Copenhagen, Denmark

Recently I was in Europe for a bit, and along the way I spent some time in Copenhagen, Denmark. Honestly speaking, it wasn't the most exciting place in the world, but having done my homework I knew that before I arrived.

There's a saying that you are what you eat, and I for one truly believe in that statement. So when I arrived, what I was most interested in wasn't the city sights or the pretty night lights(though they were pretty awesome), but Nordic cuisine. I wanted to gain a basic understanding of Scandinavian food culture and what it entails.

So after a gruelling 12.5 hour flight, I arrived a world away in the bleak of the Danish winter. Unfortunately, no snow as temperatures weren't cold enough for snow cover to hang around for too long. In any case, here are the mandatory shots of Copenhagen...

You have from the top...the Tivoli Gardens, then a Danish Christmas Market and finally the magnificent Nimb Hotel located in the Tivoli Gardens. And of course there's also the legacy of Hans Christian Anderson in the form of his little mermaid..

 

The Amalienborg Palace which is the official home of the Danish Queen Margrethe II...

 

 

 

Alright now for what its all about...the food. Nordic cuisine is essentially simple fare. Or so that was what I was lead to believe. In any case, most of the locals favour open sandwiches called Smørrebrød, which consists of a hard rye bread which is buttered and then layered with cold cuts or fish. This is one of the staples of the Danish people. Yes, like most Caucasian countries, the Scandinavians do enjoy their breads.

 

I ordered a smoked salmon Smørrebrød with cream cheese and a cup of coffee, but coming from a country and culture that usually feasts on rice, noodles and hot food in general, I probably couldn't possibly eat this long term. Don't get me wrong, it was good, and bloody expensive too. The set below set me back a proper 60 kroners which is slightly more than SGD$13.

 

 

While I was there, I realised they eat a lot of fish too, with salmon and cod particularly widespread. The fish(at least those that I had) were fresh and generally of a really high quality. I had this cod dish, which is quite common in Copenhagen, at the restaurant in Nimb Hotel and it was delicious. However, as with all creamy based foods like Spaghetti Carbonara, it does get a bit much after a while. The cod though, was outstanding, the flesh was flakey and sweet and quite clearly, the star of the dish. It would have been fantastic as well if it had been just lightly salted or buttered and then pan fried. With ingredients this good and this fresh, you definitely don't want to do too much cooking.

 

 

In the 2 days I had to spend in Copenhagen, I also managed to take in food from a Pølsevogn which literally translates to sausage wagon.

 

These hot dog stands can be found all over Copenhagen. Savouring it in the winter chill, allowing the warmth to permeate through my hands and mouth was fantastic. However, taste wise it was nothing fantastic, basically it was just sausage in a bun. Pretty standard stuff. Costs about 30 Kroner(SGD$6.50) a pop. 

 

 

Nope, I wasn't in a market...the top picture was the display outside the restaurant of one of the best steaks I've ever had, and I've had a fair few. On the last day in Copenhagen, I had lunch at MASH restaurant in Copenhagen airport. MASH stands for Modern American Steak House, but it is a Danish owned establishment which I think recently started another branch at Piccadilly in London.

 

The restaurant came strongly recommended by my driver in Copenhagen, but seeing that it was within the airport terminal itself, I couldn't help but feel sceptical.

 

The restaurant didn't look fancy, basically it appeared to be a mid range restaurant. Normal décor, unassuming furniture, but I guess it should have struck me then. This place was all about the food. The steak was extremely flavourful with just the right amount of marbling. I had it medium rare, as everyone should, and it was cooked to perfection. Hands down one of the best steaks I've ever had. Anyone who's going to Copenhagen, or London for that matter, you have got to try this place. I had sides of mash potatoes and fried calamari and really, can't complain. Service was good as well, so let's just say, if they do franchise this place in Singapore, I'll be first in line.

 

Unfortunately, I forgot to keep the receipt and I cant really remember how much the meal cost, but really, you can't go wrong dining here. Who says you cant get good food at the airport(;

Denmark, I'll be back.