At the gateway to the bustling city of London, a restaurant with panoramic views and a Michelin-starred chef offers a fresh take on traditional Nordic cuisine.
The Food
In such a multicultural city, it is difficult to bring something new to the table, but Chef Henrik Ritzen does just that. Henrik uses traditional techniques, such as fermenting and pickling in-house, which is labour that very few take the time to do anymore. He also uses seasonal ingredients to further elevate the experience, seen reflected in his dishes of fallow deer with celeriac and sour-pickled blackberries, and the sea trout crudo, with fresh fennel, horseradish yoghurt, and citrus dressing.
The fallow deer is one of his specialities. The deer meat is lean and doesn’t have the fat that is usually found on a beef steak; it is also firm yet tender, and because the deer is young, it also has an underlying sweetness that pairs well with the contrasting sour-pickled blackberries.
Another favourite is the baked scallop, parsley, and garlic butter starter. A classic dish that allows the scallop to maintain its soft buttery texture internally while having a firm outside from being baked. When combined with the parsley and garlic butter, it adds a savoury contrast to the natural sweetness of the shellfish with a light herbal taste.
Their dish with one of the most complexly layered profiles is their spatchcock quail, draped in cherry molasses with crushed pistachio on top. The flavours of the dish are rich with a slightly gamey undertone from the quail, a nuttiness from the pistachios, and a tart sweetness from the cherry molasses that is drizzled around the dish to look like an edible Jackson Pollock painting.
The plates at Wagtail are made not only to look delicious, but also artistic and elegant. Desserts rock too. A rich taste of their smooth and velvety dark chocolate mousse, combined with the topping of the tangy sweetness of the Seville orange curd, is a great way to end the experience.
The Wine, Cocktail, and Cigar Selection
Wagtail also boasts a large wine selection as well as cocktails specifically made and selected to accompany their cuisine. To ensure their cocktails are updated just as much as their cuisine, they hold an annual internal Mixmaster event where their team can create their own speciality drinks. The top three winners are then featured on the cocktail list until the next competition, where they will have to defend their spot on the menu by coming up with something even more extraordinary.
Among their cocktail, wine, and food offerings lies something unexpected: their cigar menu. To add to the dining experience, Wagtail offers cigars ranging from Cuban to New World. The cigar list boasts a wide variety of aromas and strengths that can be paired nicely with various drink offerings and work well with the traditional European flavors of the food.
One of the most luxurious cigars that they offer is the Cohiba Siglo VI, which is a medium-strength Cuban cigar with aromas of honey, leather, and overall sweeter tones.
The Chef Behind it All
Chef Henrik Ritzen is able to transfer his taste for fresh ingredients into his menus by incorporating seasonal ingredients, and uses inspiration from his upbringing to tie Nordic flavours into his dishes.
Once in London, he immediately began his career working for Shane Osborne, who later became two-Michelin-starred at Pied à Terre. After his time under Shane, he focused on honing his technical skills at Blueprint Café with Jeremy Lee and The Square with Philip Howard. Henrik then landed his very first Head Chef role in 2004 at The Anglesea Arms in Hammersmith. He further cemented himself in the culinary world when he was Executive Chef at Aquavit London and led the restaurant to earn a Michelin star just ten months after opening. He then spent four years further developing his skills in open-fire cooking while leading The Double Red Duke. He has now brought everything he has learned throughout his life to Wagtail, where his dishes focus on using traditional Nordic flavors and seasonal ingredients.
The View from the Top
Wagtail spans two floors and has a terrace that allows you to take in panoramic views of London. Two notable landmarks that can be seen from the restaurant are the iconic London Bridge and the Monument & St. Paul’s Cathedral. However, if it is too rainy, the inside dining area is also beautiful.
The interior design of the space matches the Art Deco style of the exterior with bold pops of emerald green and plum purple, with a mix of modern and traditional light fixtures adding to the ambience. If you are a fan of brunch, this is a fun place to go. The Wagtail brunch menu has sweet options, including their French toast topped with blueberry compote, crème fraîche, and fresh berries; and their Nutella cruffin with whipped cream and a hazelnut crumble. For savoury lovers, they have options such as the Turkish eggs on sourdough with labneh and vegan nduja, and their smoked salmon cruffin with lemon cream cheese, poached egg, and hollandaise.
Chef Henrik has brought an unforgettable dining experience with beautiful views. Wagtail is a place for us to rise above the bustling city of London, while still enjoying its scenery, and share a meal that encompasses the flavours of Henrik.
For more information, visit Wagtail London
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All Images Courtesy of Wagtail London.