Copenhagen

[Shirley]

Hey Emsny

If you're planning on returning to copenhagen, Rasmus Kofoed is soon to open at REstaurant Kongens Have from what I've heard. I work close by and I've really enjoyed this thread to see people take on copenhagen and where they tend to go. Anyone coming hear from egullet feel free to e-mail at benjamin@er-go.dk, I'd love to give my best advice on copenhagen seing as this society has inspired me so much!

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Rasmus Kofoed is competing at the Bocuse d'Or today in Lyon. I'll try and post the results tonight. He came 3rd 2 years ago looking to improve on that.

[Shirley]

As posted elsewhere Rasmus came in 2nd...2009?

[Culinista]

I'm planning a trip to Denmark next week. So far I'm planning 2 meals at Noma, one at Umami, and either Paustian or Premisse or both. Is MR a must? Should I shuffle the list? I normally like to start with the traditional places when going to a city for the first time, but this is a business trip, and the theme is modern Danish.

I'd also like to find out what is the single best dish in Denmark--preferably traditional, but it could be an unusual product or experience. I'm willing and eager to travel outside Copenhagen if necessary to find it.

Any suggestions for the best way to spend 5 days when not eating?

[Shirley]

Definately Noma, pick up a copy of the cookbook while your there now published in English. Ask if you can eat at the sushi bar at umami just let them do the business, I ate there just before xmas fantastic. Found premise quite lifeless, but paustian is next on my list Bo Bech's food is special very heavily influenced by Mugaritz. I'm slightly biased about MR. See work

[ckruse]

I'm planning a trip to Denmark next week. So far I'm planning 2 meals at Noma, one at Umami, and either Paustian or Premisse or both. Is MR a must? Should I shuffle the list? I normally like to start with the traditional places when going to a city for the first time, but this is a business trip, and the theme is modern Danish.

I'd also like to find out what is the single best dish in Denmark--preferably traditional, but it could be an unusual product or experience. I'm willing and eager to travel outside Copenhagen if necessary to find it.

Any suggestions for the best way to spend 5 days when not eating?

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try kanal kaffeen in K havn for lunch

[Hector]

I love the classic Smörrebröd-restaurant "Bastionen + Lövet".

It's a small restaurant serving mainly danish lunch classics like a wide selection of traditional dishes for pretty reasonable money (they've got a la carte, but I don't know about thjat). Not very experimental food, but pretty good value. This is one of my local classics that takes a while to find.

It's located on the same "island" as Noma, Christianshavn, in a green area close to the free state of Christania.

Adress:

Bastionen+Løven

Lille Mølle

Christianshavns Voldgade 50

1424 København K

http://www.bastionen-loven.dk/

Sorrily the homepage isn't in english.

But here's the classic lunch plate of the place (served with slices of nice danish rye bread, lard or butter to make classic open sandwiches with):

Smoked herring from Christiansø

- seasoned with allspice and a pickle-like marinade. very good.

Smoked salmon

with horseraddich cream

Fried fish pattie

- with cucumber sallad and sauce remoulad

Veal liver paté

with bacon, beet root, capers, gerkin

Chickensalad

with sellery, apples and bacon.

Danish Brie cheese

with glazed walnuts.

[YKL]

As posted elsewhere Rasmus came in 2nd...2009?

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which leads nicely to my next question - does anyone have any information on his new place ... think it's called Geranium on Kronprinssegade ... just opened?

A website would be great - or else info on opening hours, costs ... or feedback would be very much appreciated

and any views on Jan Hurtigkarl's place ... near Helsingor?

[Shirley]

As posted elsewhere Rasmus came in 2nd...2009?

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which leads nicely to my next question - does anyone have any information on his new place ... think it's called Geranium on Kronprinssegade ... just opened?

A website would be great - or else info on opening hours, costs ... or feedback would be very much appreciated

and any views on Jan Hurtigkarl's place ... near Helsingor?

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the website is www.kongenshave.com thats the name of the park that is in, the food is going to be as much organic and bio-dynamic as possible. They are also going to be planting herbs which used to be used back in the 16th century, this is with the gardeners from the royal palace. Opening is going to be the 26th of April.

