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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 uncomfortable.
News of the week
Some brands just get Instagram. Much as it’s difficult to provide a recipe for the “perfect” Instagram image, it’s also impossible to pinpoint exactly what makes a restaurant “good” at the world’s most visual social medium. Nevertheless, some just have it, and are able to reap the rewards as like-hungry and hungry-hungry would-be ‘grammers flock to their doors.
The recent announcement that Bao will open its cafe in Kings Cross later this year should have a certain kind of hypebeast salivating in anticipation, as the team brings its signature visual flair to bear on perhaps the most Insta-friendly food genre out there: cakes and pastries. Early glimpses suggest that excitement is highly unlikely to be misplaced.
Suggested rebrand of the week
“Fish charcuterie” feels like a bit of a mouthful. Mar-cuterie? Charcute-reef? Not to be confused with cured vegetables, which everyone knows is chardcuterie.
Best of both worlds of the week
Tired: choosing between a custard slice and a crème brulee for pudding.
Wired:
Not-quite-winter-yet-warmers of the week
Unbelievably, the English domestic cricket season is still underway, so it feels premature to get all Game of Thrones on the weather just yet. But if it’s an excuse to eat stuff like this, maybe that’s no bad thing.
Absolute unit of the week
There’s winter warmers, and then there’s the sort of thing you eat ahead of running a marathon barefoot in the Antarctic.
Tote of the week
Update the Eater London restaurant merch guide / Myers-Briggs test!
Questionable marketing campaign of the week
AKA what happened back in the office when Mad Men’s Don Draper went to Hawaii in ‘The Doorway’.
Account of the week
M.F.K. Fisher knew what was up.
Dish of the week
A plea to London restaurants, even in these most trying of circumstances: more toad in the hole, please.
Shot of the week
Soothing content for anyone with OCD (Obsessive Consumption of Dumplings).