I just got back from a trip to Copenhagen;
a place that I have been wanting to go for years.
a place that I have been wanting to go for years.
What got me to finally book a ticket was
a confirmed lunch reservation at Noma.
Noma has been voted #1 in the best restaurants in the world list for the last three years and this year dropped to #2.
I had been wanting to visit Noma since I heard the head chef
Rene Redzepi speak about Noma's philosophy at the Age Food and Wine Festival in Melbourne in 2009.
a confirmed lunch reservation at Noma.
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| Entrance to the restaurant located in a former shipping warehouse |
Noma has been voted #1 in the best restaurants in the world list for the last three years and this year dropped to #2.
I had been wanting to visit Noma since I heard the head chef
Rene Redzepi speak about Noma's philosophy at the Age Food and Wine Festival in Melbourne in 2009.
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| Noma's publications on the entrance counter |
so let me take you on a tour.
Opposite the restaurant was a commercial houseboat and
a new housing development.
It seemed to be an up and coming area that used to be mostly commercial docks.
The decor was classic streamlined Danish style.
Limed wood with black accents.
We got the table in front of the kitchen.
Reservations are notoriously difficult to get being such a popular
and destination restaurant.
Tip for maximizing your chances is to book a table for four.
Tables for two and six are the most popular and hardest to get.
The other tables in the restaurant and my friends seated below.
As there is only one seating for lunch most reservations were for 12 to latest 1 pm as lunch takes on average 3 hours.
Rene Redzepi ( please click link for article about him ) was one of the first gourmet chefs to instill the philosophy of local produce and foraging for food for the benefit of health, taste, and eco-balance.
He is Danish born to Macedonian parents but his cuisine is almost by default of produce very Scandinavian.
They only do a tasting menu but of course the patrons are asked about any allergies or food issues beforehand to substitute any courses unsuitable for the diner.
Dining decisions are regards to a wine or a juice pairing for teetotalers. Menus are always changed according to season.
First course was gooseberries infused with elderflowers.
Did the job stimulating the salivary glands and increasing appetite.
It was too sour to say that one enjoyed it unless you have a penchant for it.
The second plate was called Nordic coconut.
It was a turnip filled with cabbage and quince soup served through a straw made of dill that was chewable.
The plate was witty but can't say I would ask for the recipe.
It tasted as it sounds.
Third plate was moss and cep ( a type of mushroom).
You picked up the deep fried morsel and
it had an expected earthy flavour.
Fourth plate was the blackcurrant berry enveloped in rose petals.
Presentation was beautiful and was a palate cleanser although there was no strong flavour as yet to get rid of.
This could have been better served after a later dish of
cod liver for instance...
The fifth plate was presented in a classic Nordic biscuit tin
that was a cheese biscuit with rocket.
The seventh plate was controversial albeit very healthy.
It was a caramelized milk biscuit with cod liver on top.
I enjoyed it but one of my friends couldn't finish it and considering it is only one mouthful I must say it had a very strong flavor.
The eighth plate was a play on a Danish donut.
I don't have the proper Danish keyboard to write this so forgive me for any Danes out there but it is called AEbleskiver and greens.
It was a savoury donut instead of the usual sweet but what we didn't know was that there was also bee larvae inside.
This made me think that in the beginning when asked about allergies or dislikes - one would not think to tell the chef one doesn't like bee larvae...But it was one of my favourite plates.
Another refreshing dish with a surprisingly delicious combo was the chestnut soup with lumpfish roe. The sweetness of the chestnut and the saltiness of the roe was a good match.
The tenth plate was another dish that brought out strong reactions. It was the sea urchin with a layer of duck fat on top. One of my friends couldn't eat it so I ended up eating her share.
It was a very, very strong flavour but I liked the iodine flavor of the sea urchin and the extra gaminess of the duck put together.
The tenth dish was burnt leek. I will write another post on some other restaurants soon but one trend we saw in Denmark was that there was a lot of purposeful burning which soon became a running joke among our group.
Mind you it was controlled and skilled so there was none of that bitter flavour.
The waiter mentioned later we had crickets in one of the dishes and I have a feeling this was the dish.
This was fresh squid served with fennel in an ice dish.
It was very good and clean. The produce was notably good.
