I made this the other day using some of the salmalaks we hoarded; it was a very random experiment. I'll formalize the recipe some day, but in case you're good in dealing with haphazard recipes you can try it yourself...
Start cooking the sauce:
- 200 ml coconut milk
- juice from 1 can pineapple chunks (from those 3-pack things you get in Norway, can edit with more info later) - ca. 100 ml. Be sure to save the pineapple for later.
- 2 shots rum
- 2 tsp soy sauce
Bring to a boil, reduce to about 2/3 of the original amount. Add pineapple chunks.
Dust four pieces of Salmalaks (salmon) @ ca. 125 grams each with flour and fry in butter (not oil, not margarine... butter!), medium heat, to get the sides brown. Add sauce to fish and let simmer until sauce is thick. Serve with rice and black beans.
Next time I'll double the sauce.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
25.4.11
19.4.11
salmon and vegetables in spicy Thai-style blood orange sauce
One of the grocery stores here had this really fancy salmon (Salmalaks) on special and I bought a few pieces. We usually use it for sashimi but it's nice for other dishes as well...
Tonight I made a sort of Thai-like curry with the salmon. And some blood oranges I had to get rid of. Here's what I did:
- Squeezed out the juice of three blood oranges. Put the juice in a saucepan, boiled, and allowed to reduce to about half the original amount.
- In another saucepan I fried a shitload of garlic (5 cloves finely chopped), a shitload of ginger (about 2 tbsp finely chopped), and 2 finely chopped red chiles in some coconut oil. Medium heat, for about 5 minutes. I added some keffir lime leaves and stirred this mixture for about a minute.
- Then I added the blood orange juice and a can of coconut milk. Added a splash of soy sauce, a splash of fish sauce, mixed, brought to a boil, and then reduced heat and allowed to simmer.
- Once the sauce was simmering I fried some bean sprouts and julienned red pepper and carrots in some coconut oil, until the carrots started getting soft. I strained the sauce into the vegetable mixture. (You don't have to strain the sauce; I just didn't want to deal with bits today.)
- After a few minutes I added the salmon (I think it was around 450 g), chopped into cubes. I mixed the salmon carefully into the vegetable and sauce mixture, and then turned off the heat and allowed things to take care of itself (salmon doesn't need much cooking time).
- Cooked up some rice noodles to go with the "curry". Dinner served!
*burp*
Maybe some day I'll formalize this recipe a little bit more. Not today :-)
Tonight I made a sort of Thai-like curry with the salmon. And some blood oranges I had to get rid of. Here's what I did:
- Squeezed out the juice of three blood oranges. Put the juice in a saucepan, boiled, and allowed to reduce to about half the original amount.
- In another saucepan I fried a shitload of garlic (5 cloves finely chopped), a shitload of ginger (about 2 tbsp finely chopped), and 2 finely chopped red chiles in some coconut oil. Medium heat, for about 5 minutes. I added some keffir lime leaves and stirred this mixture for about a minute.
- Then I added the blood orange juice and a can of coconut milk. Added a splash of soy sauce, a splash of fish sauce, mixed, brought to a boil, and then reduced heat and allowed to simmer.
- Once the sauce was simmering I fried some bean sprouts and julienned red pepper and carrots in some coconut oil, until the carrots started getting soft. I strained the sauce into the vegetable mixture. (You don't have to strain the sauce; I just didn't want to deal with bits today.)
- After a few minutes I added the salmon (I think it was around 450 g), chopped into cubes. I mixed the salmon carefully into the vegetable and sauce mixture, and then turned off the heat and allowed things to take care of itself (salmon doesn't need much cooking time).
- Cooked up some rice noodles to go with the "curry". Dinner served!
*burp*
Maybe some day I'll formalize this recipe a little bit more. Not today :-)
31.3.11
comfort food
Today is one of those not-so-nice spring days. You know, the one that is more of a winter day than a spring day...
I'm making meatloaf for dinner tonight, served with mashed potatoes, green beans, and brown gravy. I haven't made meatloaf in ages, and it's the right kind of day for a meatloaf meal...
What comfort foods do you enjoy? And what's for dinner tonight?
I'm making meatloaf for dinner tonight, served with mashed potatoes, green beans, and brown gravy. I haven't made meatloaf in ages, and it's the right kind of day for a meatloaf meal...
What comfort foods do you enjoy? And what's for dinner tonight?
10.1.10
birthday RoF stuffing - Statholdergaarden!
