New Openings: Copenhagen's Top Five New Restaurants

by Isaac Parham, The Daily Telegraph, February 10, 2017

Ever since 2010, when Noma (and its chef patron René Redzepi) first achieved celebrity status thanks to its ranking as the best restaurant in the world, Nordic cooking has been under the spotlight. It seems we can't get enough of the purity and freshness of Scandi food, as the popularity of restaurants in London such as Texture, Scandinavian Kitchen and Aquavit prove. So we headed to the birthplace of New Nordic Cuisine to investigate the top five new restaurants.

108

After opening its doors in the summer of 2016, there was a real danger that 108 would become the consolation prize for those who couldn’t nab a table at its sister restaurant, Noma, around the corner. Thankfully, that is not the case. Head chef Kristian Baumann and his team have created a restaurant that, although clearly rooted to its older sibling, succeeds on its own terms. Here, the music is turned up, service is bright and breezy and a few tables are held back for walk-ins.

Baumann’s cuisine, meanwhile, finds the right balance between comfort and playfulness. He takes influence from his mentor René Redzepi’s devotion to the Nordic larder while also signalling his Korean heritage. Menus are kept short and change with the seasons, though standout dishes such as pork belly with caramelised milk skin (a sort-of New Nordic taco) and braised oxtail - served inside golf-ball-sized doughnuts and scattered with pine needles - tend to stay on all year round. And for good reason. 108 Strandgade, Copenhagen 1401;  108.dk

Väkst

A functioning greenhouse sits at the heart of this acclaimed new eatery from the Cofoco restaurant group, which is not only a genius bit of look-at- me design but testament to Väkst’s commitment to sustainability. “We wanted to create a restaurant that captured the nature of the garden party and prolonged the feel of Danish summer,” its owners say. True to this idea, its two dining rooms are decked out in hanging plants and furniture rendered from recycled and upcycled materials.

It makes for a captivating space in which to enjoy the naturally elegant dishes on offer, many of which revolve around flora grown in the greenhouse. Yet, for all the New Nordic virtuousness - Geranium ice cream with porridge, for example - there are dishes of belt-loosening indulgence, too. Väkst’s signature beef tenderloin dish flatters the cut with veal bacon and lashings of homemade mustard. 34 Sankt Peders Stræde, Copenhagen 1453;  hostvakst.dk

The Market Asian Bar and Kitchen
Amid a flurry of openings primed to fill the New Nordic vacuum created by Noma’s temporary 2017 closure, The Market Asian Bar and Kitchen brings something different to the Copenhagen dining scene: a much-needed crowd-pleaser. There is no "concept" here other than pan-Asian cuisine in a buzzy setting, and judging by its early reviews and footfall the formula works.

A quick scour of its expansive menu reveals chef Per Toke Rosenkrantz’s penchant for letting princely proteins do the talking - see signatures such as Wagyu beef served with an emulsion made from the dripping and cod marinated in sake and miso and scorched on the grill. The chef himself says: “It is important for me to show the diversity of Asian cuisines, but with a twist”. The bar is well-stocked with sakes, European wines and Japanese whiskies, and the cocktails are not to be missed. 2 Antonigade, Copenhagen 1106;  themarketcph.dk

Spontan
Housed inside Brus, a trendy Norrebro brewpub, Spontan (Danish for spontaneity) offers stripped-back Scandi preparations in an uncluttered space that wears its iron foundry roots proudly. Don’t be fooled by the terse dish descriptions (Oyster, Potato, Crème Fraîche, Gooseberry) or laid-back setting, this is a kitchen capable of startling intricacy - led by twenty-something Head Chef Christian Gadient, who formerly won a Michelin star at nearby Marchal.

Dishes are inordinately pretty and full of intrigue, with common local ingredients likely to be pickled or fermented beyond recognition. Just don’t expect the same thing twice. “I don’t want to do signature dishes, I want to keep testing, creating and offer new tastings and variations to the guests,” Christian has said of his mutable menus. 29F Guldbergsgade, Copenhagen 2200;  tapperietbrus.dk/spontan/

Restaurant Palaegade
No culinary trip to Copenhagen is complete without a slice or two of Smørrebrød - the traditional Danish open sandwich - and locals will tell you Palaegade serves up some of the best in town. Venture to this city centre eatery for lunch and you will be able to choose from around 40 different varieties, ranging from classics such as herring and smoked salmon to tenderloin with mushrooms a la creme.

Local beers and spiky akvavits wash down the rye bread sandwiches nicely. Evening service sees Palaegade undergo something of a key-change. Award-winning chef Magnus Mondrop takes the helm in the kitchen while sommeliers Simon Olesen and Rasmus Amdi Larsen promote a Euro-centric wine list out front. 8 Palægade, Copenhagen 1261;  palaegade.dk/frontpage/

This article was written by Isaac Parham from The Daily Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.