But as a diner who practically walked in the cold and through a blizzard the day before in Copenhagen, I didn't understand why they were serving us such cold food. It was so cold that in the whole restaurant there were only about 3 women who weren't wearing snow shoes...
The twelfth dish was fried onions, fermented pears and ants.
Local wood ants for a bit of bite, texture and acidity.
This dish seemed a pure gimmick. The pears were already sour and the ants had their own type of acidity so basically it was like eating warm pickled onions.
Plate 13 was beets with aromatic herbs.
Tasted as you would presume.
Plate 14 was celeriac, cabbages, cream with a local herb that is now my new favorite called nasturtium.
This was guilt free eating. Got my 5 a day.
Plate 15 was burnt potatoes with lojrom which is a type of roe.
The potatoes were burnt and yet almost raw and chalky and I found this rather unpleasant.
This must be a type of local dish because the day before we went to another 2 Michelin star restaurant called Geranium ( we were on a gastronomic tour ) and there was a similar dish but ten times better.
There really is no need to go on a diet before or after visiting this restaurant and we thought perhaps this was the reason why we didn't see one fat Copenhagen-ite.
Now onto the desserts...
I am sorry to say that they were not traditional.
Sometimes you can not innovate on chocolate and cream.
This was called aronia berries and sol
( the O has two dots on top in Danish).
I couldn't finish it. Not because I was full.
You saw what I ate, I mean I have had more food stuck between my teeth in the past.
But sol is a seaweed based cream and the tartness of the berries just didn't go down well with me at all.
The second dessert was potato and plum with cream.
Yes that is mashed potato in the middle.
It was surprisingly pleasant, you could taste the potato but made the sweetness of the plum last longer.
Sorry about the picture on this but at this point I think I was getting quite tipsy due to the alcohol.
This was a caramel made to look like a krispbread served with salt and a blended cream.
This was a classic Danish pastry served with a barley extract that almost tasted of chocolate. But we were disappointed when we discovered we had to share one pastry between two people.
The last dessert was puffed pork crackling covered with chocolate and berries.
This might have been unusual about a decade ago but not anymore so I didn't understand the point of it especially as chocolate bacon is now just sooo overdone.
After lunch we were give a tour of the kitchens that were renovated last year.
There was also an outdoor barbecue area for charring and burning.
Alongside a natural cold storage for all the produce.
We also got to see the ants up close.
The wild duck with bullet wounds being prepared.
I can safely say that there were more chefs working at the restaurant than there were guests. The ratio was at least 1 chef per diner.
This was another prep kitchen upstairs.
I was going to do a proper review on it but alas taste is subjective.
I used to be a hard core foodie and even put my money where my mouth was and opened a cafe at one stage. One of my best friends used to be a chef and I know the hours and sacrifice it takes to cook professionally.
But there is a saying in the trade that good food can't save bad service but great service can always even save bad food.
I am not saying the food was bad however.
But have I had tastier food?
Yes, and so have you even though I don't know your culinary history. A melted ham and cheese sandwich probably had more actual umami than a lot of the dishes. But I probably rarely have eaten food as fresh, thought through, and considered.
I can also say that the service and the energy and the enthusiasm of the chefs and waiters was very inspiring and they have a generous spirit.
But having said that, unless you are a genuine cooking and food enthusiast or are invited as a guest then this could potentially be considered a disappointment. But the wine pairing was beyond reproach and there were a lot of interesting new types of unfiltered wines we tried and it enhanced the meal.
But it has made me view food in a different way and introduced me to ingredients unknown to me beforehand so I am very glad and am thankful to have had the experience of dining at Noma.
*As of May 2014, Noma was voted back to its former number spot!
Dining decisions are regards to a wine or a juice pairing for teetotalers. Menus are always changed according to season.
Did the job stimulating the salivary glands and increasing appetite.
It was too sour to say that one enjoyed it unless you have a penchant for it.
It was a turnip filled with cabbage and quince soup served through a straw made of dill that was chewable.
The plate was witty but can't say I would ask for the recipe.
It tasted as it sounds.
You picked up the deep fried morsel and
it had an expected earthy flavour.
Presentation was beautiful and was a palate cleanser although there was no strong flavour as yet to get rid of.
This could have been better served after a later dish of
cod liver for instance...
that was a cheese biscuit with rocket.
The sixth plate was a pickled and smoke quail's egg that was cooked for exactly one minute and twenty seconds. Love food that comes with its own gravy inside.
