I wrote this particularly unhelpful letter to the Croydon Advertiser after reading yet another pointless review of another pointless restaurant:
Dear Editor,
The second review of South Croydon’s Apatura restaurant in this weeks advertiser was as glowing as the last that appeared less than three months ago. Meanwhile Patsy Payne has given a Beefeater and a Toby Carvery four star reviews. I understand the Advertisers budget may not extend to employing Giles Coren or Marina O’Laughlin but something other than this saccharine codswallop wouldn’t go a miss.
I have highlighted a problem, and now I wish to solve it. I am available to write restaurant reviews free of charge, I will even pay for my own meal. Hopefully I will be able to wittle together something more inspiring than an overview of JD Wetherspoons very nicely cooked and perfectly good value all day breakfast.
Croydon’s food scene is vibrant and exciting. It deserves better. The reviews in the Advertiser are not doing it justice. Please consider my offer, I would be happy to offer samples of my work.
I look forward to hearing from you,
A.R.Baggs
Unfortunately I received no reply.
The Croydon Advertiser obviously don’t want their readers to be amused or informed. They just want a few extra quid from Kebab Kid in return for peddling their salt ridden battery farmed rat burgers.
Because they can’t be asked to put my thoughts in print in their newspaper I have decided to let you read my thoughts here.
Contact me at andrew.baggs (at) hotmail.co.uk
Just read your review of Kimchee (which is across the road from my office) and found it really helpful!
I’ve just moved from SW8 Battersea/Clapham to SE25 South Norwood (not by choice) and I am so delighted to have come across your blog.
My partner and I have been somewhat cautious about eating out in Croydon…its rather different from what we are used to.. so we often end up back on the old SW turf!
I’m subscribing to your blogg right now and eagerly awaiting more reviews in the Croydon area sothat we can start getting to know the nice places to eat!
Hey K,
Thanks for the comment, on the whole Croytown is a bit of a culinary wasteland, but hopefully I will discover some gems. If you haven’t already been to Le Cassoulet in South Croydon it is definitely worth a visit. I am about to write up my review – I rate it highly!
AR