Moltkes Bar

The Officer - Arette Blanco tequila, Lillet Blanc, Chartreuse Jaune, lemon juice, and Laphroaig 10 years.

21st Century

Moltkes Bar
Dronningens Tværgade 2
1302 Copenhagen K

Notes:
It was a spring-y Friday night when B and I popped into Moltkes Bar for the first time. The location is slightly off the beaten path (well, not really... but personally I never get around this part of town by coincidence), situated right next to Michelin-starred AOC inside Moltkes Palæ (they translate palæ into palace on their website - not how sure that translation is, though it certainly gives out a mondane vibe once you enter the building). The bar brands itself as being a speakeasy, which is fitting in many ways... though they could dim the lights just a tad, if you ask me. 

What B and I had initially found enticing about the place is their old school cocktail menu. But once we were there I actually felt more like having a 21st Century than its predecessor, the 20th. The bartender responded quite baffled and was not exactly accommodating to my request - much to my surprise, it's a new classic after all. In the end, after a bit of explanatory action and smartphoning he managed to mix it for me. B went with one of their own classics. He was pleased, but certainly not blown away - just the way I felt about my drink. In the end, we left the bar feeling a bit indifferent. I found the ambience a bit too cold, the lights to stark, and something seemed to be lacking in terms of providing a solid speakeasy experience. I will not reject that I will return in the future, but I honestly think Copenhagen boasts a lot of other different cocktail bars to be explored.

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.

Pluto

Orange wine! A 2006 Baccabianca Tenuta Grillo from Piemonte made from 100% cortese grapes. Very musky in its expression proposing a very interesting balance of sweet, sour, and savoury.

Croquettes!

Oysters with jelly of dill and horseradish snow.

Charcuteri... Gorgeous serrano, coppa, morel sausage and cornichons.

Crab salad, lumpfish roe, smoked cheese, thinly sliced daikon and cress.

Bresaola, lettuce, grated pecorino and almond vinaigrette.

Scallops, sea buckthorn, carrot and crispy crumbs.

Grilled Madagascar prawns with grilled lemon and garlicky butter sauce.

A red Loire number by Pascal Simonutti to follow. Named "Etiquette Violette", made from 100%.

Steamed buns with shredded duck, cilantro and cucumber.

Shortribs.

Bone marrow with parsley and toasted rye bread.

Passionfruit, white chocolate and licorice. 

Pluto

Borgergade 16

1300 Copenhagen K

Notes:

We were three persons with high anticipations entering Pluto on a late Saturday night. I had read plenty of reviews prior to our visit, left with the impression that Pluto is a relaxed place serving hearty and delicious food (that might have your arteries clog if you visit too often). In this culinary regard we were not let down! In order to test the diversity of the kitchen we went with the tasting menu, priced at 450, as well as a bottle of orange wine, though our server was very weaving in terms of wine recommendations. Further, if it had not occurred to us previously it quickly became evident that the place is incredibly busy, and in turn a bit understaffed. The result being intermittant carpet bombings of dishes, causing the dinner to get a rather unbalanced flow. We did however enjoy what we were served! Among the evening's highlight I would point to the horseradish oysters, croquettes, the bresaola dish, and a gorgeous porchetta-inspired dish, which I somehow failed to take a picture of. Many of the dishes are incredibly simple but so utterly full of taste. Finally, being among the last one standing, we were served three glasses of complimentary red wine, even though we had not finished the ones we had purchased. As the bill arrived and we were charged 80dkk for each glass, though we had not requested the wine to begin with, leaving us with a strange feeling of an otherwise very pleasant evening. All in all, our visit to Pluto was tasty with an accentuated hedonistic edge, and while the service was quite all over the place, I feel fairly sure that we will return at some point in the near future - at least to try their amaro-heavy cocktail menu, which looked very promising.

Bror

Bubbles to start off with - here a Blonde 2011 made from chardonnay and viognier by Andre Calek in Ardèche.

Snack #1 - Fried ox testicles. Great idea, but the execution needs a bit of work. We felt that the testicles were probably too water-y for the breading to stick properly. The tesicles in themselves by the way, did not taste like much, but the breading was very well-seasoned.

Snack #2 - Squid, söl, and white wine. B was not a huge fan, but I loved this snack. Ultra tender squid in a rich white wine broth, the consistency was almost like a pasta of sorts.

First dish was pike perch with cucumber, spruce, and nasturtium. At the table we were also served a broth made from grilled cucumber and spruce to pour over. Very delicate dish, maybe even a bit too understated in its final expression. In the glass, a Rhône number - more specifically a 2008 Saint Péray by Japanese winemaker Hirotake Ooka.

As a little intermezzo we shared a tartare - a very memorable one at that. The meat being very coursely chopped, but still tender, and incredibly flavorful. The dish also featured rhubarb, which was an excellent addition to the meat, leaving us with an impression of a very simple but pure dish.

