And how does that invalidates the (otherwise correct) perception about British food? 
Perception and reality are 180 from each other. Marin county that has more left swinging voters than any place in the U.S. has the lowest ethnic mix in the country, NY is not the only place to produce a beautiful photo and London food is damn good.
My wife who is British and raised in London has spent most of her adult life based in the U.S., though never asked or pushed me to be here, even though I love her family.
In Late August we had just finished a shoot here, I spent a few days doing edits, hung out with the in-laws and I looked around and said, I'm going to get a place here, saw two nice leases and took the first one in Shoreditch in 24 hours. Then bought a car, because I dig driving (I'd drive to the bathroom if I could fit the car in my place.)
I didn't know Shoreditch was hip, only spent 20 minutes here before we signed, but so far I love it (and I hate cold weather). We still blow back to LA and Dallas and obviously still travel for work, but the food here is amazing.
In the first 10 days we've had Bombay, Italian, Mexican (twice), 1950's style restaurant fish and chips, some kind of upscale British at the Albrion (everybody has to try the Albion) that is crazy good, one place that at Spitifileds (sp?) that has just insane everything from Moroccan meatballs, to burgers and real Texas BBQ at Hoxton Square, Japanese, Vietnamese (twice) all within a short walking distance to our place.
Other than the first few days of driving and being totally lethal and totally lost, everybody has been great (except some banker in an Audi because I squeezed him into the bus lane), the services are professional and even the landlord is good (I've never seen the last one).
The services I've used have been 100% professional, though honestly I spend so much time working I can't say I know anything about the city, other than I dig Guy Fawkes. It's so cool to have a day of anarchy.
Of anyplace I've been this is the very best and varied food and I think I'm going to dig it, but I also get restless and love change, so maybe my euphoria will roll off. I hope not.
IMO
BC
PS. The more I look at the fm digital the more I like it. I have absolutely no reason to buy it (other than to use my older nikon glass and pretend like it's 1988) but I think it's very cool and it will be a temptation not to buy, though the price is high enough that I could pass and get an omd em-1 (I think I got that right) instead. Or I just might buy another em-5 to carry two lenses when I'm out.