Bjorn Frantzén was in London for one night only, pitching up at Bibendum’s on a tuesday night in May to do a collaboration with our Claude Bosi. I was rather excited about it, a dinner with two two leading lights in gastronomy at the peak of their powers, in the same very kitchen cooking the meal was something to experience.
However, the menu itself did cost half a kidney, at £280pp, plus service and drinks, we ended up paying about £414pp for this meal (we drank a bottle of 2009 Aligote from Leroy).
I have been very curious about Bjorn’s cuisine for a while now – all the photos of his dishes look top notch, grandiose French-Kaiseiki cuisine with peak condition produce from the ice cold waters around Scandinavia. Bjorn had brought the entire Stockholm team over, and they had split the kitchen and the pass into two halves. Franco was on side with Claude on their side of the pass, and Marcus Jenmark headed the other side.
As for the dinner – absolutely brilliant. Even with a sneak preview of his dishes, you can really see why this guy is Sweden’s first three star chef. Very curious about getting to Stockholm after this showing.. that is if I can get a table at Restaurant Frantzen.
As for Claude, I had very recently written about my recent meals at Bibendum, and really think he is ready for the 3 stars in the UK red guide. If I were the Bib, I’d dock 68RHR and ADAD and replace both with The Greenhouse, Bibendum and The Ledbury as London’s three stars. Too bad I’m not the Michelin Guide eh.
Descriptions and photos below.
1. Råraka
Team Frantzén
2. Crudo: Scotch scallop, salted plum & tomato water, radish, myoga and horseradish
Team Frantzén
3. Bibendum Egg – Peas, coconut and black lime
Team Bosi
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Spring iteration of Claude’s mainstay amuse bouche, that echos his time with Alain Passard. It’s always lovely, the coconut being the fixed point through the seasons. This is delicious, though I really like the earthy winter version with smoked celeriac puree and vanilla.
4. Chawanmushi with broth made from 100 day aged pork, pork rinds and caviar from a new supplier to the restaurant, a French oscietra.
Team Frantzén
Enveloped in incredibly deep umami, with clear hints of dry age funk in its cheese-like finish. The broth was not unlike a ramen tonkotsu, albeit one that is a clarified and ultracharged consommé.
5. Onion, liquorice and almonds.
Team Frantzén
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I included a video of Bjorn presenting this dish above, a version of it has remained on his menu since he started with Daniel in 2008. On paper it’s three humble ingredients, the onion being the starting point for almost everything, but the way he’s decided to cook the ingredients, bring them together, and his choice of textural contrasts resulted in a riveting experience of seemingly unending layer upon layer of interchanging savouriness, acidity, sweetness, salty, luxurious creaminess, incredibly all with the flavours of the primary products.
The deep, sweet onions, the off kilter liquorice and the crunch of the roasted nuts. At its core, this dish is comfort food, it’s a bowl of onions and nuts, but a spoonful of this ..🤯. The flavour extractions are mind boggling.
I can see why he’s kept this on ever since his debut. It was the best dish of the meal, an impressive demonstration of the team’s 🌟🌟🌟 caliber. If the guys can do this in someone else’s kitchen (albeit a very, very good one), it’s exciting to think of what they are pushing out in Stockholm.
Meanwhile, the wine pairing – a curious rainwater medium dry Madeira – was in perfect unison with the dish, and an inspired choice. A fairly fresh and pure style, with a touch of oxidative nuttiness to match the roasted nuts in the dish. The rainwater refers to way it is made, barrels left uncorked, allowing rainwater to seep and lighten the wine. Top drop by Carl Frosterud.
6. Nosotto of Mona Lisa potatoes, chicken oysters, 24 month Comte and Lancashire mead
Team Bosi
Not to be outdone, Claude and Franco sprung their latest nosotto (i.e. no-rice risotto) development. I remember having the sweetcorn version last fall, but this one is a totally killer dish.
Potatoes finely diced, and carefully cooked to an al dente texture, it mimicked a risotto, in an emulsified sauce fully imbued with buttery goodness, and the satisfying depth of the cheese. I love potatoes, in all the various prep, including as raw noodles, and this was something new that I could add to my taste memories. It really was superiorly comforting, the ultimate comfort food feels, leave me in a room with a spoon and couple of bowls of this, I would happily polish it all off and ask for more. To cut the richness, there is a dose of acidity, which I assume is from the mead gel, and a little freshness from citrus zest. Topped with the best cut of chicken, two nuggets from it’s back. To make something so special from humble ingredients. Stunning dish!
I really like where Claude’s cuisine is at right now, it’s happy medium between classic and modern. If he gets the promotion, it would be the right decision by the Bib.
7. Roasted Norwegian king crab, XO sauce, finger lime, yuzukosho beurre Blanc, chrysanthemum, London pine shoots, sea buckthorn and wild trout roe.
