Have just turned on the "read" function which tells you how many times people read an article. So don't worry if you see 1 read or 2 reads or anything.....its been read loads of times before but this is a counter just from now 31st March 2008 6pm.

M

Blimey this takes a long time....

Regular visitors will probably notice that we have gone back to the old search engines of master.com and google rather than the drupal one that came with the new site make-up. We've decided to do that to improve the search range as master.com covers a lot of the old site reviews too.

M

Including the wonderful Moro. Yes I know I'm taking a long time, but its boring cutting and pasting. Some of the reviews not moved over are restaurants closed and/or reviews that might not quite stand up anymore, so there's a bit of filtering. Remember if you know of any restaurant closing down, let us know. M

Now added. Also the search string has been changed so you can put in two letter searches, eg N8 to find restaurants in a London area. Hope that's helpful. Also new food news archive page.

Coming soon, hopefully, Google Maps + Catering Jobs + many many more book reviews.

M

London C reviews now added.

Thanks so much to Sean Dodson at the Guardian for his article, missed it myself but was pointed out by an eagle-eyed reviewer. Here it is if you missed it:

How to DIY it

Sean Dodson

Saturday August 12, 2006

The Guardian

Spies like us
Promising a more authentic alternative to the work of professional food writers, websites specialising in amateur restaurant reviews have been popping up like a pieces of toast in the morning.

I've just started adding reviews from London to the new site. So far A and B. Fascinating to come across some of those old reviews and fantastic memories. Middle Eastern places in Hampstead, Banners in Crouch End, trying to delete reviews of closed down places as I go.

I might miss a few though so please feel free to write at the contact email above if I've overlooked anything.

M

I've been experiencing incredible pangs of nostalgia as I've been adding some of the old reviews from way back. Dirty tables in Battle, Havoc trying to get a drink in a pub in Welwyn and not succeeding, Daisy finding delight in Ottery St Mary - blimey it brings it all back, when the only time I could do this was an hour between 11 and midnight when everybody had gone to bed.

Birmingham. Curry capital and all that - why don't we have more reviews from up there? Is it a secret?

I joined the Slow Food movement last year after reading a number of great articles about them. In essence they stand for all the things that Spy does - good food, individually prepared, local produce, family eating together, etc, etc - but I have to say that I am not sure I can face stumping up for the membership again.

You see, the one thing that got me when reading through their lavish "National Geographic" style quarterly magazine, was how unbearably pompous they all were. And yes, of course I would like to source my chillis direct from growers in Arizona, eat seasonal fruit and veg, drink only musty home steam brewed beers, but I have a life too.