Oslo in September - where to eat?

[nathanm]

I will be in Oslo in September. I'm interested in getting some recommendations on where to eat - the more interesting the food the better.

[hansjoakim]

Dear Nathan,

I hope you will enjoy your trip in September! This is often a wonderful time of year to visit Norway, as the temperatures are still mild and there's still plenty of sun in the evenings.

One restaurant that's received a lot of praise and buzz recently is Maaemo (http://en.maaemo.no/). I've never been there myself, but heard comparisons with Noma in Copenhagen. Maaemo received two Michelin stars within 14 months of opening, and is centrally located in downtown Oslo.

Dag Tjersland is the chef and owner at Baltazar in Oslo (http://www.baltazar.no/ristorante/en). Tjersland used to live and work in Tuscany in Italy, and his food is sophisticated, modern Italian. Norwegians love Italian food, and this is probably the best Italian restaurant in Oslo (perhaps even in the country). Highly recommended.

There's also Bagatelle (http://www.bagatelle.no/index.php?lang=_eng), previously run by Eyvind Hellstrøm of Bocuse d'Or fame. Hellstrøm left about three years ago following a rift with the owner, but the place is now gradually getting back to its former glory.

[rlibkind]

This is hardly cutting edge cooking, but if you'd like old fashioned Norwegian foods, try one of the few remaining "brown" cafes. Schroeder would be the classic, unreconstructed version. It's In The St. Hanshaugen neighborhood, a short bus or tram ride from Central Oslo. A more upscale version of the brown cafe would be Lorry on Parkveien, neat the royal palace grounds. The brown cafes get their name from the stains on the walls left by the now banned cigarette smoking..

[nathanm]

Thanks for the tips. Maaemo was also recommended by a friend in Oslo, and by the Nordic Nibbler blog, so I will definitely try it. I plan to stop at Tim Wendlesboe coffee, and I will consider the others Thanks!