A culinary odyssey to Copenhagen

Home once to Hans Christian Andersen, Copenhagen now plays host to copious restaurants and bars. It’s  well worth a visit. The critically acclaimed world’s best restaurant, Noma, has certainly put Copenhagen on the gastronomic map with Nordic influences tipped to create a buzz in the culinary world in 2013. I thought it high time to take a photographer and myself across the North Sea to check out the food revolution in our midst.

 

Seven restaurants, seven reasons to visit.

 

Just an hour in Copenhagen and off to our first restaurant. A ten-minute walk north east of the Central Station takes you to Nyhavn. Brightly coloured townhouses dating back to the seventeenth century frame the picturesque waterfront. Walk just one block back from the canal  and you will find Damindra. Set on the corner of Holbergsgade, art deco black and white with exposed wooden floorboards expounding class and sophistication on entry.

A homemade blend of lime and ginger over ice, refreshes the palate between each course and greets customers on entrance, a nice touch. Served by the eponymous owner Damindra himself. We were seamlessly guided through ,what lied before us , just how to eat it in a wonderfully formed slick rhetoric. During three hours at Damindra creativity flew out of the kitchen in the form of nine, carefully mastered and beautifully presented courses.

Spring rolls took a twist with bitter Japanese lemon,     shitake, homemade salsa, fresh ginger, tender prawns and fresh wasabi     sauce. The local takeaway could learn rather a lot from Damindra.Our favourites of the theatrical event had to be the     Oyster, in tempura with fresh wasabi, the crisp of fried red cabbage     working alongside the soft insides of the creation. As well as this, Danish     lobster with a hit of lime, cooked to perfection in sesame oil with bitter     lemon, garlic and ginger could not have been better.The Sushi at Damindra is the kind of sushi that puts you off packet sushi for the rest of your life. Beautiful pieces of artwork crafted from cucumber, asparagus, tuna, white crab meat, seaweed, pumpkin crisp and avocado paled the likes of Yo! Sushi! to utter insignificance.

Finally a tribute to Damindra in a desert from. His personally put together piece d’resitance , which arrived on the chic black table. Jagari ice cream, palm sugar, coconut, pistachio crumb, vanilla ice, a soymilk reduction with cinnamon, sweet potato and sweet dough to finish. Phenomenal. Fresh hot towels intermittently improve proceedings and the dedication and thought in every dish can be tasted. Take a couple of hours and head to Nyhavn for Damindra, you will not be disappointed

My next recommendation comes in a slightly different form. Without a cooked ingredient in sight, 42° Raw offers a cacophony of raw meals to choose from.

With casual beech wood forming tiered seating alongside a couple of tables and chairs for good measure- 42° purports a sense of Zen. Whatever Zen actually is. A vaulted ceiling and stark white walls impose clean lines whilst homemade goods on offer in brown paper bags with holistic graphic design, if such a thing exists, in triplicate.

To start we both had shots of ginger and apple, served in recycled paper cups with a slice of apple. From here we moved straight on to the main event of lasagne and an avocado sandwich. The former constructed of squash, fresh pasata, walnuts, parsley pesto, and cashew crème and the latter stuffed with baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, marinated red onion and chilli mayo. We all found space for Thai noodles made of carrot and zucchini with lashings of a red chilli, ginger and coconut oil curry sauce. Redolent of the best Thai green curry around. All 100% raw

Desert came in the form of a brownie. But not an oven in sight, of course. Liquorice, chocolate and roasted cashew sprinkled atop the gooey creation, bound together by what, your guess is as good as mine. To wash proceedings down we took a New Orleans and a Stockholm. Both refreshing and light these thoughtful concoctions combined a veritable feast of flavours from mango to mint and basil to beetroot.

42°Raw pride themselves on its offering “just as nature intended”, we indeed left feeling full but not exploding. A sister restaurant can be found opposite the Royal Academy of Arts in London and although it might sound a little strange Copenhagen’s very own raw restaurant it really does work.

 

 

Fusion food with a twist. The twist being that you can get your food alongside your laundry.  With publications such as Bitch Slap on the bar and reviews in Time Magazine emblazoned on the walls, it was clear that Laundromat was up to doing something right. This quirky must for brunch in trendy Norrebro played host to ubiquitous beanie-wearing fixie-riding Copenhageners and their City counterparts.

We tried both the Clean and Dirty breakfasts, the names a nod of course to the washing machines of the Laundromat Café. Fresh orange juice and propercoffee our somewhat softer wine     flight. The Clean breakfast promoted health and organic fruity goodness     with bundles of fresh fruit, Greek yoghurt with muesli, , Stori cheese,     scrambled egg and marmalade.

The Dirty breakfast is your typical hangover cure with a Danish twist. Scambled eggs, bacon, spiced sausage, fried potatoes, grilled  tomatoes and Greek yoghurt with muesli. Served with rye bread it imports a  sense of contentedness felt only when you’ve got that food to hit the spot.

Using heaps of charity shop books arranged by colour to     tantalise those Obsessive Compulsive sorts. The Laundromat café boasts a     kooky and colourful interior and good enough food to match

An Australian, a San Franciscan and a Frenchman wash up on the shores of Copenhagen and from this, Tight was born. Set on three levels of comfort and sophistication yielding a range of experiences, the city centre outfit offers a global menu in a cosy setting without an ounce of pretence.

