Unfortunately, the tasting menu was not a coherent arc – it skipped, jumped, and spurted – careful and focused dishes were followed by the sloppy and/or mundane. It never got into a rhythm, instead hopping from one dish to the next. Some dishes had a unified coherence while others felt rushed or typical. It had the potential to absolutely wow – to deliver a series of revelations not felt since my Pierre Gagnaire or El Poblet meals. But the menu ultimately felt like an exhibition of styles and techniques, instead of a story, or a work of art (to use a controversial term.)

Snacks

The restaurant closed a week after this meal so the entire review could be a moot point. However, if Chefs Søren Ledet and Rasmus Kofoed are allowed similar ambition at their next venture, I would repeat, based on the grand potential. Thanks to the long summer days in Copenhagen, and the gorgeous windowed room (perhaps my favorite dining room anywhere), the pictures for this dinner came out relatively well. I must thank Trine again for putting the restaurant on the blog map with her wonderful reviews.¹

Apple & Geranium

Echoing the white room², the meal began with this small amuse of apple gelee and geranium egg white. A geranium perfume was sprayed tableside to augment the flavors. The apple sang with its crisp acidity but it was somewhat tamed by the geranium’s flowery balance. This one small dish captured the highlights of the meal – crisp flavors and minimalist restraint – a microcosm for what might have been.

Greenland Prawns – Dill & Cucumber

Dainty and feminine, presented in a style that perhaps fulfills many haute cuisine and Nordic design cliches, this was a dish that reached a balance and precision worthy of a high 3-star level. There is nothing new – shrimp and dill are common partners – but the purity and strength of the flavors were deserving of an epiphany. It was, quite simply, near perfect.

Bread

Smoke, Ember, & Ashes

Smoke, Ember, & Ashes was a self-proclaimed signature, a reference to the fire outside in the cooling evening, but the dish did not achieve the El Poblet-like immersion effect. A pot of ashes was placed on the table and the lazy trails of smoke billowed over the table. Obviously, smell and taste are intertwined, but these infuse-with-smell dishes rarely deliver on their promise. In this case, the visual landscape was more dramatic than the smell. I could not discern the “ash” but the texture interplay between it, the roe, and radish was interesting, but not completely convincing. It was a good dish and perhaps it only suffered because of my attempts to compare it to El Poblet; I could see this being more effective on a cooler night.

(Incidentally, while the dish was beautiful, there is a certain sense of irony in depicting what appears to be a mound of rubble. Daniel Patterson, of Coi in San Francisco, had a similar, yet more severe, dish entitled Salad for the Apocalypse, Roots, Leek Ash, Weeds. Could someone create do a Salt the Earth dish?! Maybe an entire Atrocities tasting menu? Let me know – I’m game – my sense of humor knows few bounds.)

Scallops & Beetroot – Smoked Fresh Cheese & Horseradish

If I could waive a wand, and eliminate one trick from the modern’s cook repertoire, the infatuation with unnaturally textured agar agar films would be a distant memory. The texture did not fit into such a ‘natural’ dish – its slight rubberiness actually foiled the texture of the fresh raw scallop. It is perhaps a rare miscalculation of association by the duo – why recall bad examples of rubbery seafood? I wonder how a gelee would have performed instead? It is no doubt a personal taste but I fail to see what chefs find in this device – what does it add? (Many restaurants use it in their dishes but L2O in Chicago was another egregious example where it did not fit with the food.)

Without the film, despite the difficulty in separating the ingredients, the dish followed in the minimalist vein and offered some interesting flavors and textures. The range of textures, excluding the film, a near linear progression from the thin slices of beetroot through to the smoked cheese, was satisfying. The sweetness of the two ingredients played off each other while the film provided some counterpoint. The light smokiness of the cheese, an unusual pairing with seafood, gently perfumed each bite.

