One for the Hoxton set

They say that the anticipation is so much better than the reality, and this is never better illustrated than when it comes to the design of bars. Proprietors, you see, are always trying to keep a lid on expenditure when a new development is under way - designers, on the other hand, tend to blame measly budgets as the reason for the strangulation of their creativity.

So when proprietor and designer Paul Daly - responsible for, among others, the interiors of the Elbow Room chain of bars - recently combined both roles and launched Zigfrid, we could all be forgiven for expecting to see a showcase of his weapons of mass construction.

Not so. And the press release explains why: 'Unlike anything Daly has done before, the interior will be left almost untouched.' The result of these 'untouched' efforts is a brutal industrial design that is the archetypal Hoxton bar - or an All Bar One with attitude, as I prefer to view such places - of exposed brickwork, exposed aircon units covered with aluminium foil, and uncovered metal pipes.

But the nouveau peasants of Hoxton - the seemingly unkempt communities whose clothes have rarely seen the inside of a Systematic - like this sort of place. And in what goes under the name of 'fashion' in these parts, they'll probably be impressed by the clever Tracy Emin-style table installations of used glassware and overflowing ashtrays.

In terms of drinks they had one bottle of white wine (Chablis) in the fridge on my visit - just the one bottle though - and they hadn't thought to write up a list of the reds (presumably they were short of backs of fag packets). Staropramen, Grolsch and Guinness are on draught, and bottles include Becks, Budvar, Sol and Hoegaarden.

The food is served from an open kitchen at the back of the bar, and includes a curious creation of a curried butternut squash and sweet potato pie with mashed potatoes and salad (£7.90). Fish and chips with tartare sauce (£8.90) and a mixed platter of barbecued spare ribs, chicken wings and peppered sausages (£9.90) make for more conventional offerings. One dessert was offered: a mixed berry cheesecake at £3.50.

The highlight of my evening was undoubtedly the live music, which came in the form of a duo who I think were called Vincent and Charles. One took control of a trumpet and was reminiscent of EastEnders character Sonia Jackson's efforts a few years ago - the other droned on at the microphone.

When a song begins with the line 'I've got a picture of you in my sock drawer', you know you're in for an evening of top-flight post-ironic entertainment in the style of the Beautiful South meets The Proclaimers - so bad it's hilarious. If only they'd done their turn 10 minutes before closing time there would have been no problem clearing the bar.

I won't return, simply because some moments in life are so precious that to replicate them would be to dilute the schadenfreude of the initial experience. But I urge the great unwashed of Hoxton to visit Zigfrid. This is a Hoxton bar, by Hoxton people, for the benefit of Hoxton people and Hoxton wannabees.

11 Hoxton Square, N1 (020-7613 1988) Mon-Sat noon-11pm, Sun noon-10.30pm

Zigfrid Von Underbelly
11 Hoxton Square, N1 6NU