108 - Copenhagen

One of the attractions of a short new year break to Denmark's capital city, Copenhagen (Kobenhavn) is the opportunity to experience their amazing culinary skills particularly with seafood. 

Nordic food has become fashionable in recent years featuring in several TV shows and reviews. Scientific Research at the University of Copenhagen has found traditional Scandinavian cuisine to be every bit as healthy as its Mediterranean counterpart with emphasis on locally sourced fresh produce and delicate preparation.

We started our tour at 108 which is sited in a former whale meat warehouse with floor-to-ceiling windows and water views; bare concrete and a semi-open kitchen giving it a cool Nordic style.

108 sprung from the world-renowned restaurant, Noma, whose Head Chef and recipient of 2 Michelin stars, Rene Redzepi, is often cited as the founder of the New Nordic Cuisine. The Chef at 108 is Kristian Baumann, once an apprentice of Redzepi, who now also boasts a Michelin star for his success at the restaurant.


Arriving on a cold wet evening we were warmly welcomed by the friendly and attentive staff who recommended a Gin & Tonic using this Scandinavian gin from Nordic Spirits Lab.  Infused with Aqvavit botanicals we were equally enthused by its great flavour - so much so that we purchased a couple of bottles at the airport to bring home. Akvavit traditionally contains coriander, angelica and lemon peel but it is the caraway and dill which really adds the the Nordic essence to this refreshing gin.


The menu offers plenty of pickled, cured and fermented ingredients on the 'no rules' menu, from which you pick as many dishes as you like. On recommendation from our table staff, all of whom were extremely well informed about the ingredients and preparation of every dish, we chose a selection of smaller plates and then one larger plate to share.  Every dish was beautifully crafted visually and each one contained its own flavoursome character.  Combined with their own freshly baked bread we were completely satisfied both in terms of appetite and flavours.

Glazed Pork with last year's Pickles

The Glazed Pork was 'melt-in-the-mouth' balanced with the acidity of the pickles. Last year's pickles are more mellow than fresh pickles and have a wonderfully dry chewy texture with lots of flavour.  

Raw Shrimp, Mushroom and White Currant

Jerusalem Artichoke with Caviar

The Raw Shrimp was incredibly flavoursome being lightly cured in the oil and white currant dressing.  The delicate white mushrooms, thinly sliced and arranged like the petals of a flower were a perfect match with the prawns and white currant.



Jerusalem Artichoke combines so well with the Royal Belgian Caviar to give exciting texture contrasts and flavour combinations.

Brown Beech Mushrooms with Smoked Egg Yolk

Our larger sharing plate was Brown Beech Mushrooms with Smoked Egg Yolk and Grilled Greens. Also known as Buna shimeji (Hypsizygus tessellatus), it is an edible mushroom native to East Asia but it is cultivated locally in temperate climates in Europe where it grows mainly on Beech trees.  Although bitter when raw, once cooked they are considered to be one of the most flavoursome of all the edible mushrooms. They were dusted in seaweed and dried mushroom before flash frying to give a Tempura style.  Crunchy, nutty and full of flavour they were perfectly paired with the subtle Smoked Egg Yolk sauce.  The grilled Greens were fresh and light  and topped with thin slices of grilled Butternut Squash.  Now, I am not a huge fan of the Butternut but I could eat these all day long.

All in all we had four smaller plates and one larger one, freshly baked bread and a couple of glasses of Sauvignon Blanc.  Together with 2 G&Ts and filtered water the bill came to £200 which is not cheap but so worth it for an exciting night out enjoying good food in a great restaurant.

Aqua Shard, London

The Shard, London

The Shard, designed by award winning architect, Renzo Piano, spans 72 floors and is the tallest building in Western Europe rising 310m (1016 ft) above the London skyline.

The two latest culinary offerings at the iconic Shard building in London are from the Hong Kong based Aqua restaurant group.  Aqua Shard reviewed here offers contemporary British cuisine from the 31st floor whereas Aqua Hutong (one floor up) is top quality Chinese.  