As tradition dictates (gourmet RoF-stuffing rather than gifts), husband of feitpingvin took me to Statholdergaarden for my birthday dinner. Statholdergaarden has one star in the Michelin Guide; they are located in the city center, in a building originally built for the Master of the Mint in 1640...
We had quite an excellent evening; both we and our RoFs were very satisfied. Dinner included the following:
Aperitif (house specialty) – Tia Maria and bourbon topped with Cava
Amuse bouche #1: Salmon tartar with dill cream.
Gone in one bite ;-)
Amuse bouche #2: If I remember correctly: a mussel and a tiny salad in the spoon; creamy seafood soup; veal croquette.
We ate them in the “wrong” order – just as well to eat the hot food first – and started with the croquette. Yummy. The soup was like drinking a tasty bowl of seafoody cream :-D
First course: Grilled scallop served with artichokes, cauliflower, and marinated snow peas. Pomegranate vinegar and saffron foam.
Wine: Weingut Knipser Riesling Kabinet trocken 2008
The scallop was perfectly prepared. It was seared just so on the edges, but raw inside, although warm. The wine was very citrusy and refreshing, and went nicely with the scallop...
Second course: Foamy shellfish soup served with halibut, fennel and feve. (husband of feitpingvin had king crab instead of halibut because the fish was encrusted with nuts)...
Wine: Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc 2009
More creamy seafoody goodness, this time with tasty bits of perfectly cooked fish. The (NZ) Sauv Blanc was absolutely lovely. We really should do a wine safari in New Zealand...
Third course: Fried cod served with Welsh shallot cream and a spinach and leek- tomato samosa. Garlic sauce.
Wine: Meursault Domaine Michelot 2006
We also got a glass of Terras Gauda Albarinio Rias Balixas 2008 since we told them we aren't overly crazy about Chardonnay. We thought this was a better match...
This was in the running for favorite dish of the evening. The cod was very fresh and perfectly cooked; the skin was nice and crispy too. The shallot cream was flavorful and caramelly savory-sweet. The samosa was crispy on the outside, flavorful on the inside... wonderful! I could have easily gobbled down several more servings!
~ Peach ice and blackberry sorbet ~
The sorbet was especially lovely... mmmmm....
Fourth (main) course: Honey and lime-glazed breast of duck served with glazed quince, pickled oyster mushrooms, walnut purée (husband of feitpingvin got a similar purée, but without the walnuts), and bok choi. Cranberry sauce.
Wine: Barbera d'Alba Carlo Giacosa Lina 2007
This was probably my favorite dish; it helps that duck is one of my absolute favorite meats! The walnut purée was especially amazing with the tasty, tender, perfectly prepared duck meat...
Om nom nom nom!
Fifth course: Well-ripened cheeses garnished with banana bread and fruit compote. (We each got different cheeses due to allergy issues.)
Wines: Markus Molitor Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese 1994 and Pineau des Charentes Lheraud
My cheeses were very delicious, and husband of feitpingvin was also very happy with what he received. Also, I really liked getting two different wines for this, one to go with the first two, the other to go with the other two. The Pineau des Charentes Lheraud was especially interesting. It is made from the same grapes used to make Cognac. It smelled like Cognac and tasted like Cognac, minus the high amount of alcohol. I really enjoyed this one. But the Riesling was also quite excellent...
Sixth course: Cherry mousse on mazarin and blood orange, crispy almond pastry, and yoghurt sherbet.
Wine: Tokaji Aszú Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos 2005
I got my dessert with 'Gratulerer!' written in chocolate. For my birthday and all :-) My favorite part of the dessert was the pieces of blood orange. I could have dropped the rest of the dessert stuff and just eaten a big bowl of the blood oranges... yum! The wine was also quite nice, very cloudberry-caramelly... :-)
Coffee, amaretto for me, whisky for husband of feitpingvin, petits fours
Aside from the meal, the service was amazing. Our main waitress was actually an apprentice (she wore a badge that indicated this), but if she were not wearing the badge I would have never guessed.
Oh, and here's a crap photo of yours floozie. Bad angle, hair from hell (hat hair + winter static electricity), but otherwise not bad for 39, right? ;-P
11.1.09
quack quack nom nom
As tradition dictates, husband of feitpingvin and I celebrated my recent birthday by going out to eat at a gourmet restaurant. This year, we went to Le Canard (anda/the duck), which has one star in the Michelin guide.
