Madsen's gives bright and elegant intro to Danish food

My boyfriend is half Danish and, as such, has naturally been taking an interest in introducing me to Danish culture. There was not much to build on, I'm afraid, as the sum total of my awareness was derived from Hans Christian Andersen, Hamlet, pastries and comedienne Sandi Tostvig.

In-depth lesson No. 1: Food. Location: Madsen Restaurant.

This was entirely new territory. I've never been to (or even contemplated) a Danish restaurant, and had only the sketchiest understanding of Scandinavian food. I knew pickled fish was involved. And had been further educated that schnapps, beer and highly decorative sandwiches were key. I wasn't sure how you got a whole cuisine out of this, much less a restaurant, but I was willing to give it a try.

First impressions were good. Madsen is just across the broad intersection from South Kensington tube station, a small, bright place decorated with pale wood, and sleek lines and bright flowers. It was a refreshing change from the heavy, grey winter outside. The staff were all willowy Nordic beauties in black cotton uniforms who looked more like spa attendants than waitresses. The menu was broad and, it turns out, more familiar than you'd think. Meatballs, smoked salmon and cream cheese, waffles.

We started with a platter of three types of herring ... pickled in onion, madeira and mustard marinades ... served with dark rye bread, sour cream and a condiment similar to the beaten yolks of deviled eggs. This was my first foray into pickled fish, and I have to admit I found sweet fish to be too odd to love on first encounter; they were sugary enough to approach dessert. The side of schnapps certainly helped. Though it too, was sweet, the alcohol had a clarity that cut through the sugar of the food. Although odd, the tastes were pleasant, especially the medeira version, and the rye bread was fantastic. I thought that with enough experimenting to get the additional toppings right, I could find something I really liked.

Thus it was sensible for me to have the experts combine the elements for just the right balance of tastes on the next course. Although Madsen's menu listed plenty of hot entrees, everyone (including us) was indulging in the Danish Smørrebrød, open sandwiches on thin, dark rye bread with a variety of toppings. And though the menu calls these small sandwiches, they're almost better described as canapes, as they are exquisitely designed and constructed light bites. We had four each: thinly-sliced beef with remoulade, topped with crispy onions, pickled cucumbers and mayonnaise on more of that delicious rye bread; Greenland prawns and hard boiled eggs on sourdough with mayonnaise; smoked pork loin with tomato, potato and mayo; potato and crispy onion on more rye with mayo. Each was exquisite on the eye, laid out in delicate pinwheels or carefully designed towers. Evidently, chefs get extensive training to create such artistry, much along the lines of a Japanese sushi chef. (Perhaps that was what was in the Madsen menu writer's mind when he decided to call their small bites "smushi".)

A culture that likes its fish starters sweet is likely to do desserts well, and I wasn't disappointed to be presented with a chocolate sandwich. More rye bread, covered with a slab of what was essentially chocolate fudge, topped with a preserved fig. Simple and inelegant in description, it looked just as delicate as its predecessors and tasted absolutely fantastic.

As an introduction to Danish and broader Scandinavian cuisine, Madsen was a success. I've been educated, impressed, and my curiousity is piqued for further exploration. Although I'm not sure I'd put the place on my regular restaurant rotation. Much like tapas bars and conveyor belt sushi places, all these exquisite little plates add up quickly. If you start hungry, you'll potentially spend more here to get satisfied than you would for a regular three-course meal. For a break in the normal round of restaurants, however, and especially for a light and healthy lunch break from the nearby South Kensington museums, Madsen's deserves a try.