Maaemo

Posted on June 12, 2013 by

Maaemo means Mother Earth in Finnish. It is also the name of a relatively new restaurant in the Norwegian capital Oslo. It opened its doors back in the summer of 2010 and has never looked back. The kitchen is run by Esben Holmboe Bang, a Dane who has had experience working at Noma in Copenhagen. The FOH is run by Pontus Dahlström, a Finn and former sommelier of Oslo’s Bagatelle restaurant.

Maaemo’s “10″ course menu which includes around 15 extra dishes ! is based around local Bio-Dynamic and mostly Organic sourced ingredients which is no mean feat considering the short growing season a place like Oslo and its surrounding areas has. The restaurant itself is situated in a Z-shaped building next to the train track leading into Oslo’s main station. The decor is minimalistic, and the environment was even taken into consideration when laying the floor which is made out of plastic recycling bottles.

Out of the 25 dishes I had my favourites were: Horseradish Cream wrapped in a sheet of Red Cabbage Jelly – Oyster Emulsion with Blue Mussel gel – Sourdough Bread of Wheat served with an excellent hand-made beer from the Bøgedal microbrewery, this was my “stand out course” – poached Skrei from Lofoten with burnt Onions – Quail Egg, burnt Leek, salted Veal Tongue served with a sauce of Ramson, Leek & Bone Marrow – Reindeer with raw Jerusalem Artichoke served with Balsamic vinegar and a müesli of Walnuts & Oats also stood out, and I loved the Iced Buttermilk with herb tea and frozen Sour Cream. My least favourite dish was the Diver caught Norwegian Scallops served raw & as a mousseline with Sea Buckthorn & a Carrot vinaigrette. I don’t mind raw Scallops at all but I just felt their delicate flavour was lost to the Sea Buckthorn.

The no choice menu costs a hefty 1900 NOK – €250 – £210, but because you get “25″ courses it’s actually not bad value for an excellent eating experience, as its website states “To fully enjoy the experience, we ask that you set aside a whole evening.”
If I pass through Oslo again, I won’t hesitate to book another table – preferably in another season though to be able to try different dishes.

In March 2012 Maaemo was awarded two stars in the Michelin Guide, the first time a Nordic restaurant has been awarded two stars in its first mention in the guide. It still holds two stars. I am surprised that Maaemo is not in the fun but sometimes flawed “The Worlds 100 Best Restaurants” list. For Maaemo’s website click here. (Click on a photo to start slideshow)

PS: I must mention that earlier that day I possibly had the best Fish & Chips I ever had. In the Where Chefs Eat guide Esben Holmboe Bang recommends Fiskeriet Youngstorget. For lunch that day I had 6 Oysters & a wonderfully Battered piece of Cod. Fiskeriet Youngstorget is also a Fishmonger. For more info on Fiskeriet Youngstorget click here.

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Kitchen Table & Bubbledogs

Posted on June 4, 2013 by

Kitchen Table & Bubbledogs are the brainchildren of James Knappet & Sandia Chang, his wife and business partner. Both are situated in the same premises in London and opened in the later half of 2012. James (Chef) & Sandia (FOH) have worked at Per Se in New York & Noma in Copenhagen. James has also worked for Marcus Wareing for some years as his 2nd lieutenant at The Berkeley.

Back in December 2012 I secured 1 of the 19 stools at the Kitchen Table which is a U shape with the well ventilated kitchen situated in the middle of it. When I arrived, my first pleasant surprise was to see a chef that I had met early that year at Fäviken in Sweden. It quickly transpired that Rory Sheehan had been mentored by James at The Berkeley before doing a stint at Fäviken. With such talent in the very open & beautiful kitchen my chilly London evening had got off to a great start.

The 19 stools available each evening are split into two sittings which overlap one another seamlessly. In other words, only 19 people are served in one evening. It’s just one choice for all.

I had 12 courses that evening. The 12 courses I had were: Oyster – Pig – Chicken – Broccoli – Scallop – Truffle – Duck – Venison – Stichelton – Yogurt – Pear – Clementine. That’s all the information you see on the “menu”. I like this as it adds an element of surprise to the dishes you get served.

My favorites were: The Broccoli which used the stem of the plant instead of the head – it was served with hazelnuts. The Scallop which was excellent and served with Onions. The English Truffle which was simply served with Pasta. My least favourite was the Chicken which was crisp chicken skin served with Rosemary Mascarpone and Bacon jam. I like my chicken skins best on “my” Roast Chicken!

James uses the freshest seasonal produce he can get and the menu is based on this. It can change on a daily basis. I have read somewhere that one of James’s favourite cookbooks is Nigel Slater’s The Kitchen Diaries which I have also got and that he had that book with him while he was working at Noma. It reminded him of England & English food. I look forward to James’s book one day. My 12 course menu cost £68. Jack sorted out a few glasses of wine for me and the whole bill including service was £115.