Team Frantzén
Chilli crab so to speak, with three star execution. There’s a light persistent spice, tempered by acidity, the firm trout roe and the sheer natural sweetness of the king crab. Like the rest of Frantzén’s dishes, this is finely crafted with wide gamut flavours, remarkably amplified by how harmonious they are weaved together.
8. Beef fillet cooked in Arabica coffee, pickled walnuts, macadamia nuts
Team Bosi
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I knew we were in store for something a little exciting with Claude on the meat course. I’ve seen Passard’s duck and coffee sauce, as well as Phil Howard’s beef ribs and espresso, never ate either, but there is no question that coffee has its place in savoury dishes.
No doubt Hibiscus fans will school me on the versions you’ve had at Maddox street. For me, it’s the first time seeing an entire fillet of beef steaming itself inside a dough sealed Dutch oven and under a mound of coffee beans like this .
First of all, the cuisson is perfect. The perfect temperature, moist, glaze-like, a rosy pink. The texture was loose, very tender and juicy. In terms of flavour, the coffee imparted a light acidity, and who knew that coffee harmonised so well with beef. Fillet being rather neutral in flavour was absolutely the right cut to infuse with flavour.
With a swipe of the pickled walnuts, the flavour reminded me of beef and tomatoes, and this contrast was delicious. If I am to be honest, personally, the coffee sauce seemed excessive, as a light jus with some more freshness would have sufficed for me, though it didn’t detract from the brilliance of the protein itself. It was seriously a pristinely cooked tenderloin. Beef so often is a boring choice for a taster menu, but not this one. A bold dish!
Supremely well balanced pudding, very refreshing and remimiscent of desserts in Asia with the use of pomelo.
10. White chocolate tart with coconut and… green asparagus and kalamata olive ganache.
…..yes I too was apprehensive seeing the vegetable in a pudding, but to my surprise, this was delicious! The coconut and white chocolate are the dominating flavours, the savoury elements there to create contrast with the sweet, and the overall profile then morphs into something redolent of kaya. With the texture of rolled coconut flesh, this experience reminded me of the varied flavours of “Tong Sui” 糖水, which depending on who makes it would feature a myriad of ingredients you wouldn’t think should be in pudding. If you know Hibiscus, then you know Claude has never been afraid to push the boundaries. In this case, a genius move that paid off tremendously. I loved it. Superb finish to a memorable collaboration. If you see this on the menu, take the plunge.
Bjorn Frantzén was in London for one night only, pitching up at Bibendum’s on a tuesday night in May to do a collaboration with our Claude Bosi. I was rather excited about it, a dinner with two two leading lights in gastronomy at the peak of their powers, in the same very kitchen cooking the meal was something to experience.
However, the menu itself did cost half a kidney, at £280pp, plus service and drinks, we ended up paying about £414pp for this meal (we drank a bottle of 2009 Aligote from Leroy).
I have been very curious about Bjorn’s cuisine for a while now – all the photos of his dishes look top notch, grandiose French-Kaiseiki cuisine with peak condition produce from the ice cold waters around Scandinavia. Bjorn had brought the entire Stockholm team over, and they had split the kitchen and the pass into two halves. Franco was on side with Claude on their side of the pass, and Marcus Jenmark headed the other side.
As for the dinner – absolutely brilliant. Even with a sneak preview of his dishes, you can really see why this guy is Sweden’s first three star chef. Very curious about getting to Stockholm after this showing.. that is if I can get a table at Restaurant Frantzen.
As for Claude, I had very recently written about my recent meals at Bibendum, and really think he is ready for the 3 stars in the UK red guide. If I were the Bib, I’d dock 68RHR and ADAD and replace both with The Greenhouse, Bibendum and The Ledbury as London’s three stars. Too bad I’m not the Michelin Guide eh.
Descriptions and photos below.
1. Råraka
Team Frantzén
2. Crudo: Scotch scallop, salted plum & tomato water, radish, myoga and horseradish
Team Frantzén
3. Bibendum Egg – Peas, coconut and black lime
Team Bosi
Spring iteration of Claude’s mainstay amuse bouche, that echos his time with Alain Passard. It’s always lovely, the coconut being the fixed point through the seasons. This is delicious, though I really like the earthy winter version with smoked celeriac puree and vanilla.
4. Chawanmushi with broth made from 100 day aged pork, pork rinds and caviar from a new supplier to the restaurant, a French oscietra.
Team Frantzén
Enveloped in incredibly deep umami, with clear hints of dry age funk in its cheese-like finish. The broth was not unlike a ramen tonkotsu, albeit one that is a clarified and ultracharged consommé.
5. Onion, liquorice and almonds.
Team Frantzén
I included a video of Bjorn presenting this dish above, a version of it has remained on his menu since he started with Daniel in 2008. On paper it’s three humble ingredients, the onion being the starting point for almost everything, but the way he’s decided to cook the ingredients, bring them together, and his choice of textural contrasts resulted in a riveting experience of seemingly unending layer upon layer of interchanging savouriness, acidity, sweetness, salty, luxurious creaminess, incredibly all with the flavours of the primary products.
