Texture, Icelandic Michelin experience in London

Cold January started with a very stylish lunch.  Once again my carriage arrived and swiftly took me to meet Nespresso at Texture, a Michelin-starred restaurant by Chef Agnar Sverrisson and Xavier Rousset. The restaurant is serving modern European fare with strong Scandinavian and Icelandic influences using locally British sourced ingredients.The restaurant is beautifully set in a white double fronted house, just off Portman Square, London.  Clean lines, aesthetic pleasing, welcoming staff, what else could I ask for?  Well, a surprise launch of new Nespresso decaffeinated grand crus.

Chef Agnar Sverrisson prepared a magnificent menu where he used no diary in the dishes; that was to highlight that recipes can be enjoyed without key ingredients  and without compromising in taste.  Like the new Nespresso Decaffeinated that we tasted at the end of the meal, we couldn’t tell there was no caffeine, still holding an extraordinary taste! Nespresso Grand Cru decaffeinated

Texture, icelandic michelin star, michelin star in London
We started with a glass (ok, maybe two) of champagne and very elegant appetizers of paper thin flat breads and crispy fish skins served with dill dip, olive oil  and black lava salt. I simply could not resist and eat more than I should have. Simple and delicious.
Texture, icelandic michelin star, michelin star in London
Amuse bouche: crusty bread served with  fine olive oil (no butter-no diary!) and black lava salt, pumpkin soup topped with crunch hazelnut. Just a quick explanation about lava salt: a sea salt blended and colored with activated charcoal – for decoration purposes. Still It was very good introduction to what has to be  the lightest meal and yet satisfying I had lately.
Texture, icelandic michelin star, michelin star in London
Vegetarian : New Season Colchester Bay Beetroots with goat’s milk, pistachio and herbs – looked very pretty  – it was on offer but I had the scallops instead.

 

Scottish scallops : coconut cream, ginger, lime leaf, smallest mushrooms ever and lemongrass cold mouli snow doted with caju nuts – perfectly cooked and I enjoyed the snow and the light coconut background.

 

Texture, icelandic michelin star, michelin star in London
Icelandic lightly salted cod, bisque of prawns, delicious barley, grapefruit and tiny capers that gave the dish a small sour note that went very well with the fish. This dish was amazing, light and beautifully colourful. Note that is not salt cod, like the Portuguese bacalhau, its another method, that gives a firmess to the fish, a gorgeous dish.

 

Texture, icelandic michelin star, michelin star in London
palate cleanser : herby granita – refreshing!

 

Texture, icelandic michelin star, michelin star in London
 Icelandic skyr ice cream and mousse, skyr is a low-fat dairy product with texture and taste resembles strained yogurt. Back to the dish sprinkles of rye breadcrumbs decorated the plate, together with a thinly sliced fennel ribbon, fennel seeds and perfectly poached apples complete this dessert. It was breakfast for dessert moment. Love it!
a bow of petit-fours : cardamom truffles, pistachio Madeleines, macarons and a minty  meringue lollipop

 

Texture, icelandic michelin star, michelin star in London

 

The meal finished with Nespresso new decaffeinated grand cru – my one was arpeggio decafeinato, ristretto size (25ml) – brilliant finish! Thanks to Nespresso for hosting such a wonderful launch of their new range of decaffeinated coffees. Read more about my personal experience at home with Nespresso decaffeinated coffees here

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3 Comments

  1. Pasta Bites
    January 31, 2015 / 1:48 pm

    What a fantastic lunch we had!

  2. February 3, 2015 / 10:39 pm

    Indeed! It was a revelation! great place too

  3. January 30, 2016 / 7:50 pm

    Wow, it looks lovely here. My housemate has been to Iceland several times and he loves their food, so I will be sharing this post with him 🙂