Fans who caught The Dark Knight during special screenings or its opening weekend in the States are still reeling from the film’s suspense, special effects and haunting scenes. Heath Ledger’s show-stealing, terrifying performance as The Joker has audiences both shaking in their sandals and holding their heads in their hands from the realization that the world’s lost a talent who could have blossomed into the most incredible actor of our time. For those of you who can’t get The Dark Knight out of your heads or who want the perfect complement to the film’s opening this week in the UK, a group food and film aficionados has created a way to experience The Dark Knight through London’s restaurants.

Though we don’t often see The Caped Crusader stopping to nosh between rescues, with a job like that and a body like that, the man’s gotta eat. And isn’t that what we love about Batman: the fact that he’s just a man with some fancy training and gear? Though they rarely nourish themselves on camera, all characters in The Dark Knight are human beings with caloric needs. What follows is a list of restaurants sure to bring out the Bruce Wayne, Batman, or Joker in you.

Bruce Wayne
Since we see him refusing food more often than eating it, Bruce Wayne’s dietary passions are almost as mysterious as his nocturnal whereabouts. But according to the graphic novel Broken City, Bruce loves a perfectly cooked steak. He’d take Rachel Dawes (if she’d let him) or the Russian ballerina Natasha to Santa Maria del Sur in Battersea and indulge in an expensive, rare Catena wine. Posh enough for Bruce, but more reasonably priced than Gaucho Grill, Santa Maria del Sur is also affordable for those of us who aren’t billionaires.

Batman
So where would The Dark Knight himself eat? In total darkness at Dans le Noir in Clerkenwell. Though reviews of this restaurant are mixed, I find it completely worth the price of dinner for the exhilarating (and sometimes frightening, much like the film) experience of eating in a room of pitch-black night. With a three-course meal costing around £50 a head, some cash from the Wayne bank account certainly won’t hurt Batman when the bill comes. Since no fans or foes will be able to recognize him in the gloom, he’ll appreciate the opportunity to eat in peace without having to lose the batsuit.

The Joker
Unlike other characters in the film, this insane, diabolical clown is actually shown eating during The Dark Knight. And what does he eat? Part of a shrimp kabob, washing it down with a swig of champagne. But this fare, consumed at a crashed party where he scares the bejesus out of most of the guests, isn’t representative of The Joker’s style. He eats to be flagrant and funny, to show the crowd he can do whatever the hell he wants. And at Archipelago in Fitzrovia, he can eat just about anything he wants, from wildebeest to peacock to chocolate-covered scorpion. I imagine him ripping into a strange beast with his yellow teeth, or catching a fried locust with his tongue. He’ll fit right in with the mad, eclectic décor.

Harvey Dent
Termed Gotham’s “White Knight,” this do-gooder District Attorney radiates virtue even while dining out. He’d set a good example by choosing Water House in Shoreditch, an organic, eco-friendly, sustainable sister restaurant to Acorn House. Since Rachel Dawes goes basically wherever Dent goes, Water House will suit her as well. When will female characters in Batman films be given the complexity they deserve? Maggie Gyllenhaal’s performance is a step ahead of Katie Holmes’ in Batman Begins, but the character is still rather flat.

Two-Face
Harvey Dent flips a “lucky” coin when making important decisions both before and after he becomes the vengeful Two-Face, but, as you’ll see, Two-Face’s coin tosses are much more sinister than Dent’s. Heads and Tails, a bar in Clerkenwell that serves great food as well as drink, will match Two-Face’s duality perfectly: it’s split down the middle into a mezzanine and ground-floor bar. He’ll stop in to enjoy several whiskeys in a dark corner before resuming his revenge spree.

Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred, an ex-intelligence agent and Bruce’s delightfully witty butler, is much spicier than he may first appear to be. In The Dark Knight, Alfred relates an illuminating story about an experience he had in Burma. To remind him of old times, Alfred would enjoy a Burmese curry at Mandalay on Edgware Road.

Commissioner Gordon
On his night off, Jim Gordon would take his wife, son, and daughter to the kid-friendly Gracelands Café in Kensal Green. The organic fare, featuring excellent salads and quiches, will only brighten Gordon’s heart of gold.

Lucius Fox
Known for his implementation of cutting-edge technology to aid a certain masked vigilante, Lucius Fox would be wowed by the innovations employed at Sketch in Mayfair. Everything from the menus to the food to the loos exhibits fascinating design. Sketch is owned by Pierre Gagnaire, a molecular gastronomist who uses scientific, experimental techniques to make small, gourmet dishes pop with flavor.

Be sure to visit one or more of these restaurants before or after seeing The Dark Knight this weekend. If you disagree with these recommendations, write your own reviews on TrustedPlaces.

Photo credit: Batman gots to eat too. by Boston Knight (CC License)

[tags] TrustedPlaces, Batman, Dark Knight, cinema, restaurant, joker [/tags]