The seventh plate was controversial albeit very healthy.
It was a caramelized milk biscuit with cod liver on top.
I enjoyed it but one of my friends couldn't finish it and considering it is only one mouthful I must say it had a very strong flavor.
I don't have the proper Danish keyboard to write this so forgive me for any Danes out there but it is called AEbleskiver and greens.
It was a savoury donut instead of the usual sweet but what we didn't know was that there was also bee larvae inside.
Another refreshing dish with a surprisingly delicious combo was the chestnut soup with lumpfish roe. The sweetness of the chestnut and the saltiness of the roe was a good match.
The tenth plate was another dish that brought out strong reactions. It was the sea urchin with a layer of duck fat on top. One of my friends couldn't eat it so I ended up eating her share.
The tenth dish was burnt leek. I will write another post on some other restaurants soon but one trend we saw in Denmark was that there was a lot of purposeful burning which soon became a running joke among our group.
The waiter mentioned later we had crickets in one of the dishes and I have a feeling this was the dish.
This was fresh squid served with fennel in an ice dish.
It was very good and clean. The produce was notably good.
The twelfth dish was fried onions, fermented pears and ants.
Local wood ants for a bit of bite, texture and acidity.
Plate 13 was beets with aromatic herbs.
Tasted as you would presume.
Plate 14 was celeriac, cabbages, cream with a local herb that is now my new favorite called nasturtium.
Plate 15 was burnt potatoes with lojrom which is a type of roe.
The potatoes were burnt and yet almost raw and chalky and I found this rather unpleasant.
I was rather excited when we received a leather pouch with an antique whale bone knife.
Up until now there was no meat.
Then we were served wild duck that was shot by a local hunter with pear and kale.
Now onto the desserts...
I am sorry to say that they were not traditional.
Sometimes you can not innovate on chocolate and cream.
This was called aronia berries and sol
( the O has two dots on top in Danish).
You saw what I ate, I mean I have had more food stuck between my teeth in the past.
But sol is a seaweed based cream and the tartness of the berries just didn't go down well with me at all.
The second dessert was potato and plum with cream.
Yes that is mashed potato in the middle.
Sorry about the picture on this but at this point I think I was getting quite tipsy due to the alcohol.
This was a caramel made to look like a krispbread served with salt and a blended cream.
This was a classic Danish pastry served with a barley extract that almost tasted of chocolate. But we were disappointed when we discovered we had to share one pastry between two people.
The last dessert was puffed pork crackling covered with chocolate and berries.
This was another prep kitchen upstairs.
I was going to do a proper review on it but alas taste is subjective.
I used to be a hard core foodie and even put my money where my mouth was and opened a cafe at one stage. One of my best friends used to be a chef and I know the hours and sacrifice it takes to cook professionally.
I am not saying the food was bad however.
But have I had tastier food?
Yes, and so have you even though I don't know your culinary history. A melted ham and cheese sandwich probably had more actual umami than a lot of the dishes. But I probably rarely have eaten food as fresh, thought through, and considered.
I can also say that the service and the energy and the enthusiasm of the chefs and waiters was very inspiring and they have a generous spirit.
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| Tasting Menu at Noma |
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| Wine pairing list for the tasting menu |
*As of May 2014, Noma was voted back to its former number spot!
WOW I think you are very adventurous! There are so many thinks I can't/don't eat that a tasting menu is wasted on me. I have been curious about Noma after reading about it, so thanks so much for the terrific review.
ReplyDeleteI bet I would have liked the wine very much, but not the pork, crickets, ants, burnt or sour things!
Well I am not that adventurous Dani! I used to be but less so now...It was not the normal tasting menu for sure. It wasn't even molecular gastronomy and was very much its own style. I am glad I did it and ticked it off my gastronomic wishlist.
DeleteHi Naomi, well, I think I can safely say that this is someplace that I wouldn't venture! However, thanks so much for this review, it's important to know what's out there. I think I've seen this restaurant featured on one of Anthony Bourdain's shows. I loved your comment about having had more food stuck in your teeth in the past!
ReplyDeleteCopenhagen is an amazing city and NOMA was a bonus. They say that the spring and autumn menu is much better but either way I doubt you end up feeling full ;)! I am going to look for that episode where Anthony visits Noma though!
