Baltic, Southwark, London

Marie Claire’s Junior Editor samples the Southwark institution’s new menu...

Baltic, the art gallery-like Eastern European restaurant just around the corner from the actual Tate Modern, has launched a new menu to celebrate the arrival of new head chef Piotr Fortuna.

And in his first act at the helm of the Southwark institution, Mr Fortuna is giving good winter warmers - think Hunter’s Stew and Lamb Bozbash, Pierogi dumplings and Kaszanka with potato pancakes, washed down with the house’s famous vodka martinis.

We visited on a Thursday evening and the atmosphere was buzzing - Fortuna has also redesigned the house bar, you see, and plenty of people were here on word-of-mouth, keen to sample the extensive range of 70 plus vodkas, served straight from the deep freezer in iced glasses. Flavours are infused on site, maturing with their fruits and spices in glass vases at the bar.

Once seated at our table in the airy former builders’ works (it’s all minimalist, white décor, allowing for maximum impact from the splashes of modern art on each wall) we were surrounded, it seemed, by regular customers. ‘Try this, this and this,’ two suited-up guys on the table next to us were raving to their very impressed guests. A similar conversation took place on the table behind. 

On our table, we ordered the Gravadlax (dill and vodka marinated salmon) to start before choosing the Sztuka Miesa (a shin of beef served in a moreish broth of Rosol, vegetables and pancake noodles) and the Golonka (a slow roast pork shank that fell off the bone) respectively for mains. 

With this being an artsy space, after all, it would be weird if we didn’t judge the presentation as well as the incredible tastes. The verdict? Baltic offers creative, authentic Eastern European tastes - and it's entirely Instagram worthy.

Baltic (74 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8HA) is open Monday – Saturday 12.00pm – 3.00pm and 5.30pm – 11.15pm, plus Sunday 12.00pm – 4.30pm and 5.30pm – 10.30pm. Call 020 7928 1111 or visit www.balticrestaurant.co.uk