Could Bjorn Frantzen bring Dubai its first three-Michelin-starred restaurant?

Swedish chef's two restaurants at Atlantis The Palm live up to award-winning hype, at least for meat-eaters

FZN by Bjorn Frantzen's langoustine, left, and Studio Frantzen's seabass ceviche, right, are among several standout dishes at Swedish chef Bjorn Frantzen's two Dubai restaurants. Photos: FZN by Bjorn Show more

Dubai recently welcomed two new restaurants to its already thriving gastronomic scene, with both landing at the buzzing Atlantis, The Palm.

Bjorn Frantzen comes to the Emirates with a dazzling reputation after scooping his first Michelin star within one year of opening his first restaurant, Frantzen, in his native Sweden in 2008.

Now with six Michelin gongs to his name, he is no doubt hoping for more with the opening of FZN by Bjorn Frantzen – a sophisticated fine dining tasting concept restaurant – and its more relaxed sister venue, Studio Frantzen.

FZN by Bjorn Frantzen brings the chef's critically acclaimed French-Asian gastronomy with Nordic influences, with many in the industry expecting it to become an award-winning venue. Studio Frantzen, meanwhile, is its trendier, more casual counterpart that offers more of a party setting without sacrificing the culinary prowess that have earned chef Frantzen his reputation.

My dining partner and I head over to sample the duo, and compare how they fare.

Where to sit, what to expect

Both venues are set side by side in the heart of Atlantis The Palm, and their aesthetic immediately sets the two apart in subtle and stylish ways.

Studio Frantzen is the more modern of the two and offers a laid-back, open-plan feel. It’s a large atrium adorned with hand-painted murals, drooping chandeliers and a light colour scheme with hints of red throughout.

Although stylish to the hilt, the venue has a relaxed dress code, giving it a blend of comfort, quiet sophistication and a sense that it could be Dubai’s latest go-to party venue. There’s a resident DJ playing from Wednesday to Saturday every week to provide upbeat energy and there’s an abundance of seating options.

The main dining area is lined with comfortable booths and bespoke tables, a 20-seat open kitchen area where we can see the chefs work up close and, for those looking for something that little bit more special, there’s a 14-seater private dining area. There’s also an interactive dessert room, adorned in the brand’s colourful bear print, where diners can choose from a selection of sweet treats.

As for FZN By Bjorn Frantzen, this is the chef's signature restaurant – and the difference is immediately noticeable. On arrival, we are confronted by a grand doorway complete with a doorbell that we have to ring. Once inside, a full labyrinth awaits, with a chic, art-filled living room our first destination.

Here, we are treated to canapes in a sophisticated yet cozy setting complemented by stunning views over Palm Jumeirah and the Arabian Gulf. After that, is a guided tour of the restaurant before we’re directed to the main dining area and take our pick between one of the 13 stool seats at the open kitchen area or one of four tables seating up to 14 guests.

Even in a setting as luxurious as this, chef Frantzen is determined to remain true to his roots, with the venue playing music from his personally curated playlist of 300-plus 1990s Britpop music, inspired by his time in the UK during that decade. Think Oasis, Pulp, Blur and more, all while tucking into potentially award-winning fare.

The menu: Studio Frantzen

Studio Frantzen offers an eclectic a la carte menu. Taking inspiration from chef Frantzen’s open-flame kitchen in Stockholm, the menu highlights are “from the fireplace” with ingredients sourced from all over the world, most notably from Norway, Japan and France.

We start with the Rockefeller oysters on the recommendation of our server, Ivonna. These are served with seaweed and aged cheese. Oysters are always a special way to start an evening, but the taste and texture of these is exquisite, while the flavour of the seaweed and cheese blends wonderfully and gives the starter an extravagant edge.

Following Ivonna’s recommendations, we opt for three small plates to share: veal tartare, sea bass ceviche and roasted chicken aioli. The standards across each remain high, but our undisputed favourite is the veal tartare.

While there are some vegetarian options, such as roasted cauliflower and truffle with hazelnuts, and artichoke barigoule, be aware that the abundance of choice provided for meat-eaters is not replicated for non-meat-eaters. It’s a situation mirrored at FZN By Bjorn Frantzen, too.

For mains, we go for the chef’s signature turbot with butter sauce, anchovy, caviar and dill, with a side dish of hassleback potatoes with browned butter.

In some ways, the beauty of these two plates lies in their simplicity. The turbot is fresh and cooked so delicately, it gives it an almost melt-in-the-mouth texture, and the flavour of the sauce is subtle enough so as not to overpower the fish. The potatoes, meanwhile, are a banker to go with any traditional main course and provide a comfort food feel to accompany the turbot’s sophistication.

Dessert at Studio Frantzen is billed as a standout feature, with the interactive dessert room. It’s safe to say we are not disappointed.

I opt for the Mello bar, intrigued by the fact this milk chocolate cake has chestnut and cep mushrooms as key ingredients, and it does work. There’s no savoury flavour emanating from the mushrooms. It’s more that they bulk out the texture of the cake and serve to enhance the taste of the chocolate within. It’s unusual, quirky, and worth a taste.