DeleteThe presentation looks lovely. I like to eat at places like this,and we have some here in Chicago like Grant Achatz's, Alinea. Whenever I eat at a place like that, I always leave a bit and hungry, and thus wish that there would be an illicit hamburger course!
ReplyDeleteAlinea is on my list!! But you are so lucky to be in Chicago - when I went there several years ago I had soo many good meals of all types of cuisines. Mexican, ribs, French bistro. I wasn't lucky enough to score a table at Alinea that time. But a culinary highlight was the Danish version of hotdogs at the airport!
DeleteReally interesting post. I do love gourmet restaurants. I've been to the Fat Duck and to Paul Bocuse in Lyons, both really good experiences. I still compare all cheese courses to the cheese course at Paul Bocuse. Nothing has ever matched it.
ReplyDeleteThis was so different to Fat Duck - there was no trickery or high tech gadgets used in any of the dishes at Noma. It was also not based anywhere near classic French so there was no sauce to hide from the taste of the produce. It was a bit stark. And there was no cheese course unless you could the cheese biscuit. In fact the other restaurants also didn't have cheese courses either now thinking about it! But I would love to do a foodie tour of Lyons...
DeleteWe once dined in Chicago at a restaurant in The Peninsula...21 courses. Expensive and by the time they got to my favorite part, desert, I was drunk and bloated...not pretty. I prefer simple foods. Sometimes these chefs try too hard. Had emulsion of sea urchin...WTF? I wonder what #1 is now. Off to check.
ReplyDeleteYes they aren't cheap and funny enough I ended up drunk too! It was also freezing in Denmark so I could see why the Vikings were always skulling mead from their horns. I love all sorts of foods - half my problem! But this wasn't even the normal try hard stuff. This was very much trying to find local great produce which in the middle of winter near the North Pole perhaps is not bountiful as Sicily for instance. But sea urchin has scarred my friend - I dont think she will ever eat it again! PS the #1 was finally usurped by a Spanish restaurant in Girona called El Cellar de San Roca - if you know somebody at the reservation desk please let me know!
DeleteWow, Naomi, can't say I would be dying to eat here. The wood ant thing is just too much. It's like they are almost trying to hard. There comes a point where you want to actually like the flavors..
ReplyDeleteI got to go to a similar restaurant in our town Manresa, which is famous for it's unique food and presentation, but most of the food was still delicious though much unfamiliar..They also sent us home with chocolate mini cakes for breakfast and also served the best bread I have ever had..
Hope Copenhagen was fun! Yes I can see why the Northern Europeans are so thin!! Thanks for sharing your visit! xx
Well I am glad to know that in an extreme situation I would know that they are edible and full of protein but then again the show i am a celebrity get me out of here taught me that as well...I think we are so used to classic French in haute cuisine that this is different. In fact my friends and I were wondering what the criteria was for judging these restaurants as we went to other restaurants there that were outstanding but ranked much lower. But yes the Danes are so fit - they were even cycling in the snow! xx
DeleteI'm going to Copenhagen mid-April Naomi and I'll be giving Noma a miss (pretentious and unedifying in the extreme)...I much prefer the sound of Kiin Kiin.
ReplyDeleteSo much more sensible than me Sulky! There was a mini blizzard when we were there...I am glad I did it out of curiousity but I don't think I could justify the price to be going there again. But there were great restaurants that didnt serve bugs! And another highlight was the hotdog stand at the airport and the creme puffs you need to take home with you on your way back home xx
DeleteDear Naomi
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for this report on Noma. You've tried very hard to be fair to them. Now I know I need never consider going there. It's definitely off the bucket list, if it ever was on. The efforts they go to - to dish up such unedifying sounding produce is quite bizarre and hysterically funny - when I was half way through your post I started laughing and have only just stopped. I respect attempts to produce fresh local food. All good. But this is just crazy funny. Can imagine in their time the Monty Pythons doing a wonderful skit on this place, if it'd existed then.
