The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema & Tv
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
      • Shows
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureFood & DrinksRestaurant & bar reviews

Fika at the Harcourt: Swedish afternoon tea in Marylebone

Fika at the Harcourt: Swedish afternoon tea in Marylebone | Review
15 June 2016
Daniel Masters
Avatar
Daniel Masters
15 June 2016

Food

Daniel Masters4

Fika at the Harcourt

BarQuick & easyCasual foodFine dining
QUICKCASUALFINE DINING

Concept

Casual dining

Cuisine

Other - Casual dining

Highlights

Cinnamon Buns

Links

InstagramTwitterWebsiteMap

At first glance, the Harcourt seems much the same as ever: still bare red bricks, still tucked away right on the corner of the entrance to Marylebone, still proud of its Swedish roots. The green signage has given way to a more stylish black, and the “Arms” part of the previous name has been dropped, but other than that it’s still the same old Georgian townhouse pub. That is, until you step inside. Something is different here, though it’s hard to pinpoint what. Maybe it’s the fine range of wine being served on fashionable tables, maybe the walls have seen a lick of paint, but there’s a newfound touch of elegance that sits well with its esteemed location.

Whilst the changes to the ground floor are subtle, those made to the function room upstairs are not. It’s undergone less of a makeover than a full on metamorphosis. Ivory walls and long sash windows pour light into a room dominated by the sweeping dark wood table and chairs at its heart. It’s the type of dining room that will lend a sense of grandeur to any event or dinner held here, without ever seeming stuffy or overly formal – as do the beautifully plated dishes. The collection of Melody Rose fine chinaware only accentuates the effortless style the Harcourt is striving for, a seamless melding of British tradition and Scandinavian cool. So it’s of little surprise to find those same influences dominating the Fika, a Swedish version of afternoon tea.

Thick slices of rye bread, enriched with nuts and seeds, have a wonderful depth of flavour and a close crumb that brings to mind the idea of a savoury tea loaf as much as it does the traditional Scandinavian staple. It’s the perfect foil for thin slices of gravlax, replacing the sandwiches normally found at an English afternoon tea. Pickled herring is surprisingly mild, eschewing pungency to play with the contrast of sweet flesh and tart vinegar. A selection of cheeses from esteemed monger Androuet is well balanced, if not especially remarkable. and served with quince paste and rye crackers. Reindeer scotch eggs are cooked to perfection, the liquid gold of their yolks oozing out to coat a deliciously crisp crumb. The reindeer meat itself is tender and delicious, although a little lacking in gaminess.

Any good afternoon tea wouldn’t be complete without pastries of course. Boards piled with danishes litter the table, their rich golden pastry contrasting beautifully with the tang of the fruit at their centre. The stars of the show, though, are the traditional cinnamon buns. A Swedish classic, their crisp outer shells give way to pillowy rings of pastry lined with a sweet cinnamon paste. They make the humble Chelsea bun look like a mere pretender by comparison.

The tea itself comes in a number of different variations – Assam, English breakfast, camomile and various other floral flavours all make an appearance. The real drink to watch though is the High Garden, a mixture of gin, rose and violet. It might read like an especially fine bar of soap, but the taste is excellent, starting off with the kick of juniper, fading into the softness of rose then perking back up for a lingering zing of violet. It’s a drink that revels in its own simplicity, emblematic of the overall style of the Harcourt. No need for thrills or tricks, just a few excellent ingredients and a reliance on nothing more or less than minimalistic elegance.

★★★★★

Daniel Masters

To book a table for Fika at the Harcourt, 32 Harcourt Street London W1H 4HX call 020 3771 8660 or visit here.

Related Itemsfeaturedreview

More in Food & Drinks

Spotlight: Lauren Everet and Soup Kitchen London, striving for food security and social equality

Ezelle Alblas
Read More

Celebrate Margarita Day at home with these simple yet sophisticated cocktails

The editorial unit
Read More

From high-altitude service to high-end delivery: Daniel Hulme’s One Fine Dine packs gourmet flavours into a fun and fuss-free experience

Rosamund Kelby
Read More

Go global this pancake day with ten recipes from around the world

Rosamund Kelby
Read More

Last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts for an intimate at-home bar experience

The editorial unit
Read More

Opso at home: Impressive Greek-inspired dishes perfect for sharing

Alex Julie Woods
Read More

The best Valentine’s Day meal deliveries for a romantic night in

The editorial unit
Read More

Delicious Chinese New Year deliveries to welcome in the year of the Ox

The editorial unit
Read More

The best food and drink for an indulgent Valentine’s Day

The editorial unit
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Food

Daniel Masters4

Fika at the Harcourt

BarQuick & easyCasual foodFine dining
QUICKCASUALFINE DINING

Concept

Casual dining

Cuisine

Other - Casual dining

Highlights

Cinnamon Buns

Links

InstagramTwitterWebsiteMap

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Creation Stories
    ★★★★★
    Film festivals
  • Detroit Stories – Alice Cooper
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Judas and the Black Messiah
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Gatsby at Cadogan Hall: An interview with Jodie Steele and Ross William Wild
    Theatre
  • Laura Mvula – Under a Pink Moon
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Back to the Wharf
    ★★★★★
    Film festivals
  • I’m Your Man (Ich bin dein Mensch)
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • We (Nous)
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Language Lessons
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Moon, 66 Questions
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • We (Nous)
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Bicep at Saatchi Gallery Online
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • The Winter Lake
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Spotlight: Lauren Everet and Soup Kitchen London, striving for food security and social equality
    Food & Drinks
  • Da Capo
    ★★★★★
    Film festivals
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Gertrude: The Cry at Theatre N16 | Theatre review
Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre | Theatre review