Freyja is Bringing European-Inspired Small Plates to Carlsbad

A brand new concept called Freyja, named after the Nordic goddess of fertility, love, and war, is preparing to debut in Carlsbad at 505 Oak Avenue, Suite C.

This new concept is the latest from Jarle Saupstad of the now-closed Smoke & Salt and Mike Mayaudon and Shawn Seaman of Same Same in Carlsbad, according to San Diego Magazine. The trio will open their first restaurant by the end of the year, offering a variety of Europrean-inspired dishes, starting with eight to 10 shareable plates. Customers can expect colors of green, white, and gold, as well as an interior inspired by the Nordic goddess.

The 3,500 square-foot restaurant will have space for 60 to 80 guests, featuring an open kitchen concept with a few bar stools for front-row seats, plus a shotgun-style bar with around 20 seats. As for food, Freyja will use as many local and seasonal ingredients as possible, sourcing its products from companies such as Sage Hill Ranch Gardens, Chino Farm, Perennial Pastures, and Da-Le Ranch. Some items on the menu include Spanish-inspired tuna tartare, Peking duck–inspired duck a l’orange, and fresh pasta such as a uni carbonara, fresh bucatini, and a fusilli alla vodka.

“The whole idea is blue-collar fine dining,” Saupstad tells San Diego Magazine. “We’re all local guys that grew up here in North County, and we’ve all been in the industry for 20-plus years. We’re ready to step into our own style of what we consider elevated dining. Personally, I’m kind of on the mission to make old school cooking sexy again, in the sense of bringing back some of the mother sauces, and bringing back old-school style dishes and giving them a really refreshed look and taste,”