My dining partner opts for the Paris-Brest, a hazelnut praline and smoked dark chocolate mousse. This is a far more traditional dessert that serves to round off a fun, vibrant evening with a suave edge. A third chef-recommended dessert is camomile and ghaf honey cheesecake with buckwheat crumble, yuzu curd and Buddha’s hand confit.

The menu: FZN By Bjorn Frantzen

FZN is a different format entirely, with a nine-course tasting menu the go-to option after canapes on arrival. This venue landed with the expectation that it could reach unprecedented heights in regional awards. Believe me, it lives up to the hype.

My dining partner and I are treated to an elegant culmination of years of work, with chef Frantzen’s Scandinavian vision of gastronomy transported on to a table right here in Dubai. Every course comes complete with an explanation of how the dish is created, as our server Julia explains why the relevant ingredients are chosen, making it an informative and enjoyable evening.

Seafood dominates the initial stages. The first course is crudo and otoro served with Japanese turnip, fermented strawberry and coffee oil. This is followed by langoustine with koshihikari rice and ginger, with turbot served alongside barigoule, shio kombu and pine as the third course.

The coffee oil added to the crudo and otoro is a nice touch, somehow bringing out additional flavour to the two incredibly fresh pieces of fish. That said, it is the langoustine that steals the show among the preliminary courses. So fresh that you see it alive before it’s cooked and, although this might not be to everyone’s taste, it adds a touch of authenticity.

From there we move on to chawanmushi, a Japanese savoury egg custard dish, with smoked beef broth and caviar, followed by king crab served with saffron beurre blanc, sea buckthorn and ikura. The sequence of this is impressive, with the chawanmushi acting as a sophisticated palate cleanser and paving the way for the more concentrated flavour of the crab to come.

Next it’s French toast, unagi, spring onion and charcuterie followed by barbecue duck served with foie gras, kampot pepper and wasabi. The French toast provides a touch of comfort food and familiarity amid FZN's multifaceted offerings, but the duck is arguably its signature dish – and certainly our favourite of the evening.

The presentation is sublime, as the waiting staff bring the bird to the table before carving it. The smell on its own is enough to get the senses tingling.

For dessert, we’re served frozen lime marshmallow, young coconut and lemon grass followed by tarte Tatin, apple, bay leaves and milky oolong. Both sweet dishes offer a delicate finale to a nine-course dinner, striking the balance between taste and flavour while not being too heavy to be overbearing as a final course.

FZN By Bjorn Frantzen lives up to its billing although, like Studio Frantzen, it isn’t vegan-friendly. What’s more, at Dh2,000 per seat, it could price out many a foodie for that reason alone.

A chat with the chefs

These sister restaurants are wonderfully similar in many ways while maintaining their individual quirks and independence. Both offer some of the finest food available in the UAE, yet the setting and style differ markedly. This is a fact reflected by the two leading chefs.

Geoffroy van Hasbroeck, chef de cuisine at Studio Frantzen, has honed his skills in some of the most prestigious kitchens across Brussels, Paris, Monaco and Dubai over a 25-year career.

Inspired to cook from a young age by his family’s involvement in the catering and restaurant business, van Hasbroeck prides himself in combining French-Asian cuisine with traditional Nordic ingredients.

The chef smiles as I ask him about his favourite ingredient to cook with. “Citrus and herbs,” he says. “They make a powerful combination, adding colour, fresh flavour and layers of complexity to several of our dishes.” His cooking style is “rooted in classic French foundations” with an “emphasis on precise techniques and rich sauces, while incorporating unexpected ingredients and influences from diverse culinary traditions around the world”.

At Restaurant FZN, Torsten Vildgaard is the main man. Hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, his early career was shaped by his work with Rene Redzepi at Noma in the Danish capital.

Having earned a Michelin star at his own restaurant, Studio, in his home city, he moved to the Frantzen Group one year ago to work at Atlantis The Palm, looking to build on his gastronomic experiences and embrace more international flavours.

He says seafood is his favourite ingredient to cook with, noting that it is incorporated into many of his dishes at FZN, and describes his cooking style as “classic with a strong Nordic approach”.

“I very much admire Bjorn’s philosophy,” he tells me. “Through his frequent travels to Japan, he was inspired by the way he saw multi-course menus, leading many of his restaurants to focus on tasting menus. It’s an art to eat multiple courses. And if you look at tasting menus, where does the idea originate from? It comes from the Japanese kaiseki cuisine.”

Price point and contact information

At Studio Frantzen, starters range from Dh35 to Dh690, mains are Dh110 to Dh750, while desserts are D30 to Dh65. At FZN By Bjorn Frantzen, the nine-course tasting menu is priced at Dh2,000 per person.

Studio Frantzen is open daily from 6pm to 1am and reservations can be made by contacting 054 584 3105; FZN is open from 7pm to 1am, and reservations can be made by contacting 04 426 2626.

These reviews were conducted at the invitation of the restaurants