New Potatoes – Pea Sprouts, Lovage, & Pickled Elderberries

A very well done triptych on potatoes. The dish is a bit more rustic in nature, recalling noma or Ubuntu for me, but potatoes are generally more of a comfort food for most anyways. The textural interplay between the three different preparations, while precise, also recalled mashed potatoes and french fries. The peas, and weeds, gave it a freshness and lightness, becoming of the season.

Aromatic Leafs – Monkfish, Pickled Cauliflower & Mussels

A decently, though not perfectly, cooked piece of fish that felt a bit heavy and bland compared to the dishes it was bookcased between. The ingredients were fine on their own but failed to come together as well as other dishes. If this was served at an ordinary restaurant, it would be great; but the promises at Geranium should be held to a greater standard.

The King’s Herbgarden

The apex of the meal – an incredible focus on precision where every piece mattered. This was as profound as Michel Bras’s Gargouillou; and while it clearly pays homage³, it stands apart as its own bold statement. The herbs, with their varying qualities, and different textures, sang quite brightly. Every bite was different, yet each bite contributed to the whole. The consomme pulled it together with a nice saltiness. Absolutely stunning.

Mushrooms

This dish was another exploration into a single ingredient but it was muddled. The brown cylinders were an agar agar mushroom jelly and their texture was actually more vile than their taste. Similar to the seafood example, at best, the mushroom jelly felt like nature’s worst mushroom – the texture and resulting taste just did not compute. At Moto or El Bulli, this discrepancy could be their sole raison d’etre but Geranium was (presumably) not testing the psychological boundaries of cuisine.

Asparagus & Lamb – Fried Sweetbread, Ramson, & Green Strawberries

This dish was a sudden wallop that could not be defused by the acidic green strawberries. In a limited tasting menu, there is not as much resolution to ‘ease’ into the meat but this course felt like it was trying to make ground for three or four meat courses. It is a personal preference – I do not like the big bang at the end⁴ – but this seemed like overkill by almost any standard. The lamb itself was quite delicious with a clear gamey taste missing in much of American lamb. The ramson and green strawberries, acquired tastes that I am still coming to terms with, were great as foils to their overly rich plate mates. The sweetbreads were unnecessary.

Carrots – Elderflower Vinegar & White Chocolate

Sorrel & Sweet Woodruff – Forrest Illusions

Dessert time on this blog often leads to frustration for some readers. There is no reason to buck a trend – this was a great dessert (Sorry, I don’t recall the specifics, except that it had a nice cool calming effect, appropriate for the end of the meal.)

Geranium did not establish a clear arc with the meal – the composition of dishes did not always show the restraint of the highlights during the meal. Was it a case of Chefs Søren Ledet and Rasmus Kofoed still developing a style? There is no arguing that dishes like The King’s Herbgarden and Greenland Prawns – Dill & Cucumber were as refined, focused, and moving as anything one would find in France or Japan – high 3-star territory. This is the style of Geranium, and fine dining, that I ultimately prefer – a reduction to the essentials – where every ingredient, and bite, matters. And while the review might read negative at times, it was an enjoyable meal (that I would recommend if they were still open.) The only disappointment was that it could have been one of the best meals ever.⁵

- chuck

1- These reviews also deserve a big thank you:
The Wandering Epicures
Food & Thoughts
Gastros on Tour

2- Are there any KLF fans reading?

3 – Yes, you could just as easily say it pays homage to Mugaritz (Errenteria, Spain)

4 – Unless we’re talking musicals – then I’m all for it the bellowing!

5 – And, yes, I realize it is easier to criticize than create.

Smoked quail egg

Noma’s star has risen quite high over the past two years with its naturalistic take on fine dining. The restaurant’s influence has spread rapidly – mixing El Bulli’s modern, and under-appreciated democratic, principles with Michel Bras’s “one with nature” approach. Redzepi has taken the L’Arpege “I’ll grow my own vegetables” philosophy a few steps further by sending out on a team of foragers to comb the Nordic countrysides for ingredients.² It is a model that will prove influential but not necessarily imitated – there aren’t many (populated) places on Earth that can still yield an abundance of wild and foraged ingredients (though I suspect what populated areas might yield would surprise me.)