The restaurant itself is located in Briskeby, one of the posh parts of Oslo. The dining room is spacious and airy; there is ample space between the tables. The tables are also spacious (you're not elbow-to-elbow with the person next to you, and there's plenty of room for the food and wine), and the chairs are very comfortable. Leading to the dining room is a bar with a fireplace; it is possible to come just to sit at the bar and enjoy a glass of wine or whatever.
Anyway, we started the evening with a glass of champagne, which we sipped as we studied the menu. This was served along with a little plate of thin potato chips with a truffle cream; I was told that the truffles used were winter truffles from Piemonte. I really don't know what truffles are supposed to taste like (for some reason, I think "mushroomy") and while the cream did have a distinct flavor, it wasn't an overwhelming flavor...
We ended up ordering the 6-course menu of the week. No regrets at all! Here's what we got:
Amuse bouche
Warm king crab salad, topped with foam. A tasty start!
First course
Butternut squash soup, scallop (from Trøndelag), mushroom & truffle ravioli
Wine: Albarino 2007 Lagar de Costa Rias Baixas
This was my favorite dish. Everything was perfect - the soup was pleasantly sweet and creamy, the ravioli was perfectly cooked, and the ravioli filling was very tasty, as with the scallop (I love scallops!). I enjoyed the wine almost as much as I enjoyed the food; it's one I plan on buying in the future. It had some fruity sweetness but at the same time it had a pleasant bitterness (grapefruit/pomelo peel) that made it a perfect match to complement the sweetness of the butternut squash. It's also something I could very easily and happily quaff on its own.
Second course
Roast halibut (from Langesund), braised endive, caper & clam beurre noisette
Wine: Chablis Dom. Chantemerle 2006
Halibut is one of my favorite fishes. I wasn't overly crazy about the sides, but the fish itself and the bit of shellfish that was with the side dishes were perfect. The wine was an excellent match, but it's not one I could drink on its own.
Third course
Cocoa crusted sweetbreads, parsnip puree & licorice jus
Wine: dom. Michel Juillet Mercurey Clos des Barraults 2005
OK, so sweetbreads are the thymus gland of the animal (veal in this case) and that kind of thing freaks some people out, but I think they're quite OK. The sweetbreads we were served were very delicate and pleasant, and the parsnips and liquorice sauce were an excellent complement. The wine was also an excellent match. I'm also interested in buying some of the wine. It was served from a half bottle; our waiter told us that wine matures faster in a half bottle.
Cleaning the palate
Shaved ice flavored with Earl grey tea and cranberry. Mmm...
Fourth (main) course
Venison from Røros with caramelized apple, red cabbage, chestnut & red wine jus
Wine: Chocapalha 2001 Vinho Tinto
Delicious! The venison was so tender that it melted in my mouth. The only "complaint" I have is that the wine (which was amazing!) was better suited to the caramelized apples than to the venison itself. Not that it was a bad match, but I think it could have been a little better. (And yeah, I want to buy this wine too! :)
Fifth course
Cheese from Affineur H. Mons
Wine: S.A. Prüm 2007 Riesling Spätlese Graacher Himmel
Cheese is one of those things where we always have to make sure they don't throw in anything that will make us sick. I can't eat blue cheese, husband of feitpingvin can't eat chèvre. So I got the chèvre, he got the Roquefort, along with some other very tasty cheeses (don't remember what they were... grr... there's one in particular I'd like to sink my teeth into again), as well as some nut bread and apricot jam. Yum yum! And the Riesling... sweet but not nasty sweet, balancing well with the tanginess of the cheeses. I love how Riesling is versatile like that...
Pre-dessert
A little cone filled with a refreshing apple and basil sorbet. This was quite cute!
Sixth course
Chocolate crème brulee, passionfruit sorbet & foam
Wine: Capitel Santa Libera 2004 Recioto Classico
The chocolate crème brûlée was amazing, and I really liked that they didn't spare the vanilla. The passionfruit sorbet was pleasantly tart; I'd like to be able to make something like that at home! It was served with some kind of crispy chocolate "ribbon." We also got some kind of passionfruit mousse topped with chocolate cream. The wine was nice too...
We ended the evening with coffee - I got amaretto coffee and husband of feitpingvin got an Irish coffee - and petits fours.
It was a very enjoyable evening. As were were on our way out, husband of feitpingvin and our waiter discussed whiskies (he had commented the bottles that were at the bar), and our waiter let husband of feitpingvin taste a Bruichladdich from 1973 :) He says it was absolutely lovely.
