Pre-pandemic times, my sister-in-law wanted to celebrate her birthday with a trip to a London theatre.
So, we did.
We ended up watching The School of Rock, and it didn't disappoint.
Whatever happened to Jack Black? 🤔
Anyway, no trip to London is complete without dinner, and after a series of, "Um, I don't mind where we eat,” replies 😡, we ended up in Camden, which to non-Londoners can only be described as…
A SEEDY PLACE.
Others will call it "vibrant," and if what they mean by vibrant is prostitutes, folks with strange haircuts, and blokes draped in "roadman" attire (hoods, manbags, tracksuit bottoms, and machetes) slinging every illegal substance there was, then yes…
It most certainly was vibrant.
You may be wondering why in Santa’s grotto we headed to that part of town if it was so bad.
Simple:
SHAKA ZULU.
In a few short years, this African-inspired restaurant had rocketed up the Tripadvisor charts, and plenty of friends recommended it. So we went, and honestly, it lived up to its billing.
Dim lights, tall indoor plants, South African decor, and an array of animal sculptures proudly adorned the restaurant. Even the tables had rough cuts to them that made it feel as though we were dining on a fallen tree straight from the Serengeti.
But here’s where I will lose a few of you:
The menu mostly consisted of exotic meats like springbok, zebra, ostrich, and crocodile, among other "beasts."
I originally wanted the zebra, but I was informed by the waiter they were out of stock.
After a quick scan of the menu one more time and a period of awkward silence, I settled on crocodile.
THE WAITER SMILED AND SAID, "GREAT CHOICE."
It turned out she was right. I didn't know what to expect when the plate arrived, but when it did, I puffed my cheeks in relief that it hadn’t arrived with scales and teeth. No, it was deader than a dodo and, quite honestly, did not look that much different from a cod fillet.
As for the taste?
The only way I can describe it is that it was like chicken with a hint of salmon.
That might gross Legionnaires with a weak stomach, and that’s fine. What this shows is that we’re all different and all have our own tastes. What might work for you doesn't for me, and vice versa. Luckily, we live in a time where even the most bizarre of appetites can be satisfied.
AS IS TRUE WITH FANTASY. ⚔️
Right now, “romantasy” is hotter than an Arabian desert.
People can't get enough of it. Same thing with progressive fantasy/LitRPG.
For me, those sub-genres don't play nice with my literary stomach. I’m too old school for them in the sense that I like my fantasy grounded in the tropes that catapulted this genre to stardom many moons ago.
I’m talking about open worlds…
Winding roads…
Rolling hills…
Wildlands…
Medieval cities…
War drums…
Dark lords…
Wizards…
Legendary beasts…
Simple magic systems…
Morally grey characters…
Heroes that aren’t meek…
And plenty of blood-spilling skirmishes.
All of which you can find in The Divided Region series right here:
https://djjwatsonstore.com/products/divided-region-starter-bundle
DJJW