Question: Can you just give us a flavour of the type of ingredients you are using?

Rene Redzepi: …. We have a landmass here with only about 25 million people living in it, so there’s a lot of wilderness and it’s virtually untouched. There are a lot of wild plants – 50 to 60 common wild herbs, flowers and leaves, and about 60 types of wild berries – so we try to experiment with using them.

from: http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2008/05/08/320700/an-interview-with-nomas-ren-redzepi-chef-conference-2008.html

Not only is anything edible a potential ingredient, an ingredient’s ingredients are also fair game – oils, saps, leaves, and flowers. It is this exploration into largely overlooked by-products, flavors, and textures that link restaurants like noma, Manresa, The Sportsman, and Ubuntu together into conceptual cousins.³ This naturalist approach can be challenging to our notions of both “food”and “fine dining.” Industrial food production has limited the concept of edible food to a handful of plants, meats, and liquids while fancy restaurants have focused on a small subset of “luxury” ingredients. The dishes and ingredients served at noma will find limited overlap with either; but the skill employed to learn, coax, and balance such flavors in these restaurants is unquestionably haute.

This was a weekday lunch that Trine at verygoodfood was gracious enough to set up. She is (obviously) a frequent visitor to noma so she is quite friendly with the staff. This meal lasted six hours, enough time for the sunny weather to turn into a dramatic downpour. The lighting was great for picture-taking but note-taking was turned off – not every dish will have a detailed description. To say it was one of the greatest restaurant experiences would be an understatement – the staff at noma are very proud of what they are doing – and that enthusiasm and dedication might be the ultimate secret ingredient in the food.

Rye bread, chicken skin, lump fish roe and smoked cheese

Radish, soil and herbs

An introduction to the philosophy of the restaurant – eat nature, all of it – the “soil”, root, stems, & greens. With one dish, the restaurant’s vision and philosophy is simply stated.

Toast, herbs, turbot roe and vinegar

Squid and green strawberry, cream and dill

The squid, surprisingly tender for being raw, was cut into small cubes and drizzled with the cream. This was a delicate pairing that showcased the power of a simple herb, while the sweet cream luxuriously seeped into each bite. The acidity of the green strawberry, a flavor profile Redzepi must be particularly fond of, served as a foil but its strength was a challenge to my sense of balance. The elegance of the squid/cream/dill pairing was among the hallmarks of this trip.

Bread with lard

Shrimp, seaweed, rhubarb, and herbs

A tempered version of the squid dish – the Danish shrimp were sweeter and the rhubarb less abrasive – the ingredients sang together in harmony – herbaceous, acidic, and sweet. If you look closely, you can see the outline of a small shrimp under the seaweed, just behind the first cube of rhubarb.

Tartar and wood sorrel, juniper, tarragon

The iconic noma dish – a masterful balance of flavors. The wood sorrel, with its lemony brightness, is a perfect foil for the beef. Interestingly, this was served at the end of the Manresa dinner when a 48-day aged ox was used. This beef had a far milder taste, as it probably was not aged as long. Eating the dish with one’s hand, while a simple and common practice, helps further connect one with the food and the environment. This recipe is quite the hit in Denmark as I had a larger version for lunch the next day – at a different restaurant.

Razor clams and parsley, dill and mussel juice, horseradish snow

Aka the giant slug stuck in the sewage pipe. The clams, like the squid and shrimp before it, were of extraordinary quality but this dish employed a few molecular gastronomy techniques I dislike – unnatural agar agar textures and snow. The texture of the parsley jelly was a bit too congealed and disrupted the clam’s texture. The snow was too cold and obstructed the full taste of the clam. The clam in the mussel juice, with some horseradish incorporated sans snow, would have been an excellent continuation of the seafood motif – the concept was strong and its presentation resonated with the natural influences of the restaurant.

