E K S T E D T at the Yard

Niklas Ekstedt’s London outpost is a primal masterclass in ancient Nordic fire-cooking, where the unpredictable energy of birch and oak entirely replaces gas and electricity. The kitchen’s philosophy is best expressed through the signature oyster flambadou, where molten beef fat is dripped from a red-hot iron cone to sear the mollusk with a rich, animalic char. This technical rigor continues with juniper-smoked John Dory, its delicate flesh infused with a resinous aroma and paired with brown butter-roasted hispi cabbage. Texture is explored through the brittle snap of reindeer moss and crispy tunnbröd, while the hay-smoked mallard offers a deep, gamey musk balanced by fermented gooseberries. The meal concludes with a wood oven-baked Alaska, where the scent of elderflower meets the scorched sweetness of lingonberries. Each dish is a study in the dynamic interplay of smoke and ember, delivering a sophisticated yet rustic tasting journey.