Here’s an eclectic mix of posts from the last week or so.

Bavarian Beer Hall – Old Street
German cuisine gets a bad rap, but I’m a big fan. It’s rustic, filling and when it’s served with fantastic beer it’s fantastic. I’ve got a real weakness for schweinhaxe – a pork knuckle that’s been slow roasted, normally served with dumplings and sauerkraut.

It’s not up to the ones I had in Munich, but its not half bad. Washed down with a stein or two of Lowenbrau and I’m more than content!

The Orange

Part of the same small pub group as the Thomas Cubitt, the Orange is a fantastic little pub between Pimlico and Sloane Square. It’s light airey interior is always busy and getting a table for Sunday lunch is no mean feat. They have a great range of pizzas available and the pizza bread makes a really nice starter while you wait for the main event.

It would rude to pick anything other than their roasts. I was really keen to compare it to its sister pub and I wasn’t disappointed. Apart from the sad lack of cauliflower cheese it was slightly better overall, but they’re both a great shout.

And given its proximity, what better way to finish it off than with a quick trip to Peggy Porschens. The fruit cake really is spectacular. Nom.

Sous Vide Steak

I’ve been experimenting with lots of ways of cooking steak sous vide, this is the best yet, a 45 second sear, followed by the water bath, then a final 30 second sear. If I’m honest, I think I still prefer it done in my red hot steel pan. It would be interesting to see what this method does for tougher steaks like hanger or entrecôte.