Whether it is a dry fruit omelette or kebabs that look glossy as they smoke on a grill, food vlogs have been an effective medium in documenting the absurd lengths to which boundaries of flavours can be pushed. Once a way of spreading information about local and regional cuisines, techniques and places to eat, vlogging has now become a common way of urging people to try out newer spots and create curiosity. What this has led to, especially in cities like Hyderabad, is that mediocre places have been over-hyped, misleading people into spending money on meals that aren’t up to mark in taste or quality.
Similarly, conversations on these lines have also raised questions about the credibility of these ‘reviews’, since a significant number of them are paid to push content that projects an eatery in positive light. However, what is being labelled as ‘insta hype’ is very different from reality – given that most people only find out about how average a restaurant might be, once the food has been eaten. What also makes these experiences worse is the over-looking of hygiene conditions at street stalls or smaller eateries, which might not always be safe to enjoy a meal at.
Besides Hyderabad, restaurants in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata and even Delhi have been said to fall prey to the excessive noise created on social media. Whether this is due to the lack of innovation or no more new restaurants to visit is debatable; however, the authenticity is surely being analysed closely through chatter among users and anyone with an interest in exploring new places.