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.