Restaurants

By Guy Dimond

The big draw at this basement bar is its excellent range of German beers – seven on draught, plus more than a score by the bottle – and the attractive vaulted basement rooms, evocative of real Bavarian beer halls.

The Paulaner Hefe-Weizen, for example, is a wonderful wheat beer, described by our own Ben McFarland in his recent ‘World’s Best Beers’ book as a ‘zippy, zealously fruity and refreshing amber ale with a wispy white head and lovely lacing’.

There’s also a comprehensive selection of weissbiers and dark dunkels, kölsch beers, dark lagers, pilsners, Belgian ales and more.

On our Friday evening visit, an oompah band was playing a cover version of ‘Wonderwall’ to the stein-glugging clientele, adding to the already riotous din. There didn’t appear to be a sufficient number of bar staff, and everything from placing our order to getting the bill took an age.

Katzenjammers – which appropriately translates as ‘riotous noise’, or even ‘hangover’ – came really unstuck with the food. Although it made an enticing read on the menu, the reality would shame an autobahn truck-stop.

Our starter sausage platter had chipolata-sized bangers that were shrivelled and dry through overcooking, and the sauerkraut had an unattractive orange hue and flaccid texture.

Kasseler – salted and smoked pork chop – also suffered from being overcooked to dryness, and the accompanying spätzle (noodles) resembled cheap packet versions.

Katzenjammers is just another rowdy beer hall with food that is best avoided. Go at a quiet time to enjoy the beer, then eat elsewhere.

Time Out London Issue 2047: November 12-18 2009