B.A.R krog & vinbar

To start off with, two different glasses of bubbly. The rosé number being a cava from Gala Wines in Penédes - refreshing by easily forgettable. The other was a non-dosage variety, a Saumur Brut Zéro Tête en l'Air by the house Manoir de la Tête Rouge made from 80% chenin blanc and 20% chardonnay, which proved to be deep and complex in flavor.

For our sparkling wines, we also had a snack plate. Radishes accompanied by Jerusalem artichoke puree; Baby gem lettuce with egg cream, capers, and fried onions; Crispy fish skin dusted with vinegar powder; Malt crisp bread with a cream of smoked roe and dried anchovy; Pickled cucumber with mousse of rooster liver, cress and crunchy pork bits.



The first dish consisted of salted cod, creamy smoked roe, grilled cucumber, shallots, and nasturtium - very similar in presentation to a dish we recently tasted at Bror. This dish was however in comparison much more intense in flavor due to the addition of smoked roe, though by no means overpowering to the. In our glass a 2012 sauvignon blanc from Domaine de Bablut in Anjou.



Next up was tartare! A very delicate version, certainly chopped by hand, covered by thin slices of daikon, samphire and grated horseradish. The wine pairing was an interesting blend of sauvignon blanc, sauvignon gris and chardonnay - a Cheverny Blanc Frileuse by Clos du Tue-Boeuf in Loire.

For the main course we had braised ox cheeks. Alongside there was smoked bone marrow, beets, glaced as well as thinly sliced, charred leeks and garlic mayonnaise. So delicious but still extremely comforting. This time around our wine companion was a red, interestingly a merlot (can you think of a grape less modern at this point in time). Well, it was excellent - a 2008 Vin de Pays d'Oc from Clos de Barbejo

We decided to share a cheese plate. Unfortunately the exact varieties have slipped by mind, but they were all good. The final wine pairing was a Coteaux du Layon from Chateau de Passavant in Haut-Layon, Southern Anjou, made from 100% chenin blanc.

B.A.R krog & vinbar
Erik Dahlbergsgatan 3
211 48 Malmö

Notes:
For Kristi Himmelfartsdag I had taken the oppotunity to plan a short but exotic getaway for B and I to... Malmö. After having read rave reviews of B.A.R by both Helle Brønnum Carlsen and Søren Frank, I was quick to secure us a table one of the evenings. A 7pm the place was fully packed and the atmosphere was great. Our server was quite busy but also extremely engaging in his storytelling of both food and wines. We opted for a four-course menu (at 350sek quite a bargain) and in addition hereto a snack plate and cheeses to share. Further, our waiter found us some different wines to accompany each dish (all wines are supplied by Danish importer Rosforth&Rosforth, specializing in natural wines). As you can tell from the pictures, the cuisine is modern Nordic, and similar to our experience at Bror I found the dishes to be innovative but still incredibly tasty. I particularly enjoyed our cod starter, the ox cheeks, and the dessert, which I somehow forgot to snap a picture of (fyi, it was packed with bold flavors including dark chocolate ganache and dill sorbet - exquisite!). In total, our bill added up to approximately 1700sek, which I find to be amazing value - especially considering the average cost of alcohol in Sweden. Highly recommended!

Maven - Restaurant & Vinbar

Smoked cod roe, shrimps, and caper mayonnaise.

Beef tartare with cognac, egg yolk, horseradish, capers... and a lot of other condiments.

Maven - Restaurant & Vinbar
Nikolaj Plads 10
1067 Copenhagen K

Notes:
On a sunny Friday my dear mother was so kind to invite me out to lunch (bliss, having a student job where you can come and go as you desire!). It is incredible what a bit of sun and warmth can do to the Danish people, and I cannot think of a better place enjoying central Copenhagen and its lively atmosphere than Maven. The place is situated in Nikolaj Kirke, a church as the Danish name implies, now turned into an art space. The action however takes place outside, where tables are closely set on the old cobblestone. The lunch menu is very traditional, featuring smørrebrød and Western lunch classics. My mom opted for smoked cod fish roe that was accompanied by amazingly fresh shrimps from Rømø, half an egg, and a hearty caper mayo. I went with the tartare, which turned out to be an interesting encounter, served with an abundance of condiments. The tartare itself was gorgeous, obviously chopped by hand and very fresh, and in such a case I honestly think it is a shame to drown the beautiful beef in such heavy amounts of condiments. I ate the horseradish, capers, and egg yolk and was very pleased. Furthermore, I should mention that Maven breasts itself of being a wine bar and their wine selection by the glass is large, though a bit pricey starting at 75dkk per glass. We each had a glass of easily forgettable Chilean chardonnay, which did however fit the bill perfectly in terms of providing something easy to drink on a warm summer day. And on such days, I will highly recommend a visit to Maven.

Ufer

Pretty flowers, 2 x riesling feinherb and a shaky camera (sorry!)

Plums marinated in red wine, bay leaf and cloves, wrapped in bacon and grilled + hard, shaved cheese and marinated olives.

Classic flammkuchen with sour cream, bacon and onions.

A very German charcuteri assortment including two kinds of soft salami, roastbeef, rilette, wholegrain mustard and lard.

Ufer

Bismarckstraße 151

Eimsbüttel, Hamburg

Notes:

Prior to a night out dedicated to cocktails at Le Lion, B and I decided to go out for a cheap, quick, and casual bite. Ufer provided a lovely setting, being a bit of mix between a café, restaurant and wine bar. We decided to order a bit of everything to share and were quickly started off with two glasses of riesling (0,2l seems to be German standard - dangerous...), some incredibly juicy, bacon-wrapped and grilled plums, a bit of hard cheese (shaved too thinly - a lot of it fell apart between our fingers) and some very average black olives that at least had had the chance to soak some olive oil and spices. Thereafter came the showstopper of the evening, a flammkuchen. Perfectly thin and crisp but with just the right amount of tangy sour cream, smoky bacon and tangy onions to provide a great deal of pleasure in our mouths. The charcuteri board paled a bit in comparison but we both found the German theme rather interesting, almost exotic, with components such as soft salamis (much like a Danish salami really) and lard (really, lard?). All in all, a lovely meal without too much fuss. Service was attentive, the venue rather cosy, and our bill added up to 45 euro-ish for the food and four supersized glasses of wine. Recommended - but don't leave without trying the flammkuchen!

Worst

Cute sign outside the wine bar.

Chardonnay and Riesling.

Worst
Barentszstraat 171
1013 Amsterdam

Notes:
After our dinner at Moes we decided to have a glass of wine before hitting ours beds. The choice fell on Worst, which is located in a residential area just outside central Amsterdam, and not too far from my friend's flat. The atmosphere is casual, the wine menu limited to a handful by the glass, however offering the sympathetic option to have just half a glass. JC went with a glass of Languedoc Chardonnay and I a glass of Wehlenehrer Sonnenuhr Spätlese Riesling from Weingut Kerpen. The prices per glass range from 4,5 to 15euro, while the bar also offers an extensive list of bottles and a food menu of little things to nib on (including different sorts of sausages, as the name of the wine bar might imply). The bar closes early at midnight but is a great venue for a casual glass of wine. Recommended.