My general impression is that Le Canard is more on the "traditional" side of gourmet, unlike Restaurant Oscarsgate (also with one Michelin star) is a bit more "playful creative" (we got a gourmet mini hot dog there, among other things). Not that I'm going to complain about it ;-) It's nice to try the different places with their different ways of doing things...
Next up... Bagatelle? Or The Fat Duck? (to continue on the duck theme hehe)
The restaurant itself is located in Briskeby, one of the posh parts of Oslo. The dining room is spacious and airy; there is ample space between the tables. The tables are also spacious (you're not elbow-to-elbow with the person next to you, and there's plenty of room for the food and wine), and the chairs are very comfortable. Leading to the dining room is a bar with a fireplace; it is possible to come just to sit at the bar and enjoy a glass of wine or whatever.
Anyway, we started the evening with a glass of champagne, which we sipped as we studied the menu. This was served along with a little plate of thin potato chips with a truffle cream; I was told that the truffles used were winter truffles from Piemonte. I really don't know what truffles are supposed to taste like (for some reason, I think "mushroomy") and while the cream did have a distinct flavor, it wasn't an overwhelming flavor...
We ended up ordering the 6-course menu of the week. No regrets at all! Here's what we got:
Amuse bouche
Warm king crab salad, topped with foam. A tasty start!
First course
Butternut squash soup, scallop (from Trøndelag), mushroom & truffle ravioli
Wine: Albarino 2007 Lagar de Costa Rias Baixas
This was my favorite dish. Everything was perfect - the soup was pleasantly sweet and creamy, the ravioli was perfectly cooked, and the ravioli filling was very tasty, as with the scallop (I love scallops!). I enjoyed the wine almost as much as I enjoyed the food; it's one I plan on buying in the future. It had some fruity sweetness but at the same time it had a pleasant bitterness (grapefruit/pomelo peel) that made it a perfect match to complement the sweetness of the butternut squash. It's also something I could very easily and happily quaff on its own.
Second course
Roast halibut (from Langesund), braised endive, caper & clam beurre noisette
Wine: Chablis Dom. Chantemerle 2006
Halibut is one of my favorite fishes. I wasn't overly crazy about the sides, but the fish itself and the bit of shellfish that was with the side dishes were perfect. The wine was an excellent match, but it's not one I could drink on its own.
Third course
Cocoa crusted sweetbreads, parsnip puree & licorice jus
Wine: dom. Michel Juillet Mercurey Clos des Barraults 2005
OK, so sweetbreads are the thymus gland of the animal (veal in this case) and that kind of thing freaks some people out, but I think they're quite OK. The sweetbreads we were served were very delicate and pleasant, and the parsnips and liquorice sauce were an excellent complement. The wine was also an excellent match. I'm also interested in buying some of the wine. It was served from a half bottle; our waiter told us that wine matures faster in a half bottle.
Cleaning the palate
Shaved ice flavored with Earl grey tea and cranberry. Mmm...
Fourth (main) course
Venison from Røros with caramelized apple, red cabbage, chestnut & red wine jus
Wine: Chocapalha 2001 Vinho Tinto
Delicious! The venison was so tender that it melted in my mouth. The only "complaint" I have is that the wine (which was amazing!) was better suited to the caramelized apples than to the venison itself. Not that it was a bad match, but I think it could have been a little better. (And yeah, I want to buy this wine too! :)
Fifth course
Cheese from Affineur H. Mons
Wine: S.A. Prüm 2007 Riesling Spätlese Graacher Himmel
Cheese is one of those things where we always have to make sure they don't throw in anything that will make us sick. I can't eat blue cheese, husband of feitpingvin can't eat chèvre. So I got the chèvre, he got the Roquefort, along with some other very tasty cheeses (don't remember what they were... grr... there's one in particular I'd like to sink my teeth into again), as well as some nut bread and apricot jam. Yum yum! And the Riesling... sweet but not nasty sweet, balancing well with the tanginess of the cheeses. I love how Riesling is versatile like that...
Pre-dessert
A little cone filled with a refreshing apple and basil sorbet. This was quite cute!
Sixth course
Chocolate crème brulee, passionfruit sorbet & foam
Wine: Capitel Santa Libera 2004 Recioto Classico
The chocolate crème brûlée was amazing, and I really liked that they didn't spare the vanilla. The passionfruit sorbet was pleasantly tart; I'd like to be able to make something like that at home! It was served with some kind of crispy chocolate "ribbon." We also got some kind of passionfruit mousse topped with chocolate cream. The wine was nice too...
