About FoodWala

Who is Alfie Foodwala? why do you do what you do?

The short version: I love restaurants – read my words about restaurants.

The longer version:

I am Alfie Foodwala and this is my restaurant reviews blog where I aim to review every restaurant I dine at. Whether it’s at home in Glasgow or my spiritual home, London, whether it serves up Michelin-starred haute cuisine or more humble, down to earth grub, if it’s a restaurant then I will tell you whether, in my considered opinion, it’s worth going to.

I’m passionate about eating out since I have grown up around restaurants all my life thanks to my catering-trade family and frequent travels around the globe.

With so many places to eat, the last place you want to go is somewhere deeply disappointing or, perhaps even worse, somewhere forgettably mediocre and yawningly average. To help you out, I will endeavor to finish each review with a firm recommendation either way and a rating out of 10.

No rating system is perfect, but at least this one is easy to understand and doesn’t split hairs like some rating systems (like rating out of ten or percentage point ratings). What criteria is each restaurant judged on?

  • Food
  • Atmosphere
  • Service
  • Cleanliness
  • Total Score

Different weightings will be applied to each category depending on the restaurant in question. For example, more emphasis will be placed on Decor and Service in a sparkling haute cuisine restaurant than in a modest, neighborhood brasserie or bistro.

What’s with all the funny names in your reviews?

I dine anonymously. I don’t seek out special treatment since I want to experience what the average customer would experience at each restaurant I go to. As a result, I never accept free meals from restaurants.

Since I dine anonymously, my dining companions also get foodwala pseudonyms. There’s the Mokie Foodwala, The Family Foodwala, Goblee Foodwala, Diva Foodwalas, Ralfy Foodwala and many more.

You don’t like my favourite restaurant! I hate you! You suck! A *@#$%^ plague upon you and your house!

My unfavourable opinion doesn’t and shouldn’t stop anyone who doesn’t share that opinion from continuing to enjoy the restaurant in question. If you want a second opinion, click on the Urbanspoon logo at the bottom of every review for a different take.

I state my opinions boldly and I make no qualms about doing so. If you really dislike what I write, feel free to leave a comment and I hope you find a restaurant reviews blog you do like. Please be polite though – I will simply delete any obscenity-laden or obviously trollish comments. If you’re rude, overly defensive and huffy then I’ll still reply, but with a disproportionate amount of civility and rationality.

Happy eating!