Herman ze German, London

If you're a newish reader of this blog, you may not know that I am absolutely in love with Germany. But I am.

I miss it so much (oh, I lived there for six months, in case you didn't know. Many antics over on the Travel tab.)

It's been over a year since I was last in Deutschland and that is simply far too long.

However, the pain of missing Germany has been slightly eased by one particular London eatery: Herman Ze German.

I mean, the name alone is just great, don't you think? It really sets the tone too.

I've been a couple of times and thought I should tell you guys all about HzG, as it will henceforth be known, whether you're a total Germanophile or not.

HzG is a mini London chain with three branches across the capital, serving quick, simple German fare in an informal setting.

They've got a good selection of German beers, but unfortunately no Radler (essentially shandy, but it's a big thing in Germany, and I'm a fan.)

I can recommend starting off your visit with a chilled beverage and a bowl of pommes - I'd translate but I think the picture below renders that unnecessary.

The chips really are fantastic at HzG. I know they look like standard fries, but they're cooked to perfection. I'm usually much more of a chunky chip gal, but I demolished these.

Even better than the plain fries, however, are the cheesy fries. Obviously. Because covering carbs in cheese is a sure-fire way to improve them.

Oh yes.

And alongside that cheesy potatoey deliciousness we had classic Currywurst, topped with crispy onions.

The Currywurst tastes just as I remember it does from street vendors in Berlin - that perfect weird but delicious mix of ketchup and curry powder.

Slightly less authentic to my mind, however, was the Schnitzel.

Schnitzel should be super thin, like this, but HzG's was more like a breaded chicken breast. Still very tasty, for sure, but a little disappointing when you're expecting a traditional Schnitz.

Naturally, we also had Sauerkraut, as any self-respecting German would.

Despite the fact that it's currently being lauded as a health food, I don't go wild for Sauerkraut. This one wasn't overly special.

If you are after something slightly lighter - German food is often pretty stodgy, as you can probably tell - HzG offer the option of Wurst with salad instead of chips, which I had on my first visit.

I love this idea actually - the sausage was lovely with none of those thick skins you often find, and the salad was good too. No limp lettuce and I loved the addition of apple. I recommend you top yours with crispy onions too - they're free!

Herman ze German is a great spot for a relaxed dinner with friends. It isn't fancy - there are no white tablecloths and the loos are a bit grimy, but I can deal with that. It's fun, affordable and the food is great.

Plus, it takes me back to Germany! *sob*

What do you think? Do you like the look of Herman ze German?