We ended the evening with coffee - I got amaretto coffee and husband of feitpingvin got an Irish coffee - and petits fours.
It was a very enjoyable evening. As were were on our way out, husband of feitpingvin and our waiter discussed whiskies (he had commented the bottles that were at the bar), and our waiter let husband of feitpingvin taste a Bruichladdich from 1973 :) He says it was absolutely lovely.
My general impression is that Le Canard is more on the "traditional" side of gourmet, unlike Restaurant Oscarsgate (also with one Michelin star) is a bit more "playful creative" (we got a gourmet mini hot dog there, among other things). Not that I'm going to complain about it ;-) It's nice to try the different places with their different ways of doing things...
Next up... Bagatelle? Or The Fat Duck? (to continue on the duck theme hehe)
25.12.08
ah yes, the usual "holiday food will kill you" stupidity
As usual during this time of year, lists like this one show up and tell you that you are going to get really fat and all kinds of nasty health problems and die if you eat typical holiday goodies.
Well, geez. I thought a good part of helping people lose weight and get healthy and fit was to give them a healthy, angst-free attitude towards food. That is, for example, that you don't tie in negative emotions (guilt, anyone?) with eating, or that you don't instill irrational fears of any kind of macronutrient, whether it be fats or carbohydrates. Take the example of the turkey. "Choose white meat, not dark meat." If you look at the nutrient information, dark meat does not have significantly more fat or cholesterol or kcal than white meat. Or am I missing something? Are we supposed to get all anal-retentive over 20 or so kcal?
(And didn't they debunk the cholesterol-animal fats myth anyway?)
Oh, and I ate lots of pork ribs with crackling at Alternativ jul last night. It was a great source of energy for doing dishes for 8 hours. I also ate more baked goods than I should have, but I only do stuff like this once a year. Sure, I'm bloated now, but it won't last. Things will be back to "normal" in a week or so. So bugger off, "naughty list" Nazis!
Well, geez. I thought a good part of helping people lose weight and get healthy and fit was to give them a healthy, angst-free attitude towards food. That is, for example, that you don't tie in negative emotions (guilt, anyone?) with eating, or that you don't instill irrational fears of any kind of macronutrient, whether it be fats or carbohydrates. Take the example of the turkey. "Choose white meat, not dark meat." If you look at the nutrient information, dark meat does not have significantly more fat or cholesterol or kcal than white meat. Or am I missing something? Are we supposed to get all anal-retentive over 20 or so kcal?
(And didn't they debunk the cholesterol-animal fats myth anyway?)
Oh, and I ate lots of pork ribs with crackling at Alternativ jul last night. It was a great source of energy for doing dishes for 8 hours. I also ate more baked goods than I should have, but I only do stuff like this once a year. Sure, I'm bloated now, but it won't last. Things will be back to "normal" in a week or so. So bugger off, "naughty list" Nazis!
21.12.08
oh, and speaking of cluelessness...
I saw this gem the other day. It's so full of fail it's unreal, and it's typical of "journalism" these days, especially in matters relating to science, nature, health, and medicine. And if that weren't bad enough, you should read the comments. People actually wash their produce in bleach. Fascinating. I'll bet these are the people who are sick all the time...
It really makes you wonder how human beings managed to survive so long. Now excuse me while I go feast on some raw eggs and "rinsed just to get the dust off" fruit..
It really makes you wonder how human beings managed to survive so long. Now excuse me while I go feast on some raw eggs and "rinsed just to get the dust off" fruit..
11.12.08
pepperkakepingviner!
I just got done decorating this year's batch of pepperkakepingviner - Norwegian pepperkake cut into a penguin shape. I've been doing this for the past four years. My infamous penguins have sort of become an expectation now...
I haven't taken any photos yet, and I'm really not sure if I will this year (unless I bake and decorate another batch). Circumstances beyond my control and all. I'll try but I can't promise anything. But if you're not familiar with my twisted little Yule tradition, here's a photo from last year:
By the way, have any of you seen Mini Wolfgang's Santa sweater? I can't find it anywhere. I'm sure he found it and burned it, because he found it quite humiliating to wear. Well, if it's not found soon, I have an even more humiliating sweater for him...
I haven't taken any photos yet, and I'm really not sure if I will this year (unless I bake and decorate another batch). Circumstances beyond my control and all. I'll try but I can't promise anything. But if you're not familiar with my twisted little Yule tradition, here's a photo from last year:
By the way, have any of you seen Mini Wolfgang's Santa sweater? I can't find it anywhere. I'm sure he found it and burned it, because he found it quite humiliating to wear. Well, if it's not found soon, I have an even more humiliating sweater for him...