Much prefer French food (traditional, but the slightly lighter version) or Italian with fresh local ingredients. Doesn't have to be no. 1 in the world. A star or two is good, but not essential. Next holiday we're planning on having lunch at L'Oustau de Baumaniere, near Les Baux, Provence. Have you tried it? Some of the best meals we've ever eaten have been at little out of the way places in France and Italy, particularly in Sicily. No pretensions, just simple good food. Usually healthy too. Cheers, Pamela
Hi Pamela, Curiosity got the better of me and I just couldn't say no. I am glad I went otherwise it would have been one of those things that would have been a regret if I didn't go. Rene was a great speaker and esoterically I liked his energy. I have to admit that when the server was introducing the dishes my friends and I were like - oh another root vegetable eh? cheeky of us I know...I have a split opinion of French food which I won't bore you with here but I adore Sicily and everything about it - dont think you could eat badly there even at a train station! I haven't tried the restaurant you mention but would like to visit. But my biggest culinary disappointment was Chevre d'or in Eze. My husband and I still shake our heads at the dinner! But thank you for noting that I tried very hard to be fair as I know how hard they must work! Warm regards Naomi
DeleteHi Naomi
DeleteGood on you. Very brave. The 25% extra charge is quite horrendous! Haven't been in Copenhagen since September 1994 (they'd apparently had a good summer, but it was quite over by then) but remember a few meals there that were interesting, one in a grand restaurant in the Tivoli Gardens (part of hospitality at a conference I was attending) and better than usual cocktail party smoked salmon and other Scandi seafoody things, including in one of the palaces (again part of hospitality), hosted by the Queen.
Have heard other bad reports of the Chevre d'Or in Eze. Will give it a miss. But will probably go back to La Colombe d'Or in St Paul de Vence in May as we had a very happy lunch there a few years ago. Wonderful setting too - and the great art works. Almost feel the presence of the legends who used to eat there. We were lucky in our choice - our meal turned out to be so v impressive in appearance (and taste!) that the people at all the other tables around us pointed to what we were having and asked their waiters for the same thing. It eventually appeared everywhere.
Yes, adore Sicily too! Tutti anche! And everywhere we went the meals were fabulous (particularly the seafood and fish and anything with the local tomatoes, garlic, chilli, herbs etc), and the local wines. Didn't visit any precious places, or bus stations. One great wine bar/trattoria we kept going back to in Palermo was called Bibi Mangia (Drink/Eat!) - and that's just what we kept doing. The seafood ravioli and prawns with nero d'Avola was to die for. Also enjoyed tasting several different marsalas in Marsala. And the malvasia dessert wine on Lipari. We celebrated husband's b'day with slices of a specially commissioned ricotta cake and glasses of marsala. Un sogno felice! Ciao ciao! Pamela
Gosh you have me pining for Italy now Pamela! It is one of those places I could stay for years but to actually live there would drive one insane which is an odd mix. But I agree re La Colombe d'or - i had an amazing birthday lunch there once and speaking of which even their radishes were delicious or maybe it was the beurre blanc?? I had dinner at Nimb at Tivoli Gardens but don't think it is the same you went to possibly as it was part of the Nimb hotel. But salmon truly was amazing Denmark. I might start googling Sicilian images now - A dopo!
DeleteYes, me too. I keep reading books by people who've Fallen in Love with Italy (or France) and moved there, restoring old houses and growing vegetables and grapes. Last lovely one (though quite old, from Op. Shop) by Ferenc Mate, "The Hills of Tuscany". But agree, the local regulations and how to get round them would drive me insane too. Just the Italian Post Office is a nightmare. That cake should have read "cassata cake".
DeleteYes, don't think the Tivoli restaurant was the Nimb. Don't remember name (20 years ago) but don't think it was part of a hotel and was really quite grand. The conference group that organised it booked out the whole restaurant; there were spectacular fireworks too. They always went for quite special places, eg in Paris same dinner was at Le Pre Catelan.