James and I have something in common: We collect menus from places we have been to. He puts them on the walls of his restaurant toilets, I have mine in a couple of black folders. If I ever opened a restaurant, his menu would go on the kitchen wall to remind me of why I opened the restaurant in the first place.

I have been lucky enough to experience Bubbledogs (Bubble = Champagne, Dogs = Hot Dogs) twice, once on New Year’s Eve 2012 & in February 2013, and on both occasions I had great Hot Dogs & awesome “no name” Champagne at good value prices. Over my last three visits to 70 Charlotte Street in London W1 I have had my fair share of Gaston Chiquet, Selection Cuvée (60% Pinot Meunier, 15% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay).

& you Kiwis out there the Kumara (Maori word for sweet potato) Fries are worth the trip alone. My favourite Dog is the Reuben with its Swiss Chäs. The Caesar! & José are close seconds. The Buffalo Dog has a great story – just ask James Snowdon, the restaurant manager and I am sure he will be happy to tell you about it. Hot Dogs & Drinks for lunch in February cost me £35 including service. For Bubbledogs website click here. For The Kitchen Table website click here. (Click on a photo to start slideshow)

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Septime

Posted on June 3, 2013 by

The first thing I noticed when I walked into Septime (situated in the 11th arrondissement of Paris) was the Lamb resting in a warm place at the back of the open kitchen. I knew at that moment that Kate, my oldest daughter (9), and myself were going to have a great supper.

Bertrand Grébaut, the Chef Patron, comes from the branch of the family tree of Chefs who have worked for Alan Passard at L’Arpège. Grébaut has held a Michelin star at L’Agapé. In April 2011 he opened Septime and focused his attention on sourcing & cooking seasonal ingredients. His Second de cuisine is Chloé Charles who has worked at L’Agapé & Agapé Substance alongside David Toutain when he was there.

My favorite dishes were the Lamb served with Eel, Jerusalem Artichoke & Lambs Heart & Liver and Hake with Beetroot. Bertrand Grébaut likes to keep things “simple” and always uses local and seasonal produce. The wine list is a Natural one. The service was excellent and informal at the same time. My menu cost a very reasonable 55€ and Kate’s cost 28€, the total bill including drinks was 135€.

Bertrand Grébaut has 2 hats in the Gault & Millau guide & Septime is presently number 49 in The Worlds “100″ Best Restaurants list. For Septime’s website click here. (Click on a photo to start slideshow…must apologise for the lack of good photos this time)

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Le Dauphin

Posted on April 3, 2013 by

Our TGV left Zürich Main Station at 07:34 and arrived at Paris-Gare de Lyon on time at 11:37. It was my oldest daughter Kate’s first visit to the city of light. After we had checked in to our hotel in the 6th we took the Metro to the 11th and arrived in time for the table we had reserved at Le Dauphin for 13:00.

Le Dauphin is two doors down from its infamous big brother restaurant Le Chateaubriand. I had eaten at the latter early in 2012. Both are owned by Iñaki Aizpitarte. Technically speaking Le Dauphin is a Wine Bar with food. For lunch it has these options: Entrée & Plat ou Plat & Dessert ou Fromage for 23€ – Entrée & Plat & Dessert ou Fromage for 27€. In the evening it has a “tapas” style menu.

I started with a dish of Horse Heart served with Potatoes. It was excellent, cooked rare and extremely tender. For our mains the kitchen obliged by cooking Kate a simple piece of fish & I had Pork & Seaweed Sausages served with Black Rice Risotto, Salsify & Red Onions. The sausages were meaty & moreish and they had been made locally. Kate had Passion Fruit Tart for dessert which had a good crispy base and I had the Cheese.

The wine list follows a predominantly “Natural” route. It was November, so it was Beaujolais Nouveau time, the glass of which I had was surprisingly good. I also had a glass of Vin de Pays de la Vaunage which was equally as good. Both were Bio-Dynamic.

All in all we had a great relaxed lunch, service was informal and friendly & the price was perfect, totaling a very reasonable 68€ for two. I would definitely go back to try the “tapas” style food in the evening. After lunch Kate and I visited the famous Italian lady that resides in Paris! For Le Dauphin’s website click here for info. (Click on a photo to start slideshow)

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Ski Lodge Engelberg

Posted on April 1, 2013 by

Sweden does not have a shortage of snow in the winter time but it does have a shortage of good places for winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding, so it came as no surprise to find out that Swedish “ski-bums” Eric and Niklas decided to open their own Hotel in Engelberg after they were struck by the easily accessible, endless off piste areas and the charming atmosphere of the old monastery village.

It was an easy drive from our home near Zürich to Engelberg, a resort town in the canton of Obwalden in Switzerland. We arrived mid afternoon in late January and our family room was ready for us to settle into for our short break. After a walk around the old part of town we had a drink in the bar and then it was time for supper in the Brasserie Konrad which is the “Ski lodge Engelberg” restaurant.

