have eaten at the two star aquavit in new york recently, so was very excited to have a meal in the new london outpost.
the dining room is a lot more open and less intimate than it's new york counterpart. there are very high ceilings, a moderate noise level, and a lively vibe. the menu looks to be a bit simpler than it's new york counterpart at a pretty steep price point that is typical of this area.
blood pudding, melted lardo, lingonberries (7/10) - the blood pudding was well made. it was seasoned well, and was bursting with minerality. i found the lardons to be an odd addition, as a cured, salty fat is not something you'd think of to be paired with blood pudding. however, with the addition of the lingonberries, the dish was balanced and delicious.
herrings 3 ways (6/10) - i love herrings. these were all ofgoodquality, but they all seemed a bit too similar to one another. the curry serving had largely similar flavor profiles to the mustard. the baby quiche was delicious. the eggy mixture within it was a perfectly set and delicate custard. the crust was buttery with a pleasing granular texture.
foie gras parfait (7/10) - this was a very simple an adequate version of a dish that is often seen on menus. the aspic above provided much needed textural intrigue while balancing the fattiness of the foie.
mackeral tartare (8/10) - the fish here was expertly cut and of high quality. the chosen accoutrements were worthy team players as the greenery did well to contrast with the fishy and oily mackerel. the generous dollop of caviar added much needed salt and ocean to the dish.
crab and fennel salad (6/10) - i found this dish to be adequate, yet boring. the bread was a bit dry. the crab was ofgoodquality, and the pickled fennel was punchy enough.
langoustines in shellfish broth (6/10) - i found the langoustines to be a tad over for my liking. the root vegetables perhaps a bit too crisp for me. however the broth was incredibly rich and bursting with shellfish flavor.
swedish meatballs (6/10) - well it would've been a crime to not give these a shot. i found the meat to be a bit on the dry side. i think the meatballs could have used a tad bit more fat. the potato puree however was lovely. velvety smooth and very generously ladened with butter. the pickled cucumber and lingonberries seemed almost unnecessary with how lean the meatballs seemed to be.
duck breast and parsnips (8/10) - the duck was beautifully prepared with just enough chew left to the fat. the root vegetables prepared in various ways paired perfectly with the duck and rich pan sauce.
salted codfish (4/10) - i found this to be overly salty, even for salted cod. the emulsion that dressed the cod was also quite salty. the green puree beneath it could not do much to relieve me from the salt bomb.
my meal at aquavit was good, and certainly ahead of the curb as far as new openings in london lately. however, if i were to compare it to the 2 star michelin in new york, it would seem that this one is a few leagues below and not exactly what it aims to do anyway.