Updated 28/11/22 with interior images
Almost a year ago, Harrods has dropped the culinary bombshell that they had persuaded none other than Björn Frantzén to open a restaurant at the Knightbridge store.
If you are wondering who Björn is and why this is such a big deal, well Frantzén is No 25 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2022 list and the Stockholm restaurant has three Michelin stars. This will be the chef's first UK restaurant, so securing him is a huge coup for Harrods.
Now we're finding out just what he has planned for the restaurant called Studio Frantzén, which sounds like it'll be pretty impressive.
It'll be a restaurant, rooftop terrace and bar across two floors, all in a completely custom build space in the store (fitting in 112 people, making it one of the store's biggest restaurants). And yes, that's the first time there's ever been a rooftop terrace at Harrods - it's been built specifically for this restaurant.
The menu will be a combination of Swedish and Asian flavours - but they're also planning to serve "iconic British dishes" with a twist too (including an ‘After Eight’ tart). Here's a taste of what to expect:
- Tartar of tuna and red deer, Vendace roe from Kalix, white kombu, wasabi-infused cultured cream, fermented Mirabelle plum and warm ginger butter
- Danish hiramasa sashimi with truffled dashi vinaigrette served with preserved Meyer lemon, green onions and black radishes
- Roasted scallops with scrambled duck eggs, black truffle, beurre noisette, crispy lichens and smoked pea soy
- Veal minute “ma-la” made with fermented kampot pepper jus, sichuan pepper oil, crispy shiso salad with ceps aioli and sake braised maitake
- Salmon from the Faeroe Islands with finger lime, sea buckthorn, kosho and beurre blanc
- Quail with dried spruce and bee pollen, vanilla and black pepper emulsion
- ‘Sweden vs Japan’ - braised Swedish dairy cow beef brisket (salted, preserved, braised and cooked for eight hours) served alongside grilled Japanese wagyu with lemongrass jus and Japanese mustard.
- Lingonberry marshmallow sorbet “soft serve style” with semi dried lingon & blueberries, black currant syrup and liquorice meringue
- Sticky toffee pudding with miso caramel, bourbon, sesame ice cream and candied pecans.
All of that really does sound very good indeed. On top of this, there will also be a Nordic-inspired drinks list in the bar,
It's something of a homecoming for Björn too who worked here at Chez Nico and Pied a Terre at the start of his career. Frantzen himself says: "The UK was my home for a long time, and the experience that I gained here early on in my career played an informative role in my education as a chef. I am overwhelmingly proud to be back in London, one of the most interesting cities in the world, to open my restaurant at Harrods.”
More about Studio Frantzén at Harrods
Where is it? 87-135 Brompton Rd, London SW1X 7XL
When does it open? 28 November 2022
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @studiofrantzenlondon
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