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Whilst
the Nordic Diet is being hailed as 'next big thing', the recently
opened Madsen restaurant at 20 Old Brompton Road, South Kensington,
SW7 3DL Tel 020 7225 2772, calmly goes about creating dishes which
are about to awaken our taste buds to the new taste of tomorrow's
healthy eating.
Danish head
chef René Madsen puts his own uninhibited spin on herrings,
pollack and bacon, showing innovation where others have seen
limitations and giving these ingredients a deliciously contemporary
twist.
Restaurant
owner Charlotte Kruse Madsen comments: 'I see the excitement about
Scandinavian food growing in the UK, maybe because our two staples
are very similar: lots of root vegetables and high protein foods like
slow-cooked lamb, pork and beef in winter, fish and salads in summer.
Our native fruits such as blueberries are already popular here,
whilst cloudberries are becoming more available, and both are a good
source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for a balanced diet'.
Thus Madsen
is now offering a traditional Scandinavian Smörgåsbord,
with a selection of 13 dishes at £25 per person, and £12.50
for children under 12 years old. On the buffet you will find Three
kinds of marinated herring with homemade curry salad, Smoked salmon
with red onions and sour cream, Skagenröra, a creamy prawn salad
with horseradish and dill, Roast lamb with root vegetables, the tasty
Frikadeller, Danish meatballs served with potato salad and leafy
greens and Marinated fruits with vanilla sauce. The
Smörgåsbord comes with a selection of freshly baked rye
brad, sourdough and crisp bread.
From the main
menu, you can choose modern European dishes with the Scandinavian
touch, and Danish specialities such as Flæskesteg med
Rødkål, Roast pork and crackling with red cabbage at
£12.50.
The
all-European wine list 'to cut down on wine miles and help reduce
carbon emission' says Charlotte, has several interesting choices. But
it's the Scandinavian beers and the Akvavit snaps you will want to
try at Madsen, including their own home-made Easter snap, brewed for
two weeks from vodka, liquorice root and orange zest. Brand new from
Rise microbrewery in the ?rø island off the coast of Denmark,
is the 'Easter Ale', smooth and round with hops character and deep
red in colour. Brewed on water, it uses Pale Ale, Crystal and Black
barley malts to achieve its unusual character.
At the
forefront of the Nordic cuisine revival currently enjoyed in London,
Madsen is inspired by the Scandinavian tradition of using wholesome,
raw and unprocessed ingredients to produce the finished dish. Menus
are seasonal and change every two months, combining traditional
dishes with a modern approach to European cooking. Nordic purists and
adventurous gourmets can enjoy Swedish Tuesdays and Danish
Wednesdays, when traditional dishes are offered as additional
choices. Madsen is open every lunchtime and dinner. Nearest tube:
South Kensington. Also check www.madsenrestaurant.com
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