The intriguing and appetising cooking puts this right up there on my list of 2022’s important openings
Firebird has landed on Poland Street in Soho. Although it’s not exactly Soho, but rather that point where it melds into the lower half of Oxford Street. This is where Hare Krishna parades weave past American breakfast cereal boutiques and where, if you stand long enough, the world and his dog will pass by on the way to buy a pair of Primark flip-flops. Soho itself is especially staggy and henny these days, so any attempt to reach Firebird via Piccadilly Circus means you’ll encounter at least three groups of Grand National jockeys and a silent disco walking tour twirling ebulliently to Europe’s The Final Countdown. Somewhere in the midst of all this chaos is Firebird, an elegant new restaurant opened by Madina Kazhimova and Anna Dolgushina, one of whom you will probably meet the moment you step into the calm, rather dark interior.
From the outset, the place feels personal and homespun, which is a rarity in London restaurants at the moment, because only the big, bolshie and slightly sterile openings seem to find the wings to fly. Firebird pushes itself as a restaurant and natural wine/biodynamic bar, but don’t let that deter you; they also offer drinks that aren’t Berocca-wee-orange or redolent of athlete’s foot. They were doing a charred pineapple daiquiri and a smoked bellini highball the night we were there, although Charles went for a potent toasted sesame sour.
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