Catfish with two sorts of seaweed and pickled onion. Accompanied by a glass of Mâcon-Prety by Alexandre Jouveaux this was one of the evening's highlights.

Onglet with charred leek and shredded cauliflower...

...with a scrumptious green sauce to accompany.

The details of the dessert have unfortunately slipped my mind, though I do remember it as being very pleasing. The main stars of the plate were white chocolate parfait, rhubarb and a lovely, sweet crunch to end it off.

Bror
Skt. Pederstræde 24
1453 Copenhagen K

Notes:
There are few places that are open in Copenhagen on Sundays, but Bror is welcome addition to the little club of restaurants that are. For B's birthday, which incidentally fell on a Sunday in April, we set out to try Bror. As you enter the restaurant you immediately sense the welcoming, buzzing atmosphere featuring dark wood, dim lighting, and a clientele that appeared to represent most corners of the world. The service is friendly and knowing but also quite unstructured and not very speedy - not that we did mind very much as we had great natural wine in our glasses and plenty to talk about. As to the food, I had initially feared that the courses would be too Noma-inspired, but fortunately I was wrong, though you can certainly see where the two head chefs have plenty of their inspiration from. I was instead pleasantly surprised to experience that the dishes at Bror leave you not only with an impression of something that certainly is a take on Nordic cuisine but also something with little pretention and where the main objective is to serve food that is well-tasting rather than just interesting - impressively Bror manages to do both. A four-course menu will set you back 350dkk, which I consider quite a bargain at this level. Highly recommended!

Barburrito

Cobs of corn with cilantro cream, grated cheese and lime.

2 x margaritas - chili and regular, respectively.

Ceviche of unidentified white fish, mango, tomato, chili, red onion, cucumber - and too much lime.

Burrito with confit pork.

Taco selection.

Barburrito
Skindergade 36
1159 Copenhagen K

Notes:
On a Tuesday in late March B took me by surprise and invited me out for a Mexican-themed evening. First stop was Barburrito, a new restaurant and one of the few in Copenhagen seeking to serve more authentic Mexican food - with a contemporary edge. The clientele is quite young and so was our server this evening. He was very enthusiastic, sometimes  bordering dictating in his efforts to up-sell. In the end we decided on a broad selection from the menu as well as cocktails, and most of the food we had was certainly very tasty - especially our corn cobs and the taco selection were memorable, while the ceviche featured too much lime and certainly did not feel very fresh, and the burrito was very average. The lack of coordination also shone through, service being extremely slow at times failing to match the pace of the kitchen, which was a shame. All in all, a fine experience though I feel fairly sure that we will not return to Barburrito any time soon.

Misc. Vienna Eats & Drinks

Sepp Moser sekt at Weinbotschaft.

Black pudding, thinly sliced boiled and smoked ham, salad and plenty of horseradish at Weinbotschaft.

Veal schnitzel at Weinbotschaft.

Local weissbier to start off the day at Cafe Tirolerhof.

Scrambled eggs with ham at Cafe Tirolerhof.

Ham & Eggs at Cafe Tirolerhof.

Weissbier and osterbock at Fischer Bräu.

Schweinsbraten with sauerkrau and semmelknödel at Fischer Bräu.

Cordon bleu at Fischer Bräu.

Classy sausage snacking at Bierparadies.

Hot chocolate, Wiener mélange and milchrahmstrudel at Café Prückel.

Ice cream coffee, Wiener mélange - on a metal tray, naturally.

Very average breakfast at Bäckerei Arthur Grimm.

Falafel and hummus at Naschmarkt.

Chicken and hummus + kräuter Bionade at Naschmarkt.

Pre-dinner drinks at Wein & Co.

Cocktails at Halbestadt.

Cocktails at Halbestadt.

Biodynamic grüner veltliner tasting. 

Charcuteri, olives, artichokes and sun-dried tomatos from Naschmarkt.

Recommended adresses

Bio Restaurant Weinbotschaft

Annagasse 12, 1010 Wien

High quality, organic restaurant.

Café Prückel
Stubenring 24

1010 Wien

A dusty piece of Viennese history. Prompt service and great cakes.

Cafe Tirolerhof
Führichgasse 8, 1010 Wien
Very standard Vienna café. Cheap, good, and cosy.

Fischer Bräu
Billrothstraße 17, 1190 Wien

Local brewhouse, frequented mainly by locals. Hearty fare and decent beer.

Halbestadt
Stadbahnbogen 155
1090 Wien
Amazing setting under the S-bahn, highly innovative cocktails, wonderfully entertaining female host and something that resembled an almost complete Ardbeg collection. An absolute must when visiting Vienna!  Reservations recommended.

Naschmarkt

Floridsdorfer Hauptstrasse 36/2/12
1210 Wien

Touristy - but for a reason. Delicacies aplenty.

Wein & Co

All over the city

Best one-stop wine shop in Vienna. Tip - have a glass or two in the bar and have its value deducted from your bill when you pick up a few bottles afterwards.