Another conference was in Bucharest - the delegation had a farewell dinner at a very exclusive place rather like a large private home, with big verandahs on upper floor looking into garden. The menu was fairly limited. Those of us who ordered caviar (3 kinds incl. Beluga) and salmon did very well - superb! The rest who had pate and meat suffered. We'd gone to a late concert afterwards and suddenly all those who'd eaten pate had to jump and run. Dreadful! The rest of us followed to look after them. Exotic meals in so called top restaurants don't always work out so well. But then, in those days anyway, Bucharest was a dicey place to eat. Even at conference centre (the former Ceaucescu palace) lots of people got terribly sick from the food. We always avoided meals there. A fascinating city, still at that time emerging from all the years of repression and poverty. Our hotel was a former Art Deco gem which had just been restored for the conference. Unfortunately they'd furnished it with repro Louis seize which kind of clashed with the architecture. But they hadn't quite finished. Everyday something new would appear in the room. It was intriguing to come back in evenings and discover each new item - a mirror, a coffee table, some pictures, etc. The back garden hadn't been touched, at least at that point. The old pool was empty, wonderful Art Deco, with wave shapes and beautiful old tiles, partially covered by fallen leaves. Beautiful, looked like a set for a nostalgia movie. The young staff were lovely, so anxious to please, their thumbs still in page two of the manual. Ciao, Pamela
Love the Bucharest story! Sorry to hear there were culinary casulaties though! There are certain places where it is best to pretend to be vegetarian or have allergies. That city is on my list - few friends who went says it is a diamond in the dust. I heard there are amazing buildings and homes. I think there is something charming about something not perfect with a glorious past. I think that is why Eastern Europe is so exciting.
DeleteBut I think prices in France and Italy also reflect this disparity between beauty and ease of life. Have you seen Catherine Deneuve is selling her chateau just outside of Paris due to extortionate taxes? The whole reason one can buy a 10 room Chateau with acres of grounds for less than a million Aussie dollars is because they will pile you with taxes non stop and god forbid you go away and don't pay your council tax that gets lost in the post - they will send bailiffs to break in take things to the amount you owe and not bother to board up the door. Peter Mayle has a lot to answer for!! Pamela - when are you starting your own blog!??
Naomi - you are my heroine! I eat lots of nasturtiums so I could handle that. It seems, well, a bit precious, but then I am over here in the colonies, heehee! What a neat experience for you!
ReplyDeleteWell you are the trendy one! I think it is so pretty and I love the strong lemony rocket flavour. I don't think it grow as much here but then again I don't forage!
Deletewe grow it in pots in the summer and throw the flowers in salads. may I ask a completely tacky question? is the #1 restaurant in the world cost prohibitive or simply along the lines of other fine restaurants?
DeleteI must grow them this summer too then! I love how they remind me of lotus ponds. Not a tacky question - technically it is in line with other fine restaurants but the Danish government charge a 25% tax on top of the final cost so it is about that much more expensive. I couldn't justify the cost to except that they hire a lot of staff ( legally! ) and fine dining restaurants rarely make any money at all!
DeleteI remember my father adding nasturtiums to our salads when we were children, sometime last century. He'd add a flower or two, but it was the peppery leaves that were so good.
DeleteNasturtiums do taste so delicious and they dont sell them here so I will grow them but another restaurant treated them in such a way as if it were a flower so I am going to try and recreate a lily pond with it when I get my kitchen back!
DeleteI love the leaves and the flowers and am now thinking I may start a pot early, as I am drooling thinking about them....
DeleteWow. Simply wow! Some of the food was beautiful to look at, but most of it doesn't appeals to my taste buds. You were very adventurous. I wouldn't have lasted as long as you and probably would have been snookered long before dessert arrived.
ReplyDeleteI think in a way it would be what the chief Viking would have eaten back in the day...If we didn't fly out and the reservations so hard to get I may possibly have given up if to be honest!
DeleteThanks so much for the pics and commentary. I've been wondering what Noma is like, and now I'm happy to say that I won't need to visit. I do like the sound of some of the dishes, but degustation is wasted on me. I'm far happier with peasant food!
ReplyDeleteNoma does now have an aura and reputation so it is more like a culinary amusement park. One doesn't really go for a feed! I love peasant food as well but then again I am a food egalitarian and eat most things :)
DeleteWell. I liked the decor in the top photo.. and I like the way they are using local foods, but I don't think the presentation (or perhaps it was their food choices?) was something I'd like. My husband will go to different places and will try things but I have my favorite places and tend to go back to them. Kinda boring but I know what I'm getting:) Fun post Naomi!
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how the outdoors was quite grey - and this is coming from London! But then the decor was also so grey. I am also guilty of repeating restaurants over and over again especially in London - going away is one of the few times that make me adventurous!
