Lunch at Studio Frantzén, London
I suffer from an affliction which I believe many Londoners do - it's the kind where we're always striving to discover the next big thing laced with a slight hint of one-upmanship (let’s all admit it). In this city where eating establishments open and close with with worrying regularity, there's a relentless scramble to get there first, to tell your friends before they tell you and to savour the experience during that trending sweetspot. This dining destination, however, is anything but transitory.
Having opened in October to much fanfare and high expectation, Studio Frantzén has generated a palpable buzz from its lofty Knightsbridge location and from my experience is living up to it’s ‘iconic’ billing
Lauded as the world’s sixth-best chef with six Michelin stars between his flagship restaurant Frantzén in Stockholm, and Zén in Singapore, Björn Frantzén has taken the capital by storm from his outpost on the rooftop of the world’s most famous department store. Frantzén started his career as a chef in the Swedish army before working at Chez Nico in London, Arpège in Paris and Edsbacka Krog in Stockholm. He then launched Frantzén Lindeberg in 2008. With a focus on Nordic cuisine with Asian overtones, Studio Frantzén has opted for a more relaxed offering with an à la carte menu peppered with Björn’s world-famous flair: class gastronomy, bold flavours, and an informed respect for balance.
The best things come in twos, and I would have visited twice by 2023; one for a leisurely lunch on Christmas Eve , and another for New Years Eve. There was no fussiness when we walked in, and, given the high atrium, I was pleasantly surprised by how quaint the dining room was, since most of the tables were taken. Clever acoustics. The walls are all adorned with patterns and motifs from Björn’s signature crockery collection, creating a whimsical feel with that contemporary luxury that the brand is so famed for. An open, black-tiled and gleaming kitchen showcased the chefs gliding seamlessly around each other in perfect harmony.
OK so enough general gushing, some details. Service, from the moment we entered to the moment we left, was flawless. Nothing was too much trouble; requests for champagne top-ups and more bread instantaneously materialized; the staff ever eager to please. The menu reads like a bucket list of things I just really want to eat, and when the waitress came to take our order, she spent 10 minutes walking us through the menu with just the right amount of detail to aid our selection.
Warm laminated milk bread à la croissant with blond miso butter & borage honey arrived to kick off the meal. And what a kick-off this was, the bread was crispy and warm and tasted heavenly with melting miso butter. Several baskets were obligatory.
Is there much more pleasing than Orkney scallops with black winter truffle? I'd say no. These were cooked with crispy lichens and smoked pea soy on a bed of scrambled duck egg and topped with shavings of the truffle. We made light work of this. The cold poached Cornish lobster sat glistening in a pond of tomato water with a menagerie of marinated physalis, pink peppercorns, almond, mint and lemon verbena. A tinge of Tahiti vanilla made the starter sing, and a satisfying chorus of appreciation soon followed. It was just that good.
Roasted Orkney scallops
Scrambled duck egg´s, black winter truffle, beurre noisette, crispy lichens & smoked pea soy
Cold poached Cornish lobster
Tomato water, marinated physalis, pink peppercorns, almond, mint, lemon verbena & Tahiti vanilla
Next, the mains. And mains there were. I opted for the hallmark dish Sweden vs Japan, (not to be confused with events in Qatar) which comprised of braised beef brisket and grilled Japanese wagyu. This unlikely fusion is just magical, the wagyu had the sweetest coating I've encountered on such a piece of meat, and the brisket below melted in the mouth. The lemongrass jus & Japanese mustard married the protein perfectly, and I swore I would be back again to reenact for a rematch.
Sweden vs Japan
Braised beef brisket, grilled Japanese wagyu, lemongrass jus & Japanese mustard
The chef’s signature steamed turbot “Janssons temptation” & Koshihikari rice with crispy onions was served with butter sauce à la Sandefjord flavoured with preserved anchovy juice and three kinds of caviar. The dish danced on the tongue; rich flavours of butter sauce with the caviar was served in a hot foam jus, whilst the clean, fresh sweetness lay in the chives and onion. A scoop of the rice ensured no trace of this delicacy remained. We ordered sides of enoki oyster mushrooms laced with shiro kombu and cloudberry & orange glazed tonda di parigi (carrots), which were the cutest things I have ever seen.
I sadly only had eyes for my own wagyu plate - and forgot to take a photo of it individually. You can see it peeking out above in the foreground.
After such a rich and flavoursome main course, the simple caramelised banana with rum- raisin ice cream & frozen foie gras was simple and cleansing. A glass of champagne was then offered which complimented perfectly. As I had little room for much else after the main acts, I opted for the freshly baked madeleines with beurre noisette & Kyoto miso; a plate of contrasting textures, sweet but not too, and full of autumnal warmth in flavour. Our table was awash with desserts and judging by the envious glances our one-upmanship was still intact.
Freshly baked madeleines
Beurre noisette & Kyoto miso
So, I think you can gather that I liked Studio Frantzén a lot. Björn Frantzén’s Harrods outpost is the addition to the finer-dine food scene our city didn’t know it needed. This was one of the best meals I've had so far this year in London; it eased me into the festivities gently with plenty of rich, earthy flavours, executed elegantly. I don't mourn the hot stickiness of summer anymore - bring on more slow-cooked stews, rich game, and - most importantly - hot booze. I'm ready. The new year will see me drumming my fingers until I get to visit again.
Thank you very much to Sophie, Andréa and the Studio Frantzén team for two incredible experiences. I will be revisiting imminently.
Address: 87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge Fifth Floor, Harrods, London SW1X 7XL