Tramshed - Shoreditch

32 Rivington Street, London, EC2A 3LX

According to the Metro, Shoreditch has lost its edge. No longer the refuge of dead-beat artists clawing an existence from the gutter, where carrying a lowly iPhone 3 would get you mugged, Shoreditch is now a candy land for the affluent, with Liverpool Street suits wandering up for lunch at a high street eatery or over-priced poncery. These days the Gucci-clad thieves won't give you a second glance unless your iPhone 5 carries an 's'.

Perhaps Shoreditch has lost its edge. I've no idea. I haven't worked here for that long. What I can say is that I'd rather trade edge for security, impoverished artists for cash points, and salmonella for quality food. Shoreditch is awash with good places to eat. Of a lunchtime, you can glutton your way from Old Street to High Street, and back again, on cheap eats, eye-watering bills, and everything in between. Try doing that in Harlesden.

Just off the glutton trail, tucked down Rivington Street, is a surprisingly large hall that is Tramshed. Owned by a renowned chef (Mark Hix), with a Damien Hirst centre-piece, and occupying a building that could house no less than a hundred wannabe Yokos, Tramshed is everything the Metro must hate.

Tipping its hat to edgy credentials, at Tramshed you can dine almost exclusively on steak and chicken - I presume a vegetarian option is available, but they'd probably have to blow the dust off it first. The litmus test - steak and chips - was passed with flying colours, although I would say my steak was slightly more medium than rare. Bonus points too for being only the second place I've visited which serves Oxford Sauce. I just don't understand why this delicious, spicy brown, anchovy infused condiment isn't more widely available.

A series of sides accompanied our meal, but having foregone the recommended Oyster Ale (5.5%) in favour of champagne, I really can't remember what they were. I do recall the pudding, although I challenge anyone to forget a bowl of molten chocolate served with marshmallows and donut batter for dipping. I can also recall the envy felt for my friend's chicken and steak sandwich. Half the price of my meal and looking just as filling, if not more tasty, with crisp pieces of chicken skin poking out from each side.

When you next wade through the endless high street chains clogging the streets of Shoreditch, lamenting the disappearance of all those oh-so-trendy artists and violent muggings, turn to Rivington Street, visit Tramshed, and within minutes you just won't care.

Burger Bear - Shoreditch

5-7 Rivington Street, London, EC2A 3DT

(This review also appears on Hoxton Radio)

When it comes to meat, the pig is the most versatile of animals. Chop, steak, bacon, hock, cheek, belly, rib, shoulder, knuckle, trotter, the list goes on. But what about bacon jam? Has anyone ever heard of that? I certainly hadn't, not until a blogger on Twitter sent me in the direction of Burger Bear.

Appearing three days a week at the #R3D Market, just off Rivington Street, Burger Bear is another of the many many burger stands in London - someone should really create a map. However, Burger Bear stands out from the crowd, sitting as it does in ninth place in the revered Young & Foodish Top 10 Burgers list, and based on my sample of the Grizzly it's worthy of its place.

The Grizzly is a fat piece of meat, charred bacon, and a melted cheese slice, topped with bacon jam, and sandwiched in a no-nonsense bread roll. I've probably forgotten one or two ingredients, but the essence of a great burger is in the flavours merging together so well that the components can't be easily distinguished, just a hint here and a hint there. There's nothing worse than biting in to a burger and tasting the separation between dry meat, cold lettuce, and sickly cheese. It's the only thing a bad burger does well.

The exception to the flavour rule comes in the form of the bacon jam. Such a strange, smoky yet sweet substance - a bacon chutney almost - the taste of the jam is distinct from everything else within the bun and is moreishly delicious. What else would you expect from what is essentially distilled bacon?

Competing in the fourth round of the London Burger Bash in early November, head to Burger Bear soon, sample the bacon jam, and you'll understand why they should make the finals.