DeleteLoved your review Naomi! I am starting to think that these very special restaurants are more "challenging" places to eat, rather than just places that provide a very enjoyable and delicious meal. We will obviously be served up a lot of charred food in Australia in the near future (oh joy). And I think we have Noma to thank for the lack of tablecloths in the 6 star dining experiences here too. I think their commitment to local produce and foraging is admirable, and it's certainly had a big influence on food globally in the past 5 years. It doesn't necessarily sound like fun per se though. It seems like the trend in food at the moment is either extremely tricky/ obscure styled food with foraged ingredients, or "street" food like sliders/ burgers/ asian hawker food. Nothing much in between. I know my husband is driven nearly insane by large degustation menus where you eat 8-10 courses and want to go and get a burger on the way home as you're so hungry....! As it's highly unlikely we'll ever get to Noma (especially if it takes a year to get a table?!) I've really enjoyed your review. xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Heidi! Actually like your husband I was getting really sick of "fine dining" which I never in a million years thought I would be. Tablecloths are not used in Denmark due to the laundry issues and eco side effect. While I believe them there are a lot of countries where I think it is just an excuse and not a genuine concern. Rene apparently foraged in St Kilda and cooked up a whole dinner so the guy seems to know his wild foodstuffs. But yes - get ready for burning - I am afraid when this translates to domestic cookery however. and one will never be able to complain if there is an ant in your soup either! xx
DeleteI've never had any interest in going Noma, I just think he's trying too hard. I think our relationship with food has gotten so skewed, when I read about this place and Blumenthal, it makes me feel a bit sad really.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you think of Copenhagen? Have you been to the other Scandi countries? I love Stockholm most of all.
It was my first time up the the Scandi countries - we took the train on THE bridge to Malmo. I loved it but also the greyness did my head in after a few days. Arriving in London was like arriving in Malaga! I think that the success of Rene and Heston has become such that it has just become sooo saturated and there are a lot of copycats but in culinary terms those two will definitely be in the history books.
DeleteI started to read your post last night but was too spooked by the food to finish and comment.It looks really interesting but I am very pleased you ate there and not me - don't think I could have managed it. I'm not sure about very expensive and special food.We live very close to a Michelin star restaurant and whilst I like going there well enough, it is the location and setting that appeal more than the food, I sometimes think. Would love to go to Denmark though.Lucky you.
ReplyDeleteI don't want you to think I go around eating bugs and larvae on a regular basis! But I agree with you though about the nature of these restaurants is the service and atmosphere of the whole process and occasion. I like special food but then again i love street food so I try to give them both a fair chance. But if not for Noma there is no way that I would have dared to leave London in the middle of a reno so it gave me a good reason and excuse to get out! I hope you go but in summer Sue! :)
DeleteLooks like you had a great time in CPH! I go there all the time and love it. Noma although is not my cup of tea I think, too weird...I'm more mediterrenean Jamie Oliver meets Nigella:) but, lojrom is about the best in the world, when served traditional with sourcream, onion, lemon and a buttered toast, with Champagne:) xo Caroline
ReplyDeleteYes Copenhagen lived up to the cool factor! I don't mind Danish food going by other restaurants actually - in Korea there is something similar to lojrom so I liked it - just not the potatoes! xx
DeleteWell first of all, were all those courses eaten in one sitting or did you do this tasting session on two occasions? Well you know me and 'foreign' cuisine and meat. I rarely experiment with foreign cuisine and I'm a meat girl. I don't think I have ever been to a restaurant and ordered anything but meat - I have it for a starter as well if I can. Duck is one of my favourite dishes though so I'm sure I'd have been happy with that, but unfortunately the other dishes would have probably been eaten by my accompanying friend or relative. How lovely that you took yourself away on a nice break though. I didn't realise the restaurant had such critical acclaim xx
ReplyDeleteOne sitting - we were there about 4 hours ( including the tour)! You would not have liked the food there at all Colleen! For me the duck was practically raw, well it was practically raw or rare as foodies like to call it. But it did taste fresh and didn't have the usual gaminess. Yes it was nice to get away from the maelstrom that is the reno!
DeletePS - you would have liked the veg factor though!! xx
DeleteI'm glad that you have accomplished something on your gastronomic wishlist - you are very brave/adventurous! I am afraid to say that even reading about some of these dishes makes me feel slightly nauseated. Philistine that I am I had never heard of Noma, and I think I the highlight of the trip for me would have been the bridge rather than the restaurant. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWell I had one moment where I felt a bit queasy and funny enough the ants and larvae wasn't part of it - it was the sol ice cream. Noma is a pretty hard core food nerd type of restaurant and the head chef doesn't do much TV unlike Heston so that is why not many have heard of him. And yes the highlight was the bridge for me too!!
