Köd Soho: A New Danish Steakhouse Experience | My Soho Times

This article was originally published in the Autumn print issue of My Soho Times magazine. View it ONLINE HERE!

Köd Review – Gillian Smith goes for the full Danish experience!

Soho has seen some turbulent times during the past few years, and such ‘slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’ (as the Bard himself once noted) do tend, sadly, to sound a death knell to less robust dining establishments.  But be of good cheer, Soho and its denizens are famous for their ability to regenerate, which is particularly fortunate in the case of No. 2, St Anne’s Court.

The location, a prime restaurant spot, has been through a number of recent reincarnations on which we shall not dwell, but move swiftly along to the latest – brand spanking-new Danish steakhouse, Köd (which means meat). I’m ashamed to say when I first heard the name, I immediately thought of fish… but then my knowledge of Danish is pretty minimal. After an evening spent enjoying an almost wholly carnivorous experience, this is not a mistake I will make again.

KÖD – THE SEQUEL

Köd is in fact Köd 2, the first version being successfully launched on the City’s Devonshire Square in 2023. On the grounds that it’s not just hungry financial workers who need to wire into a massive steak, we in Soho are now in possession of our very own hygge-in-beef-form at the aforementioned location.

With this in mind my companion (actually my daughter) and I ventured forth to try out the menu. Full disclosure here, I’m not usually a massive meat eater, I veer more toward the pescatarian. Unfortunately, all those delish shrimps down the years have taken their revenge and I’m now pretty much allergic to most fish. Clearly, the time had come to rediscover my inner carnivore. For that, Köd is a good place to start. Its décor is impressive, clean lines and muted lighting, but with a warmth and comfort that contributes to a modern, yet cosy ambience. All-in-all it was a welcome sight on a chilly early Autumn evening. Also admirable was the excellent service, which was informative but not intrusive.

As a steakhouse, meat is pretty much front and centre of the menu, but should you be looking for a lighter bite, fish, chicken and even vegetarian options are available.

Köd Soho Interior design by Catrine Ortwed | All photos courtesy of Köd London

START AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON…

To ease our way into the meal, we both picked starters that showcased the range of non-flesh options on offer. I chose the Fresh burrata & rosemary tomato, with my daughter opting for the Garlic Prawns with a Tabasco dip. We both agreed the standout was the Burrata, with an almost lavish accompaniment of fresh and sun-dried tomatoes. For the Garlic Prawns, the flavours were pretty evenly balanced, with neither the tabasco nor the crustaceans taking precedence. The horseradish and pea shoots added freshness.

Meanwhile, two cocktails were on order – the Kai Nordic Tai and a Köd Lemonade, the house special with Absolut vodka, lemons and angostura bitters. For us, they definitely complemented our food choices. Mine was sweeter, but then, I’m a sucker for a splash of sugar syrup.

THE MEATFEST

On to the main event – one Fillet Steak (200g) from Uruguay, grain-fed and minimum 35-day aged, and a home-grown Ribeye (280g) grass-fed and aged in Himalayan salt. For someone who doesn’t usually tuck into a steak, it was a sublime experience. My ribeye in particular was seared to perfection… I’m not so keen on rare meat and one advantage of attentive waiting staff is their willingness to listen to your preferences and serve your steak exactly how you like it. The fillet (much rarer) also met with full approval and provided an interesting contrast to my choice.

Veggie-wise we were all about the Grilled Hispi cabbage (unusual yet tasty), the Steak fries (natch) and a late but timely order of Mashed potatoes and wagyu, which I more or less cornered and shared only grudgingly.

STILL THIRSTY?

Tempted though I was to down another cocktail, instead I plumped for a refreshing glass of the white Burgundy Vignerons des Terres Secretes, Macon-Villages. The wine list, by the way, is carefully curated to cater to the beef-eating palate with an impressive selection of reds, as well as bubbles.

My next visit will definitely include diving into the Italian Piemontes, though I might have to swerve the Fine Wine list, which caters for those with deep pockets and includes an Italian Veneto Bertaini Amarone Classico (one to save up for at £375 a bottle) and a slightly more affordable £95 Rioja from Sierra Cantabria.

SWEET AND LIGHT

After a short breather it was time to square up to at least one dessert and what could be more refreshing than a Frozen strawberry parfait with vanilla cream, summer berries & crumble? There was definitely a spoon fight over that as we did indeed order a single serving between the two of us.

THE VERDICT

Overwhelmingly positive and very much one for the steak aficionados amongst us. It was heartening too to see a healthy cohort of customers on a mid-week evening taking up the challenge at a newly opened restaurant. Will Köd succeed where others have not at No.2? If I was to take a punt, I would say a yes. Absolutely.

MAKE A RESERVATION:
Köd Soho 2 St Anne’s Ct,
London W1F 0AZ
www.restaurantkod.co.uk | @kodlondon

Written by Gillian Smith @gillianasmith_ | All images courtesy of Köd London

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