Brasserie Konrad is named after the founder of Engelberg, Konrad von Sellenbüren who rode into Engelberg 900 years ago to found the monastery. Anna-Karin Haglund is the Restaurant Manager.  We met Anna-Karin last year in Stockholm when she was part of the front of house team at Esperanto/Råkultur. Before that she was in charge of front of house at Fäviken where she helped Magnus Nilsson achieve what Fäviken has become today.

That evening we ate well. It was clear that the kitchen gets its influence from the Swiss Alps, Northern Italy, France and doesn’t forget its Swedish heritage, where most of the staff come from. You can also see that they have a passion for local produce and recognise that Switzerland has some great cheese, meat and wine. The Slow Roasted Pork Belly, Sole & Cheese Board were all excellent. (I have to apologise as this time I don’t have any good photos of the food, the light for taking them was bad and I don’t like to use a flash). A very reasonably priced 3 course “Skiers” menu for 55CHF is also available.

The next morning we had a great breakfast buffet to set us up for the day. Whether you are looking for a great Hotel to use as a base for your mountain holidays with so much to do in Winter as well as Summer – or just an awesome place to have an evening meal, Ski Lodge Engelberg has it all on offer. I also love the informality of the Swedish hospitality you get at Ski Lodge Engelberg with the “Nothing is a problem attitude”. For Ski Lodge Engelberg’s website click here for info on prices and menu etc. (Click on a photo to start slideshow)

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L’Esprit du Vin

Posted on March 31, 2013 by

Albi is the capital of the Department Tarn and is situated on the River Tarn. Its main attractions are the Gothic Cathedral, Toulouse-Lautrec Museum and its very old bridge. The main attraction for me however is a relatively new, “living” one……..David Enjalran’s cooking and his restaurant L’Esprit du Vin.

David was born and bred in the region of Tarn. After nearly following in his parents footsteps taking up a career in medicine he ended up studying at the Toulouse Hotel School. He then went on to spend three years working in Paris for Alain Dutournier at Le Carré des Feuillants before returning to Albi to open L’Esprit du Vin in 2004.

After we had visited Albi’s covered market we took a short walk to L’Esprit du Vin just down the hill from the very impressive red bricked Gothic Cathedral. L’Esprit du Vin is a small 24 cover restaurant. This was our third visit and we were warmly greeted by David’s wife Marion.

David Enjalran’s cooking style is a mix of Tradition & Molecular - He is always looking for new taste combinations using the local & seasonal produce from the South West of France. For lunch that day we ordered the “La Pause Gourmande”, a three course menu which costs a very reasonable 29€ and includes the usual extras of amuse bouche and petit four. It was excellent (our two children had “Le menu enfant” for 15€ each), see photos & captions.

On the wine list you can find good locals such as the one we had: Gaillac Braucol 2011 (33€) from the Plageoles brothers. It’s Bio-Dynamic and worked well with the food. David Enjalran has 1 Michelin star & 3 Hats in the Gault-Millau guide.  For L’Esprit du Vin’s website click here. (Click on a photo to start slideshow)

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La Falaise

Posted on February 11, 2013 by

It was a short drive through the wild countryside in this part of the Department of Tarn before we arrived at La Falaise Restaurant which is situated on the edge of the village Cahuzac-sur-Vère. It was raining on the 14th of October & we had a table reserved for Sunday lunch. La Falaise is owned and run by husband and wife team Guillaume & Sylvaine Salvan, and we have been visiting them for over five years now.

Guillaume is a Chef who cares passionately about the ingredients that make it into his kitchen and where they have come from. When ever he can he uses organic produce which is seasonal and mostly locally grown, foraged, raised or hunted. We ordered the 4 course menu this time which cost 47€ and came with the usual extras of amuse bouche and petit four. The children were looked after accordingly with their own simple 3 course menus for 20€ each. La Falaise also has a Vegetarian menu for 31€ and on week days you can have a 3 course menu for a very reasonable 20€.

Eighty percent of the wine list is made up with local Organic or Bio-Dynamically produced wine from the AOC region of Gaillac. Joël the sommelier helped us with our choice and we ordered a bottle of Brin de Temps from Domaine de Brin, which was an excellent red.

Our favourites this time were: Oyster Amuse Bouche; Foie Gras with Green Beans, Apple, & Hazelnut Crisps; Shank of Veal (this is a great dish which uses a cut of meat that is usually ignored; a lot of work had gone into preparing it resulting in the meat being tender with loads of taste); Wild Maigre (fish) with pureed Pumpkin & Coconut Cream; Autumn Fruit with Edible Earth for dessert.

Sylvaine runs the front of house with sommelier Joël and they make you feel welcome as though you would be visiting them in their own homes. La Falaise is a little gem of a restaurant. Guillaume Salvan has 1 Michelin star & 3 Hats in the Gault-Millau guide. We are looking forward to returning in the forth coming Autumn. For La Falaise’s website click here. (Click on a photo to start slideshow) For a great video about La Falaise click here.

 

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