6.12.08
Mmm... pasta...
We tried a relatively new restaurant for lunch - Brunello. I had ricotta and spinach-filled ravioli with three different sauces - pesto, butter and sage, and tomato. Husband of feitpingvin had pizza with different kinds of cured meat, mushrooms, and gorgonzola. The pasta was very good and cooked to a perfect al dente, and it was nice having the three different sauces for different kinds of tastes. (Sometimes it can be a bit "much" if you have a huge portion of pasta, and the taste gets monotonous.) The portion size was decent but not extreme, which is something I also appreciated. Husband of feitpingvin's pizza was also quite nice (I managed to get a few bites of it :).
The general atmosphere was cozy, and all the staff spoke Italian to one another...
Brunello is definitely going on our list of alternatives when we go out to lunch or dinner with friends...
Here's a review in Norwegian if you're interested in knowing more...
The general atmosphere was cozy, and all the staff spoke Italian to one another...
Brunello is definitely going on our list of alternatives when we go out to lunch or dinner with friends...
Here's a review in Norwegian if you're interested in knowing more...
3.12.08
everything is better with bacon
Mmm bacon...
The bacon and apple coffeecake looks especially interesting. I'll have to try making that sometime. Perhaps over Christmas/New Year's break...
The bacon and apple coffeecake looks especially interesting. I'll have to try making that sometime. Perhaps over Christmas/New Year's break...
2.3.08
Friday's fishy feast at Fjord
On Friday, February 29th, we ate dinner out at Fjord, a new fish restaurant here in Oslo. Having only opened right before Christmas 2007, it's being touted as the best fish restaurant in Oslo. As we had an excuse to go out and do something interesting (ending one job to go to a new job), and as we love fish and seafood, we decided to check this place out...
We started with a glass of Franck Bonville Blanc de Blancs grand cru champagne and an amuse bouche platter. Let’s see, if I remember correctly... from the left it was potato with crème fraiche and roe, quail egg, gazpacho, salmon tartare, and something or other with avocado. All very nice and RoF-stimulating…
As for the courses:
1. Salmon sashimi with papaya salad, ginger and wasabi sorbet, and an interesting soy sauce with toasted sesame seeds. Served with Bourgogne Aligoté 2006 Saint Aubin. The sorbet was, um, different but tolerable for me (I can't really deal with wasabi or any other kind of horseradish). The fish was fresh and tasty...
2. Crab and scallop with apple purée, petit pois purée, and chorizo. Served with Schloss Lieser Riesling 2006. The scallop was absolutely perfectly prepared. The dots of apple and petit pois were a bit too small in my opinion. I would have liked more of those tastes...
3. Skrei (Lofoten cod) with mushroom soup, shitake mushrooms, and asparagus. Served with Domaine de la Sancesse 2006 (Côtes du Rhône). The fish was also cooked perfectly, and the soup was nice and creamy-foamy with lots of flavor...
4. King fish with lentils, chestnut purée, savoy cabbage, and anise and olive sauce. Served with Moulin à Vent Maison-Blanche 2006. Interesting combination of flavors, but the king fish was rich enough to tolerate them all. Yum yum...
5. Cheese with fig preserves, nut bread, and candied nuts. Served with two different wines - Andre Brunel (Rhône) and a sweet dessert wine - Henri Ramonteu 2004 Jurançon. Boyfriend of feitpingvin had roquefort on his cheese plate. As I'm allergic to that, I just got larger portions of the other cheeses...
This was followed by some chocolates, though we didn't have any coffee to go with it. I don't even think we were asked if we wanted any coffee...
Not having been asked if we wanted to order coffee is among the little annoyances about this place. The other annoyance was that I felt that they moved through the courses too quickly. Which I suppose they had to do if we were going to chow down in time for them to clear us out and clean up the table for the next seating. They have two different seatings - one at 17:30 and one at 21:00. I guess it's to get as many customers as possible, but they're both annoying times to eat dinner out, and I don't like being rushed...
Otherwise, the food itself was lovely and the atmosphere was lively. I don't think I'd call it the best fish restaurant in town, but it's not the worst...
