Soren Jessen to launch new London restaurant

Danish-born banker-turned-restaurateur Soren Jessen is to launch a new restaurant, to be called Borealis, in London' Borough next month.

The opening will come as Jessen's City venue 1 Lombard Street celebrates its 20th anniversary and follows on from the launch in April this year of Ekte Nordic Kitchen in the Bloomberg Arcade in London.

Borealis will launch in conjunction with serviced office provider Fora and will be a business in two parts, with a 120-seat restaurant and ‘to go' café area on the ground floor, as well as a double-height ceilinged 20-seat private room and terrace on the fifth floor.

Swedish-born head chef Robin Freeman has created a menu showcasing traditional Nordic cooking employing techniques such as marinating, curing, smoking and pickling.

Typical dishes will include starters (from £7-9.50) including: snaps-cured mackerel with juniper, orange, dill and shaved fennel; and smoked ox tongue with sea buckthorn, pickled beetroot, allium flowers and rye crumbs.

Main courses (£12-£24) will include frikadeller (veal and pork meatballs) with mashed potato lingonberries and quick-pickled cucumber; and roast cod with brown butter and roast cauliflower.

The café area will open at 7am with Danish pastries, a range of smørrebrød (Danish open-face sandwiches), and coffee by Allpress.

A central bar within the restaurant will have 20 seats and serve classic cocktails alongside a selection of Scandinavian options and a 50-bin wine list.

Jessen, who also runs the 1776 restaurant which adjoins 1 Lombard Street, said: "Borough has become such a vibrant, exciting and energetic area of London - and what Fora have created with this new site, just 300 or so yards from Borough Market, is absolutely suited to the neighbourhood. We are delighted to partner with Fora to launch a restaurant, bar and several private events spaces within their new building - all of which are a celebration the very best of Nordic food, drink and design."

Borealis will be open daily and will open from 730am for breakfast through to 11pm on Monday to Friday. On Saturday it will open from 10am until 11pm, and on Sunday from 10am to5pm. The Borealis Café and ‘to go' area will be available from Monday-Friday from 7am-7pm.

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