Restaurants

By Guy Dimond

It's like a Grayson Perry 'Claire' convention. The dirndls sported by the female staff may be traditional costume, but the effect of full skirt, bodice, lacy blouse and apron in an unsalubrious, low-budget basement makes this dingy room look like a dive bar for cross-dressers.

The intention of the costumes is to evoke Bavaria - home of lederhosen, hearty German food, Oktoberfest and lots of great beer. This list includes Munich's Erdinger Hefe-Weissbier, the champagne of wheat beers because of its light flavours and fruity acidity; the dark wheat beer called Paulaner Dunkel, which has wheaty tartness and luscious malt tones; and, from Cologne, the light and refreshing Küppers Kölsch. There are eight appealing German beers in total.

The cooking is far less impressive; although it is patriotically Bavarian and Austrian, Alpine heights are not scaled. Bayerisches Biergulasch, a beef goulash made with beer sauce, was nothing remarkable and arrived tepid, so we sent it back for reheating. The accompanying spätzle (pasta-like German noodles) were overdone and didn't seem freshly cooked. Jäger schnitzel (pork escalope) was dry, and the mushroom sauce on it was the consistency of tinned soup; no better than German transport caff standard.

Kaiserschmarrn is a Viennese pancake made with raisins that should be served hot and sprinkled with icing sugar and plum preserve, but this lukewarm version was smothered by foamed cream piped from a can. The waitress's offer of a test tube of the herb liqueur Jägermeister, which we assumed was a complimentary digestif, appeared on the bill at £3.50 per shot.

BB's good for beer, and fun if you're in the right mood - but the cooking just doesn't do Bavaria justice.

Time Out London Issue 1851: February 8-15 2006