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The British, when eating out, rarely seem to want to see a menu in plain English. Historically this is due to the preponderance of immigrants owning, running, cooking in or serving in catering establishments of all types. When dining out, we go for a Chinese, a Thai, an Indian or, for over a century, if the meal is to be a posh one, then it has to be French. Soho and the West End in general were full of pseudo bistros, brasseries and up-market restaurants, all with remarkably similar menus.