New restaurant Aster launches Nordic afternoon tea

The delicate traditions of cucumber finger sandwiches, scones and strawberry jam have been replaced by the likes of rye bread, pickles and lingonberries
No arctic roll: the Nordic afternoon tea at Aster will feature rye bread and pickles
Jeremy Selwyn

It is arguably Britain’s most genteel contribution to world cuisine but now the classic afternoon tea is being given a rugged Nordic makeover.

The delicate traditions of cucumber finger sandwiches, scones and strawberry jam have been replaced by the more robust tastes and textures of rye bread, pickles and lingonberries.

Finnish chef Helena Puolakka has designed a £20 Nordic afternoon tea menu, including classically Scandinavian open sandwiches, at her new restaurant opening in Victoria today.

Savoury options include Swedish speciality Atlantic prawn skagen on seeded rye or shredded duck and pickles on sourdough. The cakes include cardamom knot buns and the Finnish classic, Cake Runeberg, with blood orange jam.

It is the latest “re-imagining” of a meal that has taken the culinary world by storm in recent years with versions inspired by Japanese, American Deep South and New York diner cooking.

The best afternoon tea in London

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The two-storey restaurant, called Aster, is launching at the Nova development near Victoria station at the heart of a £2 billion makeover of the area.

Aster has a 161-seat deli and café on the ground floor and 122 cover restaurant and cocktail bar upstairs where Arctic charr and hot smoked Greenland prawns will be on the menu.

The private dining room will host a monthly an experiential five course dinner called Series Of Senses, at which virtual reality goggles will transport diners to Finland listening to the sounds of the sea.

Visit standard.co.uk/restaurants for the latest news and reviews from London’s food scene.

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