Jan Hurtigkarl is worth a trip especially if the weathers good, you can sit out on the terrace and look over the sea to Sweden, every year the guys go away for 3 months for inspiration then come back and use the influences in the food. This year they have been to South Africa and Mozambique, they also change all the decor in the restaurant bringing objects back from the travels.

If you wanted to make a couple of days of it you could take the ferry over to Helsingborg in Sweden from Helsingor and eat at Niklas, which is one of the best restaurants in Sweden.

[YKL]

thanks Shirley - just what I was looking for!

Am only there for a weekend again so v time constrained - am already having hard time choosing between Jan Hurtigkarl, Unami and Bo Bech at Paustian.

Geranium is probably for a future trip then ... as is a possible return to MR of course ...

yin

[YKL]

thanks Shirley - just what I was looking for!

Am only there for a weekend again so v time constrained - am already having hard time choosing between Jan Hurtigkarl, Unami and Bo Bech at Paustian.

Geranium is probably for a future trip then ... as is a possible return to MR of course ...

yin

[John Talbott]

May 2007's Food & Wine lists: Noma, MR Restaurant, The Paul + Restaurant Paustian.

[kai-m]

I have two questions, the first being more like a request for travel advice:

We wanted to spend 4 days in copenhagen at the end of may - but now I have read that our last 2 days (Fr/Sat. - sunday morning we would leave) fall right into the copenhagen carnival...!

So, can anybody (maybe some copenhagen residents) tell me if this might be a reason to skip he trip for a later travel date?

What I mean is: is the carnival in copenhagen like carnival in other european countries, especially germany!, where the whole thing is mainly an excuse to close all shops, dress up in really stupid costumes, crack unfunny jokes, pretend to be in "oh so good humour" (mainly fueled by alcohol), get hopelessly drunk all day and shout in the streets at night?

Or are the danish as tasteful and stylish about this, as they are in other respects?

But no matter if we go in may or later, my second question is:

We want to have dinner at Noma in any case. But we are unsure about our second "fine dining" night out: Paustian and MR are on the shortlist, but Paustian seems to be quite a way from downton (we would stay in Christianshavn).

In any case we are looking for innovative food in a rather relaxed atmosphere.

Thanks alot

Best

kai

PS: since Noma is fully booked on the weekends for the coming months already: does anybody know if they have a "waiting list" or something...?

[jakob nielsen]

The Copenhagen Carnival is every bit as tasteless as I imagine the ones in Germany.

BUT its not that big an event these days, so I wouldn't warn you against being in Copenhagen at the same time. Most of the activities happen in one particular park

Foodwise. Keep trying Noma.

I'd go for MR over Paustian, but another oppurtunity could be Rasmus Kofoed's new place Geranium

http://eyecadchertest.inforce.dk/geranium/

I haven't been there myself (yet), but he is a great chef, two time bocuse d'or medalist. Silver this year.

[kai-m]

Thank you very much Jakob!

So you mean that it is no problem to avoid the carnival frenzy (especially when lodging in Christianshavn)? That would be great news...

Ans it is not that all the shops and stores are closed friday and saturday for the occasion?

I thought the whole town and every club/bar participates since the carneval.dk website proudly speaks of 25.000 participants and 100.000 visitors in the past years...

Anyway: we have a reservation for Noma during the week.

MR looks rather formal in style (as opposed the colorful and bright Paustian), while the menu sounds pretty experimtal - is that so?

Best

kai

[Shirley]

MR isn't formal, very relaxed, beautiful restaurant, modern with a young front of house who are very passionate about what they do, the chefs also help bring the food out aswell.

[kai-m]

Alright, thanks Shirley.

Can you tell me: whats the difference between the 3 floors they show on the website? (There aren't really many pictures to give an impression).

Thanks

[Shirley]

The ground floor is a lounge, first floor is the main restaurant and the second floor is private dining/overflow. Hopefully

there will be a new improved website soon.

[kai-m]

One more thing regarding Noma: a colleague of mine was there recently and was enthusiastic about the food - but less so about the service, which he described as "formally polite" but extremely, well, "reserved", to put it mildly...for him and his wife that diminshed the whole experience a little bit. (They blamed it, half jokingly, on the 2nd *...)

