Linnea Restaurant, Kew Green, Richmond

I am glad this experienced Swedish chef (having spent nine years cheffing at Harvey Nichols and more), decided to open his first restaurant in Richmond Borough. I'd only properly heard about this new venture recently, someone mentioned it to a Swedish acquaintance some time ago and only now have I made the link after stumbling across it online. 
Linnea is a very quaint modern restaurant positioned on Kew Green, close to Kew Bridge. It has an unassuming exterior but the interior is slick, inviting and accented with lovely crystal wall lights. It's easy enough to get to from Kew Bridge Station or Kew Gardens Station and ideal for a place to dine after a day out at the gardens.  

The menu choices are complete with Atlantic prawn gratin, quail, smoked haddock on the starters and rib eye, duck, brill and more for mains. 
On this day I had the heirloom tomato salad with feta cheese and pumpkin seed vinaigrette. The chic geek chose the smoked haddock, carrot and coriander salad with ginger dressing. Both dishes are light, clean and beautifully presented. The pumpkin seeds help fill out the salad and both starters were excellent.

       

For mains we went with Seared duck breast, soused vegetables, pastilla and red wine jus. I thought the duck breast was lovely, soft with strong flavour. I would have ordered a side with the duck, maybe some beans but the duck pastilla (samosa of duck confit) was just divine. I like pastry - don't get to eat it much as I spend enough time in the gym as it is, but it was just delicious. The other main consisted of Lock Duart Salmon with sweet sour aubergine and mangetout (flat pea). If you look at the Salmon skin - it's perfection, consistent crisp over the top with opaque moist fish inside. It paired nicely with the sweet aubergine and pea. Very good, well balanced, nicely present and excellently executed dishes.

For desserts we decided to go with the suggested wine pairings. My chocolate roulade was dense, full of richness and presented in geometric red and black square. It was served with an Australian reisling, well matched in sweetness and dryness to balance out the roulade. On the other side of the table we had the blueberry pie and blueberry ice cream paired with a sweet chardonay. I felt that out of the two sweets the blueberry pie was stellar, sweet, buttery and florally fruity. The chardonnay, although sweet, I felt just wasn't quite enough to stand up to the sweetness of the pie.  

The facilities at the restaurant are of good standard as well, this would suggest that Linnea, having only opened in November, have invested seriously into this establishment. I am beginning to think Kew may not have as many restaurants say as Twickenham or Richmond, but those that there are, are excellent.  Linnea is a great addition to Kew and I will be returning in due course.

Linnea Website