We happened upon one cute and popular cafe in the trendy Notting Hill neighborhood only to be served rewarmed foodservice pre-formed meat and potato products which caused later gastric distress. As has probably happened to you, we found where we should have eaten only after we left that first dreadful cafe.

The influence of an American style service charge is alive and well here.
Restaurants now add either a "discretionary" 10 or 12.5% service charge onto
the bill in a country where tipping used to be unknown. More than once we had to disallow the discretionary service charge to give the waitstaff something to think about in preparation for their next customers.

We did find a new and fantastic Indian restaurant here - Masala Zone. It's part of a local chain of Indian restaurants. Order the "thali" sampler plate. They also serve some Indian-influenced dishes that have clearly been westernized but they were also tasty. Cheap, cheerful and obviously popular, Masala Zone is poised to supplant other popular Indian dining choices that have held the lead for years. Keep up with the times or go out of business we say. Just goes to prove that restaurants cannot rest on their laurels and consumer ratings must be continually updated to reflect the current state of the ever-changing dining experience.

We also enjoyed Tuk Tuk, not far from London's Chinatown. A variety of tasty Asian-inspired dishes but updated for a younger, hipper palate. Despite the
affordable prices, most of the dishes were surprisingly authentic. It's a much more interesting alternative to chain take-aways, but with table service at the same price.

We still love the London Borough Market near the London Bridge. Fantasic choices for nibbles and even Italian truffles for £2000 per kg if you really
need your fix. Be sure to visit the amazing cheese store off the main outdoor market area.

The ubiquitous "chips" or french fries as Americans call them could use a
healthy update here. Always fried in heavy oil and tasting of the same, the UK's chips need an overhaul to keep up with the consumer trend in healthier eating.

There are some better dining choices in London these days but they are still
not easy to find. We recommend a 2 or 3 course prix fixe or "set" meal at a much more favorable price (usually in the £15-20 range for 2 courses) than ordering a la carte. Of course if money is no object you will enjoy your London dining experience for sure, but you will still be forced to seek out the better locals-only and insider's dining choices, which are not always easily evident.

On a final note, be sure to try hard English cider in a real British pub. Strongbow is the national favorite but I prefer Samuel Smith's Cider Reserve or try the Strawberry Cider by Brothers, bottled near Glastonbury. If you can't find those brands, ask if they serve a locally micro-brewed strong cider instead.