DeleteThe turnip is so Blackadder...made me laugh!
ReplyDeleteIt was a very funny dish indeed. But tasted like a poultice, could imagine it was lunch at a Dickensian workhouse.
DeleteGreat to have such a detailed account of your meal, I've found it really interesting although some of the courses strike me as rather tongue in cheek! Now I'm aware of how unadventurous I tend to be around food. It's good to be stretched and opened up to different possibilities. Nevertheless I won't be booking a table at Noma's!
ReplyDeleteWe all get into the habit of rotating certain meals and now I will think of using roe a lot more for western food - I like to be adventurous with food - so much easier than camping you see! :)
DeleteI have read about restaurants serving unusual foods, but this is the first time I have read a firsthand account! Hats off to you for going on this dining adventure. I always think I will try anything at least once, but after having read your description, I think I would have drawn the line at the bee larvae, the crickets and the ants!!!
ReplyDeleteYes - usually it is some famous person or newspaper critic but i have also noticed it is hard to get civilian blogs doing an overview. But honestly these tips come in very useful in the wild - if you get hungry just get some ants and bee larvae if camping Louise!
DeleteYou are a brave woman. Here in San Francisco we have a few tasting menu places, Benu, Coi, etc., but I confess that's not my favorite.
ReplyDeleteAnd we Californians like to be lazy and just eat stuff that tastes good:).
Thank you for the review. You do us a favor...
I do want to go to San Fran but I heard there are so many just normal great restaurants. Yes - the concept of tasting good sometimes gets overlooked with all that flambeing and sauteeing!
DeleteI have read a good few articles about Noma and it was really helpful to read your post and experience the food through your lens and descriptions. There are elements of certain dishes which really appeal to me. I first had cep mushrooms years ago in France and love them and I enjoy the fragrant flavour of quince (we have them in our garden and make quince paste, delicious with Manchego cheese!) Gooseberries and elderflower - a lovely combination too and nasturtium leaves give a peppery taste to salads. However there are some dishes which I'm just not sure about mainly the local wood ants and crickets I suppose. A shame you had to share the Danish pastry!
ReplyDeleteDanish food and Nordic in general hasn't made an impact on most countries palates such as Italian so I think there is that barrier for most. But I do wish they gave us a pastry each!!
DeleteGreat post. I love to forage but if I had to live on foraging alone I would have to come up with some interesting recipes to make use of my finds. I think what Noma is trying to do is admirable, considering that we are always being told that the way we eat now is not sustainable in the long run. Noma may be a taste of things to come for all of us. But since I have ants and nasturtiums and snails and many an odd thing in my garden and the neighbourhood I doubt I would want to pay Noma for the privilege of eating the same. Might want to borrow a recipe or two though....the gooseberries would suit me.
ReplyDeleteSo Gallivanta all you need is the wines to match what is already in your garden! Lucky you :) But foraging is a valid point and he did make us see that we can look for edible and fresh food everywhere so I think he did bring a philosophy to the forefront for me!
DeleteWhew. Thank you for this, have been curious. Will now rise and intone the Marseillaise and feel all the better for so doing.
ReplyDeleteI dare say this was one of the few times where I thought a creme brulee or bernaise sauce would have been perfect!
DeleteThis is such a great post! It was really interesting to hear about the restaurant from your educated-but-not-a-critic's perspective. That food! I can appreciate the idea, but it doesn't look too satisfying.
ReplyDeleteYou read the New Yorker, right? Did you the article a while back by somebody who went foraging with him? That was interesting.
I understand what is captivating about a lot of the currently popular food from a conceptual perspective, but you are not the first person I've heard say that they left such a restaurant hungry. I don't know if I want my food to challenge me, the way I'm okay with a book or a piece of music being challenging. It's really interesting to think about. Thanks for another great post!
Yes my friend said she was exhausted fighting with her food after. But as we get older we do slip into a rut so if anything this got me out of it. Why is eating ants odd but not chicken? I read it but I must reread it now I went. But I think if i wanted to be full i could have gone to the Olive garden and this was definitely something else! But thank you Abby x
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