Fresh cheese, Axel berry shoots, watercress

The axel berry shoots exemplifies the noma ‘everything should be considered as an ingredient’ approach and the rewards that come from such risks. What probably does not even make it to most kitchens was one of the most amazing things I have tasted in my life. The leaves, when bitten, secreted an almond-like oil that covered the mouth, much like olive oil. It was a sensational effect that unfortunately over-shadowed my concern for the rest of the dish.

Langostine and söl

As good as many dishes were, this langostine, a perfect specimen if there ever was one, stole the noma show. Barely cooked, plump and sweet, born and bred just for me, this langostine could only be eaten by itself – it was too perfect. The presentation was equally beautiful, harkening back to more primitive times. (One is supposed to pick up the langostine with one’s fingers and wipe it across the stone and into the oyster sauce.)

Asparagus and woodruff, Shoots of fiddlehead, hops and bull rush

A great egg, from a chicken eating whatever they please, particularly during Spring, has many herb-like undertones. The greens in this dish, by themselves, were quite strong and high strung but the herbaceous egg yolk calmed and unified them. This is one of those “you can eat that?” dishes, resembling a forest floor more than haute cuisine.

Ashes and leeks, Mussels and king crab

Turbot and vegetable stems, pickled elderflower berries

Lobster and saladroot, hip rose and currant wine

Marrow and pickled vegetables

A nice respite from the never-ending food parade – a great way to cleanse the palate and pep up. The marrow obviously provided counterpoint, although there were some quite large pieces hiding in there. I have become addicted to pickled vegetables since my Kyoto visit and this dish makes me wonder how wonderful noma might be during the Winter.

Musk ox and milk skin, new young garlic and ramson onion

Birch juice and birch syrup, spanish chervil and honey

Beet and garden sorrel, crème fraiche and pickled hip roses

Walnut powder and ice cream, dried cream and dried berries

It is a restaurant that can be enjoyed with a single visit but it will, assuming Redzepi continues his development, reward the frequent visitor even more as the seasons speak. Different seasons are sure to bring a wide variety of tastes – it is a cuisine connected directly to the whims, fancies, and randomness of the Earth. Then consider that winter will bring a variety of preservation techniques (smoked, dried, pickled.) It is a restaurant whose excitement is hard to contain – from the enthusiastic staff and their obvious delight and commitment to the restaurant’s ideals to the endless possibilities with the philosophy they’ve chosen. It may require one to re-calibrate their conception of fine dining but the potential exists for the meal to change paradigms around those same concepts.

The totality of Redzepi’s cuisine could be ten years down the line as he fully exploits the bounty of his land. When one considers the diversity of ingredients to choose from, and explore over time, the sheer potential for range and nuance of flavor is staggering. And considering that it is already highly influential within its own region,⁴ the potential for the region’s restaurants to deliver innovative cuisine over many years makes Denmark a food destination whose stock may only rise. Spain revolutionized fine dining but its innovations can be applied anywhere; whereas, the unique ingredients that noma cooks with can only be found in Denmark.

I would like to go back – tomorrow.

- chuck

1 – One of the great benefits to running a cult fine dining blog includes making friends with fellow bloggers.

2 – This could very well be Marc Veyrat from the pictures I’ve seen but, having never eaten there, I am not certain.

3 – Yes, there are certainly others but I do not know if I’ve eaten at them.

4 – It is a classic case of Schumpeter’s creative destructionism – rather than improving on the status quo, completely reinvent the market. Here, Rene Redzepi eschewed olive oil, heavy cream-based dishes, and foie gras for local foraged products; and turned his philosophy into a source of regional pride. Creative economics students with an interest in food could write a very interesting case study, or thesis, on noma. There could also be an interesting project in exploring the Nordic food cluster using Michael Porter’s theories on clusters – get some funding and report!