We started with a glass of Franck Bonville Blanc de Blancs grand cru champagne and an amuse bouche platter. Let’s see, if I remember correctly... from the left it was potato with crème fraiche and roe, quail egg, gazpacho, salmon tartare, and something or other with avocado. All very nice and RoF-stimulating…
As for the courses:
1. Salmon sashimi with papaya salad, ginger and wasabi sorbet, and an interesting soy sauce with toasted sesame seeds. Served with Bourgogne Aligoté 2006 Saint Aubin. The sorbet was, um, different but tolerable for me (I can't really deal with wasabi or any other kind of horseradish). The fish was fresh and tasty...
2. Crab and scallop with apple purée, petit pois purée, and chorizo. Served with Schloss Lieser Riesling 2006. The scallop was absolutely perfectly prepared. The dots of apple and petit pois were a bit too small in my opinion. I would have liked more of those tastes...
3. Skrei (Lofoten cod) with mushroom soup, shitake mushrooms, and asparagus. Served with Domaine de la Sancesse 2006 (Côtes du Rhône). The fish was also cooked perfectly, and the soup was nice and creamy-foamy with lots of flavor...
4. King fish with lentils, chestnut purée, savoy cabbage, and anise and olive sauce. Served with Moulin à Vent Maison-Blanche 2006. Interesting combination of flavors, but the king fish was rich enough to tolerate them all. Yum yum...
5. Cheese with fig preserves, nut bread, and candied nuts. Served with two different wines - Andre Brunel (Rhône) and a sweet dessert wine - Henri Ramonteu 2004 Jurançon. Boyfriend of feitpingvin had roquefort on his cheese plate. As I'm allergic to that, I just got larger portions of the other cheeses...
This was followed by some chocolates, though we didn't have any coffee to go with it. I don't even think we were asked if we wanted any coffee...
Not having been asked if we wanted to order coffee is among the little annoyances about this place. The other annoyance was that I felt that they moved through the courses too quickly. Which I suppose they had to do if we were going to chow down in time for them to clear us out and clean up the table for the next seating. They have two different seatings - one at 17:30 and one at 21:00. I guess it's to get as many customers as possible, but they're both annoying times to eat dinner out, and I don't like being rushed...
Otherwise, the food itself was lovely and the atmosphere was lively. I don't think I'd call it the best fish restaurant in town, but it's not the worst...
6.1.08
RoF-stuffing at Palace Grill
We celebrated my birthday a little bit early, and the usual tradition is to go out for a no-holds-barred gourmet meal. (Not really something I want to do on a weekday.)
This year's meal was at Palace Grill. The restaurant at Palace Grill used to serve more simple fare such as burgers. Now days, they serve an up to 10-course gourmet meal. But they do not take reservations. This means you have to get there early in order to secure a table. As long as you get there around 5-ish to 5:30-ish, you should be OK. There's a (somewhat popular) bar next to the restaurant where you can hang out and have an aperitif while waiting for your table...
Oh, and the setting is somewhat informal, so you don't need to wear a suit and tie or a fancy dress. Actually, it would be a good idea to wear something that allows you to eat a lot of good food hehe...
We did the "full package" of course. This is what we feasted on (note: click the photos to see larger versions):
Coffee afterwards.
All in all, a wonderful meal. I left stuffed and happy... :-) It was definitely worth the visit! :-D
This year's meal was at Palace Grill. The restaurant at Palace Grill used to serve more simple fare such as burgers. Now days, they serve an up to 10-course gourmet meal. But they do not take reservations. This means you have to get there early in order to secure a table. As long as you get there around 5-ish to 5:30-ish, you should be OK. There's a (somewhat popular) bar next to the restaurant where you can hang out and have an aperitif while waiting for your table...
Oh, and the setting is somewhat informal, so you don't need to wear a suit and tie or a fancy dress. Actually, it would be a good idea to wear something that allows you to eat a lot of good food hehe...
We did the "full package" of course. This is what we feasted on (note: click the photos to see larger versions):
- Dish: Oysters. Raw on the half-shell, served with vinegar and slices of lime. The oysters were very nice and fresh and tasty...
Wine: Daniel Dampt et Fils Chablis 2006
- Dish: sashimi of salmon, with salmon roe, cucumber, green onion, sesame seeds, quail egg yolk, and teriyaki soy sauce. The salmon was very fresh and flavorful. The quail egg yolk had quite a lot of flavor...
Wine: Schafer-Frölich Riesling Kabinett 2006. This wine kicked ass! :-D
- Dish: smoked eel, eel with sour cream, and salad and capers. The eel pieces were very tender and tasty...
