Jamie Lee takes over Ekte to celebrate Kødbyens Fiskebar’s beautiful Nordic cuisine

Last Saturday, chef Jamie Lee staged a pop-up lunch and dinner at Ekte Nordic Kitchen in the Bloomberg Arcade. Lee brought some of the fish dishes he has made his speciality at Fiskebar to London, bringing their staff from Copenhagen – even the waiters.

The menu for the evening was focused on the provenance of each dish, with fish from around the British Isles and the Scandinavian Peninsula. The most spectacular offering was a hand-dived, 14-year-old mussel from the Faroe Islands. The unique water temperature, of between six and eight degrees, of Faroes make these mussels special, which are then kept alive in fish tanks at the restaurant. The produce was shipped directly from Fiskebar to Ekte.

Each dish’s wine pairing was thoughtfully designed by the Fiskebar staff, and the waiters were well-briefed about the offerings. The most balanced pairing was between a Kattegat brill with smoked mussels and seaweed and a Grüner Veltliner from M & A Andorfer in Austria. The raw squid with chicken wing dashi and kohlrabi proved another highlight.

The dessert was similarly impressive: a Norfolk salsify with lemon and hempseed. The citrus element offered just the right note of refreshing sharpness without ever overtaking the dish.

It is clear that Lee and founder Anders Selmer, who was also on site, are masters of fish. Their knowledge of seafood and cooking techniques was shown at every stage. The unity of the pop-up was especially admirable, a product of the Copenhagen team coming to London together. While some takeover dinners feel out of place, Fiskebar’s event had an authentic, relaxed feeling: the perfect example of a successful pop-up night.

The editorial unit
Photos: Filippo L’Astorina