Other experiences? (personally, for me, nice and friendly service is an important part of a good dinner experience...)

Best

kai

[YKL]

I think it can be seen from my previous reports that I am hugely biased towards noma ... but with that disclaimer ..

On my very first visit - my initial impression was that the service was initially reserved but once they realised how crazily enthusiastic I was (or maybe just crazy) ... that quickly changed to fantastic personal engagement .. and service became friendly, jovial and just completely marvellous - which (as you say) is what turns a good or great meal into a very special dining experience.

So ... without wanting to diminish your friend's experience, my own personal experience is that they respond very very well to enthusiasm. and to questions about their whole ethos.

But as I say, I think it's brilliant.

[kai-m]

Thank you YKL.

I see what you mean and I will certainly give Noma a try. But I think that as a customer in such a restaurant I should not be in the position to need to "prove" to my waiter that Iam "worth" his friendlyness. The fact that I visit the place should be signal enough of my interest in the food - no need to "work" for a "marvellous" service. Quite the other way round: That should be standard in such arestaurant, and service should only switch to "reserved/arrogant/ whatever" if the customer behaves accordingly...

Hmm, maybe I should give the reservation a second thought...

Best

kai

[YKL]

um, I think you'd be missing out on a great meal if you didn't go ...

but would like to clarify that I'm not suggesting you "prove" yourself in any way ... I just happened to be a bit enthusiastic and I think that's what got me a particularly special experience. But think most people on this thread seemed to have a pretty positive experience.

Hope you have a good time where-ever you visit

Cheers

Edited April 23, 2007 by YKL (log)

[paulbrussel]

Last week I just happened to be at Noma. I found the meal quite disappointing and not worth two stars. The cuisine is in a way quite simple, not very complex, working with some, although good ingredients and with leaving to the guest to find out the right balance between the different ingredients (sometimes very hard to discover). But there wasn't a single dish that struck me.

Service on the other hand was excellent, although I made quite clear that I was critical about the food.

(Wine list is very expensive though.)

[jakob nielsen]

Thank you very much Jakob!

So you mean that it is no problem to avoid the carnival frenzy (especially when lodging in Christianshavn)? That would be great news...

Ans it is not that all the shops and stores are closed friday and saturday for the occasion?

I thought the whole town and every club/bar participates since the carneval.dk website proudly speaks of 25.000 participants and 100.000 visitors in the past years...

Anyway: we have a reservation for Noma during the week.

MR looks rather formal in style (as opposed the colorful and bright Paustian), while the menu sounds pretty experimtal - is that so?

Best

kai

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Hi there Kai,

my guess would be thay in Christianshavn you'd hardly notice the carnival. I think to get to 25.000 participants they would have to include everyone even getting near the festivities. Taxidrivers, people passing by...

Its been some years since I participated (as you might have guessed), but my feeling is that it wont be a bother at all.

I dont think that the stores will close down at all either. Expect sunday to be closed.

To add to the Noma discussion:

I have had dinner there twice, and both times the food and the service was excellent. I can see though that it might not be for all, as it is very not-french. It is in style clean and fresh, rather than reduced down intense.

In terms of service, I think all of the mentioned restaurants are fairly alike.

Less formal than i.e. London, more formal than Spain.

[paulbrussel]

It is in style clean and fresh, rather than reduced down intense.

Is clean and fresh [which judgement I support completely and which I described as "simple"] not a bit too little to deserve two stars? Furthermore, I missed overall balance in the different plates.

[jakob nielsen]

It is in style clean and fresh, rather than reduced down intense.

Is clean and fresh [which judgement I support completely and which I described as "simple"] not a bit too little to deserve two stars? Furthermore, I missed overall balance in the different plates.

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I think it is a matter of taste (aha!), meaning that if you come looking for a foie gras creamy experience, you are not going to get that.

But you will get something different - and in my opinion very tasty indeed. The shellfish are the best I've ever had. I've had quite a few courses where my initial reaction was - hmm - but I ended up more than satisfied.

Example: They have a pre dessert which is a fresh cheese with a granite of the grass and plants that the animals had lived on. My first thought - they are overthinking it - but it was superb.

I always recommend Noma to foreign visitors, because I truly think you get something you can't get anywhere else, and darn tasty too!