Not long ago we had the opportunity to travel to Copenhagen—the proud home of both Nobel Prize winner Niels Bohr and Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich—for one of those enviable Gourmet research trips where we get paid to eat, drink, and food-shop for one blissful week. Before we left the hustle of New York City, people scoffed at us, saying that Copenhagen isn't a food destination. Thankfully, they couldn't have been more wrong.
We gorged on artisanal whole-grain breads from Emmerys, stuffed our cheeks with chocolates from Summerbird Chocolaterie, and at La Glace Konditori, we grasped instantly why all the fuss about Danish pastries…their paper-thin layers were delicate and sweet. We also found heaps of buttery cookies that bore no resemblance to those store-bought blue-tin "Danish" cookies, and we practically planned our day around teatime at Kransekagehuset to eat kransekager, addictive small almond cakes that honestly stole our souls—it was even our last stop before heading to the airport to buy some to bring home.
At three restaurants, Noma, Kokkeriet, and Rasmus Oubæk, we had what were, without exaggeration, among the best meals we've ever eaten. Our favorite, the Michelin-starred Noma, is not only achingly delicious but also one of the most beautiful restaurants imaginable, with streams of Nordic light spilling over the spacious room and impeccably crafted (this is Denmark) natural-wood furniture. They source local and regional foods like oysters from Veno, Danish blue lobsters, scallops from Greenland, edible beach grasses, and forest micro-plants. The chef, Rens Redzepi, worked at El Bulli and The French Laundry, but it wasn't the butter- and cream-soaked food that we associate with Thomas Keller: We didn't feel like our livers were being held hostage. Rather, it was fantastically delicate and beautiful. And though the food might be light, the meals are lengthy, with many of the restaurants geared to serve five to seven courses. Unlike the dining habits of many Americans, Danes are not running to eat on the way to a movie.
We "worked" our asses off researching the more contemporary cuisine, but on a classically Danish note, we were the lucky guests of Ida Davidsen, "smørrebrød ambassador" and "the queen of open sandwiches." She is a priceless character brimming with personality, and at her namesake restaurant, she demonstrates her over-the-top approach to the traditional topless sandwich.
As a wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen memento, instead of a stupid shirt, and because we've eaten all the kransekager, we've brought you this beautiful menu: a snapshot of the inspirational flavors we found while eating our way across this endlessly beautiful city.
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