Wine: same as for the 2nd course
- Dish: lobster soup with lobster and hazelnut ravioli, raw shrimp, mussels, apples, hazelnuts, and fennel. You could tell that the cooks spent hours reducing the broth for the soup. I would have loved a whole plate of that ravioli! The apple pieces in the soup were a very nice, sweet touch...
Wine: Macon-Chardonnay Récolte, Clos de la Crochette 2005
- Dish: halibut with caviar and mango greens. Perfectly prepared fish mmm...
Wine: Chassagne-Montrachet Cru la Maltroie 2005
- Dish: cod with oxtails, mushrooms, jordskokk purée, and red beets prepared in red wine. This was probably one of the most interesting dishes I have ever eaten. The cod and the oxtails were a very interesting, flavorful combination. Too bad we forgot to take a photo...
Wine: Cote de Nuits-Villages La Montagne 2005 (pinot noir)
No photo - Red currant and vodka smoothie (for cleansing the palate). Very lovely...
- Dish: filet of venison, rutebega, lentils with chicken livers and bacon. This was absolutely divine! The venison was perfectly tender, and melted in my mouth. The lentils were also perfectly tender, and the chicken livers were an especially interesting and flavorful touch. The lentils were served on the side so they're not in the photo.
Wine: Roda I Reserve 2003
- Dish: cheese board with lots of flavorful, runny, stinky French cheeses :-) Served with nut bread and rye bread...
Wine: same as with #8
- Dish: Dessert - raspberry sorbet and a chocolate dessert, both with a passionfruit sauce. The crust of the chocolate dessert was a bit hard but it was otherwise good. The sorbet was fantastic, and the sauce wonderfully tangy and tasty, passing perfectly to both desserts...
Coffee afterwards.
All in all, a wonderful meal. I left stuffed and happy... :-) It was definitely worth the visit! :-D
24.3.07
mmm... gourmet local dives...
We have a new informal-yet-gourmet joint in the hood... Vognmand Nilsen... As we couldn't be bothered with cooking dinner last night, we ate there instead...
Rule number one... when a new restaurant in the hood gets great reviews in the papers, book a table... we got a table in the bar area where we could also eat, but that was less than ideal... (we eventually were able to move to a regular dining area table)
Anyway, we had a three-course meal. We could choose courses from the menu of the week. We had the following:
(Amuse bouche: jellied crab with aioli on flatbread)
Starter: grilled lobster tail with purée of petit pois, citrus-marinated julienne root vegetables, and shellfish foam for me, fried halibut with orange-glazed "poor man's asparages" (not really sure what this is), spinach, and white wine sauce for boyfriend of tuxette. We ate half of each...
Main: roast veal with sautéed artichoke hearts, port-marinated lentils, roast potatoes, and creamy truffle sauce...
Dessert: cheese plate with apple compote and fruit and nut bread...
Wine: we shared a bottle of Allesverloren Cab Sauv...
Absolutely delicious food - seafood and fish cooked perfectly, tender and tasty veal, perfect al-dente vegetables... The sauces were especially noteworthy; these were probably 1000 kcal per drop ;-)
The restaurant itself was cosy and unpretentious, and quite bustling... it's the kind of place where you don't have to get overly dressed up for... definitely a place to go back to :-)
Rule number one... when a new restaurant in the hood gets great reviews in the papers, book a table... we got a table in the bar area where we could also eat, but that was less than ideal... (we eventually were able to move to a regular dining area table)
Anyway, we had a three-course meal. We could choose courses from the menu of the week. We had the following:
(Amuse bouche: jellied crab with aioli on flatbread)
Starter: grilled lobster tail with purée of petit pois, citrus-marinated julienne root vegetables, and shellfish foam for me, fried halibut with orange-glazed "poor man's asparages" (not really sure what this is), spinach, and white wine sauce for boyfriend of tuxette. We ate half of each...
Main: roast veal with sautéed artichoke hearts, port-marinated lentils, roast potatoes, and creamy truffle sauce...
Dessert: cheese plate with apple compote and fruit and nut bread...
Wine: we shared a bottle of Allesverloren Cab Sauv...
Absolutely delicious food - seafood and fish cooked perfectly, tender and tasty veal, perfect al-dente vegetables... The sauces were especially noteworthy; these were probably 1000 kcal per drop ;-)
The restaurant itself was cosy and unpretentious, and quite bustling... it's the kind of place where you don't have to get overly dressed up for... definitely a place to go back to :-)
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