The deep, sweet onions, the off kilter liquorice and the crunch of the roasted nuts. At its core, this dish is comfort food, it’s a bowl of onions and nuts, but a spoonful of this ..🤯. The flavour extractions are mind boggling.
I can see why he’s kept this on ever since his debut. It was the best dish of the meal, an impressive demonstration of the team’s 🌟🌟🌟 caliber. If the guys can do this in someone else’s kitchen (albeit a very, very good one), it’s exciting to think of what they are pushing out in Stockholm.
Meanwhile, the wine pairing – a curious rainwater medium dry Madeira – was in perfect unison with the dish, and an inspired choice. A fairly fresh and pure style, with a touch of oxidative nuttiness to match the roasted nuts in the dish. The rainwater refers to way it is made, barrels left uncorked, allowing rainwater to seep and lighten the wine. Top drop by Carl Frosterud.
6. Nosotto of Mona Lisa potatoes, chicken oysters, 24 month Comte and Lancashire mead
Team Bosi
Not to be outdone, Claude and Franco sprung their latest nosotto (i.e. no-rice risotto) development. I remember having the sweetcorn version last fall, but this one is a totally killer dish.
Potatoes finely diced, and carefully cooked to an al dente texture, it mimicked a risotto, in an emulsified sauce fully imbued with buttery goodness, and the satisfying depth of the cheese. I love potatoes, in all the various prep, including as raw noodles, and this was something new that I could add to my taste memories. It really was superiorly comforting, the ultimate comfort food feels, leave me in a room with a spoon and couple of bowls of this, I would happily polish it all off and ask for more. To cut the richness, there is a dose of acidity, which I assume is from the mead gel, and a little freshness from citrus zest. Topped with the best cut of chicken, two nuggets from it’s back. To make something so special from humble ingredients. Stunning dish!
I really like where Claude’s cuisine is at right now, it’s happy medium between classic and modern. If he gets the promotion, it would be the right decision by the Bib.
7. Roasted Norwegian king crab, XO sauce, finger lime, yuzukosho beurre Blanc, chrysanthemum, London pine shoots, sea buckthorn and wild trout roe.
Team Frantzén
Chilli crab so to speak, with three star execution. There’s a light persistent spice, tempered by acidity, the firm trout roe and the sheer natural sweetness of the king crab. Like the rest of Frantzén’s dishes, this is finely crafted with wide gamut flavours, remarkably amplified by how harmonious they are weaved together.
8. Beef fillet cooked in Arabica coffee, pickled walnuts, macadamia nuts
Team Bosi
I knew we were in store for something a little exciting with Claude on the meat course. I’ve seen Passard’s duck and coffee sauce, as well as Phil Howard’s beef ribs and espresso, never ate either, but there is no question that coffee has its place in savoury dishes.
No doubt Hibiscus fans will school me on the versions you’ve had at Maddox street. For me, it’s the first time seeing an entire fillet of beef steaming itself inside a dough sealed Dutch oven and under a mound of coffee beans like this .
First of all, the cuisson is perfect. The perfect temperature, moist, glaze-like, a rosy pink. The texture was loose, very tender and juicy. In terms of flavour, the coffee imparted a light acidity, and who knew that coffee harmonised so well with beef. Fillet being rather neutral in flavour was absolutely the right cut to infuse with flavour.
With a swipe of the pickled walnuts, the flavour reminded me of beef and tomatoes, and this contrast was delicious. If I am to be honest, personally, the coffee sauce seemed excessive, as a light jus with some more freshness would have sufficed for me, though it didn’t detract from the brilliance of the protein itself. It was seriously a pristinely cooked tenderloin. Beef so often is a boring choice for a taster menu, but not this one. A bold dish!
9. Frozen Corsican pomelo, Alphonso mango, creme fraiche and olive oil
Supremely well balanced pudding, very refreshing and remimiscent of desserts in Asia with the use of pomelo.
10. White chocolate tart with coconut and… green asparagus and kalamata olive ganache.
…..yes I too was apprehensive seeing the vegetable in a pudding, but to my surprise, this was delicious! The coconut and white chocolate are the dominating flavours, the savoury elements there to create contrast with the sweet, and the overall profile then morphs into something redolent of kaya. With the texture of rolled coconut flesh, this experience reminded me of the varied flavours of “Tong Sui” 糖水, which depending on who makes it would feature a myriad of ingredients you wouldn’t think should be in pudding. If you know Hibiscus, then you know Claude has never been afraid to push the boundaries. In this case, a genius move that paid off tremendously. I loved it. Superb finish to a memorable collaboration. If you see this on the menu, take the plunge.
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