The location is undeniably stunning with incredible 360 degree views of London further enhanced by the use of copious glass and mirrors to provide a spacious and light interior with incredible views from almost every angle.  Attention to detail is obvious from table positioning to the use of glass walled 'private' dining areas to reduce noise but maximise light. Even the urinals in the Gents have been strategically placed to maximise the view !

Aqua Restaurant Group is the brainchild of ex-Credit Suisse Finance Lawyer, David Yeo and his silent partner, Richard Ward.  They now boast 21 restaurants spread across London, Hong Kong and Beijing, each featuring elegant decor and exciting venues in keeping with David's vision.  They have plans to open more as they move onwards and upwards from their humble beginnings in Hollywood Road, Hong Kong in 2000.  

Iconic settings can often lead to a disappointing eating experience whereby the venue draws the customers so the food is secondary.  However, in the case of Aqua Shard I can vouch that, in my experience, this is not the case.  Chef Anthony Garlando, protege of Michelin 3-star chef Pierre Gagnare, does not disappoint in terms of menu selection, presentation and flavour. We opted, of course, for seafood and I can honestly say that it was some of the best I have ever tasted so the elegant surroundings and stunning views were a real bonus.

Loch Duart Salmon

Grilled Octopus & Mackerel

For starters we had Confit of Loch Duart Salmon with Dorset Crab, Avocado, Pepper Puree, Courgette and Oscietra Caviar. Beautifully crafted it was a delight on the eye and on the palate.  The delicate flavour of this superb salmon combined perfectly with a generous quenelle of the crabmeat and the salty spark of the caviar.  Our other starter was Grilled Octopus and Scottish Mackerel with Tomato Sorbet, Pickled Shallots, Aubergine Dressing and Crispy Potato.  The flavours were more intense in this starter but the combination of the tomato sorbet with the lightly cooked mackerel was perfect and the texture of the grilled Octopus added yet another dimension to this flavourful dish.  The addition of fresh herbs such as Sorrel was another sign of Chef Garlando's skill.

Dover Sole

Roasted Halibut

Our mains were Roasted Halibut and Grilled Dover Sole. The halibut was served on a bed of cockles with pumpkin, Swiss chard and a grilled langoustine.  The Dover Sole was served on the bone but was perfectly skinned and trimmed.  It came with an interesting combination of cubes of Iberico ham, cuttlefish, broad beans and a light foamy sauce of Luscombe Devon Cider. The combination of sweet and salty worked well with the firm meaty texture of the sole.  




All-in-all Aqua Shard was a memorable experience which we would like to repeat soon.  Prices are what you would expect for an up-market restaurant but still represent value for money when you consider the quality.  The view is a real bonus for free !

New years eve in Florence

Arancine of cuttlefish

Enjoyed a wonderful New Years Eve at the Frescobaldi restaurant at Piazza della Signoria in Florence. The 9 course menu was was superb with a selection of stunning wines to accompany including a bottle of Spumante for each table to celebrate at midnight.

Seafood dishes included Arancine (which literally means 'an orange which has fallen from the tree') of durum wheat stuffed with cuttlefish and diced vegetable and served on a disk of yellow squash.  The durum wheat 'semolina', similiar to large cous cous, was soaked in the cuttlefish ink which provided texture and flavour.

Sauteed scallops

The scallops sauteed in black butter and Rosemary with green onion compote, rice balls and steamed shrimp with caviar were a superb combination accompanied by the 2003 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino.

After the midnight celebration there was a raffle for bottles of the wines we had enjoyed during the night and we won 2 bottles of the 40 Altari 2006, Vin Santo del Chianti D.O.C. (dessert wine) and a magnum of the Toscana I.G.T. red , Tenuta Luce della Vite, Lucente 2007.  As we were flying back to London with only hand luggage we donated our winnings to the hard working staff at the restaurant so we hope you enjoyed it !

A four and a half hour dinner to celebrate the new year of 2012 !