“Why isn’t there a David Bowie themed restaurant?” Well, it’s a good question, but given that the erstwhile Thin White Duke at one point subsisted on a diet of milk, red peppers and cocaine while believing that witches and aliens were in league to steal his urine, one can only imagine that his dietary preferences would present a challenge for any chef, whatever their expertise.
Still, trust the excellent Daisy Green group to rise to the challenge with their Ziggy Green restaurant, situated on Heddon Street. The reason for the Bowie theme is the location, where the cover of Ziggy Stardust was so famously shot, but as anyone who has suffered through the Hard Rock or Planet Hollywood in recent years will know, themed restaurants stand or fall by whether the food and drink is any good.
Well, thankfully, I can tell you that Ziggy Green is very good indeed. It may be part of a group, but it has a fresh, alternative sensibility that would have done its famous forbear proud. In fact, the fun begins even before you sit down for dinner, if you head down to the basement. Down here is a semi-speakeasy, in the form of a recreation of Soho’s notorious Colony Club, hang-out of artists of the creative and piss varieties alike.
In a spirit of generosity, prices have been frozen since the Colony closed down in 2008, meaning that this is about the only spot in central London where you can order a double measure of spirits – and mixer! – for £6, or take an espresso martini for a princely £10. It’s still got the bohemian spirit of its predecessor, but laden with a knowing present-day sensibility that stops this from being a Disneyland attraction.
Much the same can be said of the grown-up restaurant upstairs, where Ziggy may not have played guitar but where he would certainly have approved of the menu on offer. The cocktail list is – naturally – Bowie themed, and the ‘Ashes to Ashes’ cocktail, their take on a Bramble, and the ‘Spiders from Mars’, a small but potent number festooned with gin and raspberry, both come highly recommended as an overture for what proves a rare feast. Our charming waitress Marwa comes over to talk us through the menu, and briefly outlines what she thinks we should order. “Order a bread and dip, then a couple of bites. Two plates apiece should do you, and make sure that you leave some room for dessert.”
It sounds simple, but diners wishing to stay as whippet-thin as Bowie be warned: the portions here are vast, in the Australian style of the Daisy Green restaurants. The bar is set high early on, with deliciously moreish flatbread and whipped Greek yoghurt with apricot harissa, and then the same level of excellence is maintained in dishes both conventional and wildly unexpected.
Fried chicken is as good as you’ll find in Australia at the moment, while crispy banana prawns are a novel delight that simply won’t appear on many other restaurant menus. A skewer of fillet steak supplies carnivorous treats without being overwhelming, while fish shawarma – essentially a very posh tempura – is far lighter than you might expect. And miso aubergine with yuzu belies any idea that non-meat or fish dishes are anywhere less complex or interesting than their counterparts, either.
It would be quite easy to eat and feast here to excess, not least because the wine list is elegantly put together: a bottle of 16 Stops Shiraz comes in at least than £40 and is quite a peppery marvel. But the whole point of coming here is not to wallow in Seventies rock star bacchanalia, but to enjoy really terrific food and drink at the sort of prices that are a rarity for central London.
When you finally leave, hopefully post either sticky toffee pudding or mango that constitute desserts, you will be full, happy and humming along to Bowie, and I can think of no better way to depart a restaurant. As the man himself once sang, “Wham, bang, thank you ma’am.”
Ziggy Green, 4 Heddon Street, London W1B 4BS. For more information, including details of other outlets and events, and for bookings, please visit www.daisygreenfood.com.
Photos by Melisa Coppola