First on the menu was the ever-contentious foie gras with port jelly on toasted ciabatta, a recipe passed down from the French grandpa of aforementioned Frenchman. This however caused no contention for us but hit the mark with smooth texture and rich flavour. Mussels in sauce poulette followed. The next course, and definitely one to try at home is the pappadella pasta. Combining oyster and button mushrooms, fennel, baby spinach, sage, crème fraiche and truffle oil this light pasta really worked; perfectly matched to a glass of Riesling. Flank steak, huge garlic prawns served simply yet elegantly on slate fitted the bill for the fourth dish on the tasting menu and glass of 1999 fortified Shiraz aptly named The King from Leheman’s private collection finished our evening at Tight alongside homemade profiteroles.

Take three full courses for £30 or go all out in a five-course taster menu with wine flight for an extra £20. Pretty good value when you consider the quality, affability and atmosphere in Tight.

Akin to the famous Meatpacking district of New York, Copenhagen’s very own Kødebyens is one to watch out for.

Offering the freshest locally and responsibly sourced fish, you can’t go wrong with a visit to this Fiskebar (essentially, fish bar). Of Danish origin with an international edge, the sleek design and effortless junction between bar and restaurant communicates a feeling of calm in both customers and staff. And the staff in Fiskebar really are outstanding.

Hand picked Champagne from the owner Ander’s small producer was brought to us on arrival followed by homemade sourdough bread and seaweed butter to mark the start of the experience. The chefs bring your food to you, straight from the kitchen and you are then taken through exactly what is in front of you. A very nice touch and something I’ve not seen before. We took first to char tartare and sea urchin. The former bordering on a ceviche utilising herbs, rye bread crumbs and a lime twist to bring out textures and offering flavour and the latter a visual antonym of an urchin.

Mains came in the form of baked flounder with celeriac and smoked marrow in addition to seared scallops de rigueur with purple potatoes and lovage. A cornucopia of fine wines were matched perfectly to every course and an exemplary pair of desert wines complimented the final plate. An amalgamation of flavours, colours and textures in a creation reminiscent of MOMA’s latest installation. Wild chocolate from the Bolivian Amazon with 78% Cacao was served with milk chocolate, lavender, liquorice and sea buckthorn in a combination both intelligent and aesthetically pleasing.

The most appropriate way to round off the meal was cocktails from Kødebyens Fiskebar’s knowledgeable, talkative and intriguing mixologists. Before our eyes Espresso martinis were assembled leaving us to waddle back to the hotel.

A family business spanning three generations we found Bento a cosy, traditional Japanese offering just a little more than favoured Wagamama. In an unperturbed raised basement just a few minutes walk from Copenhagen Central Station it’s definitely worth a visit.

 

With a wealth of information from the owner, Uki, we were taught about the Izakaya concept of combining a little good food with a little good drink to combat the alcohol intolerance felt by many.

 

Bento offered a balanced lunch; with sushi to begin in the form of a salmon, avocado, rainbow trout roe, cucumber and sesame roll alongside the omnipresent California roll and healthy sized fried shrimps for good measure.

 

Thick udon noodle soup with tofu, egg, crab, Japanese seven spice, green beans and edemamé. An enhanced range of textures and a feeling of warmth are imparted through this dish and offer an insight into Japanese authenticity.

The prevalence of organic ingredients and settings had     become apparent through our time in Scandanavia and our last meal was taken     in a small organic outfit. An airy basement in Norrebrø houses Kalaset offering plenty to those     who venture there.  The legacy of a     grandmother who loved to cook and turn the kitchen into a place of fun, a   place of experiment and a place of adventure.

To turn the metaphor of smorgasbord of delights into  from figurative to literal took mountains of Kalaset specialities     organically arranged on a sliver platter.

Crunchy roast potatoes smothered with herbs and homemade     salsa together with organic Vestehav and Ruberhus cheese formed just a     quarter of the ‘bord. Shared between two it was the perfect start to a     great meal.

The two mammoth burgers emerged from the kitchen bringing delight to both our faces.  The Brooklyn; a solid eight once patty served with a wedge of melting blue cheese and the Barcelona; . A master class in burgers bestowed to each and every visitor.  Mojitos with fresh mint and muddled limes are served on crushed ice in abundance sealing the deal and bringing an incredibly indulgent whistle stop gastronomic tour of Denmark’s first city.

Whilst you’re in Copenhagen visit the Bagsværd Kirke for subliminal architecture. Frequent magnificent Opera House, hire a bike and take a ride with some of the other thousands on two wheels. Witness the changing of the palace’s Royal Guard at 12pm every day and leave time to stroll through the Freetown of Christiana.

 

Book into The Gulsmeden – Carlton, Axel or Bertrams. An organic group of three hotels offering comfort, value for money and a slightly alternative take on Copenhagen. Plush sheepskin throws transfer guests to Scandanavia via warmer climbs with complimentary coffees, fantastic service and a sense of comfort often only felt in people’s homes making for a very enjoyable stay. The Gulsmeden have got this branch of hoteling down to a tee.

 

With Copenhagen Dining Week approaching from the 11^th – 17^th February and flights half the price of a bite of Sashimi from the 1.8 million dollar Bluefin tuna sold in Tokyo earlier this month you would be mad not to go. Denmark will not disappoint.

 

This Friday sees Newcastle’s very own farmers market come to life. All products must be raised, grown or produced within a fifty-mile radius of Grey’s Monument, where the market takes place and it’s open from 9.30am to 2.30pm .