dish of the week
The newest addition to London’s chicken-and-egg homages to David Chang and Wylie Dufresne. But which part came first?
Shot of the week
Agree with everything but the ratio here.