Hugely successful Brisbane breakfast hut reopens as degustation dining hotspot

Freja and Nathan Dunnell have turned their popular Nordic-inspired cafe in Brisbane’s inner-north on its head – and the bold move looks set to pay off, with its new, degustation-only incarnation already booked out before it swings open its doors.

Nathan Dunnell at Freja's which has been transformed into Elska. Picture: supplied.

CHARMING hospitality couple Freja and Nathan Dunnell will lift the lid on their new degustation-only restaurant this Thursday in Wilston, in Brisbane’s inner-north.

The couple has spent the Christmas/NY break transforming their much-loved daytime cafe Freja’s into Elska – a little Nordic cottage specialising in a multi-course set menu.

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While the cafe was a raging success, Freja says chef husband Nathan wanted to be more creative, so the decision was made to switch from day to night trade.

Freja's (pictured) has been transformed into Elska, a degustation-only fine-dining restaurant. Picture: Mark Cranitch

With a fine dining background working at the likes of Stokehouse, South Brisbane, Nathan, along with sous chef Lauren Kinne (ex-Stokehouse) will specialise in hyperseasonal menus fusing European influences with local ingredients.

Lauren Kinne at the Tasmanian Hospitality Association 2016 Awards for excellence, Hobart. Picture: Matt Thompson.

The first of the frequently changing offerings includes emu with sour grapes and sea herbs; a wallaby sausage; plus urchin custard with salted white chocolate.

Elska co-owner Freja Dunnell at Freja's in 2018. Picture: Mark Cranitch

Wines will be mostly Australian, while the look and feel promises to be distinctly Nordic in a nod to Freja’s heritage, featuring lots of white and replica furniture.

“I’ll be running front-of-house so it will be like you’re eating at my house and Nathan is cooking,” Freja says.

“Elska is an old Nordic word for love and that’s what we’re doing it for: love for people, love for food – it’s for pure passion and a love of the industry.”

But prepare to wait for a table, with the couple having already taken more than 500 bookings.

If you can’t get in for dinner though, the pair will run brunch at weekends with the food inspired by the night-time offering.