Food Time, Part 2: Copenhagen Dining Week!

Happy Wednesday everyone! Welcome back to Food Time, an (apparently) recurring segment on my blog where I’ll be showcasing all the incredible bites and amazing experiences with food that I’ve had since arriving in Copenhagen. And this week we're keeping it a little bit fancy.

(Now what could this mysterious ticket stub mean??)

Do you remember how last time I talked about how on the last Food Time I got a three course fine-dining meal on the cheap through an app called Early Bird? Well, just this past week, from February 6th to the 15th, was Copenhagen Dining Week, an almost two-week long event where basically every amazing restaurant in the city does exactly that - incredible fine dining meals at an affordable price! So while other people were booking flights to Paris, Berlin, and Amsterdam for the weekend, I was busy making as many plans(that I could afford) at some of Copenhagen’s finest restaurants. So buckle up, keep your wallets steady, and feast your eyes on some of the most delicious pieces of food that I’ve ever had the pleasure of taking photos of!

First on the list was Gabrielle, a French-inspired restaurant which offered a three course-tasting menu for only $45 per person after tax. The first course comprised a beef tartare underneath a bed of lettuce and potato chips(because why not), along with a perfectly baked bread bun with rosemary butter and thyme. The main course was entrecôte, a sirloin strip steak with green beans nestled on a pomme purée and drizzled with red wine sauce. Lastly, dessert was chocolate fondant with tonka bean ice cream and cherry coulis. 

(The three horsemen of the French culinary apocalypse)

LOVELY READERS CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE??? Everything was cooked and prepared perfectly, from the expert sear on the steak, the little touch of lemon on the green beans, or the hot and cold balance between the melted fondant and ice cream. All in all, not a bad way to spend one’s 21st birthday!

Next up was Sticks 'n' Sushi, a popular fine-dining chain around Copenhagen specializing in, you guessed it, sushi. Two of my fellow suitemates also went with me this time, and we reserved a multi-course tasting menu comprising hot appetizers, cold appetizers, seafood sticks, sushi, and dessert that was just south of $80 each. I won’t even try to describe all the courses here, but the standouts were the warm tempura shrimp bites, yellowtail kataifi, “build your own sushi roll” station, and hazelnut ice cream bar. Talk about a lot of value!

(warm bites, cold bites, and "build you own roll" ingredients - so beyond fresh!)

(can't forget a little treat for dessert)

Unfortunately, I think I went into this experience really trying to get my money’s worth for every single dish, so I may have gone a little overboard on the appetizers and couldn’t exactly enjoy the final dishes without feeling a little stuffed. However, if you’re in the mood for seafood or some absolutely phenomenal appetizers, I would highly recommend any of their locations!

Lastly, we come to the final day of dining week. And for the finale, I wasn’t pulling any punches. I ordered an 8-course tasting menu for myself at Aamanns 1921, one of the premiere new Nordic Restaurants in the city. I prepared my mind, my body, and my bank account for the endeavour, and set out by myself on Sunday night to enjoy another once-in-a-lifetime meal. And let me tell you, it was worth every kroner.

(a respectable photo collage is most certainly fitting for this incredible experience)

From gigantic rye chips with hummus, perfectly tangy oyster, a side salad with lobster croustade, warm squid soup with fennel, oxtail ravioli, pork neck with black trumpet mushrooms, cheesy cauliflower, and blood orange sorbet, every bite seemed more delicious and significant than the last. Sure there were ones that I preferred more than others(oh my goodness I would just go back just for that lobster CROUSTADE), but the experience as a whole is what I will cherish indefinitely. There’s something just completely magical about booking a table for 1 at a restaurant that you know will be life changing, and then setting aside the time to enjoy each and every single bite. I highly, highly, highly recommend putting reservations for that special restaurant you've heard about or had on your radar since coming to Copenhagen, or any city for that matter. It doesn't have to be a Michelin-starred restaurant or anything even remotely close to that, just sitting with yourself and enjoying a meal that was prepared with the utmost respect and care for the craft is an absolute must.

(Me in the bathroom of Aamanns 1921 being VERY happy about all my life choices)

Whew, that was a doozy! I promise that next week’s entry won’t be as extravagant, but I hope that during this busy time of the year we all can find time to enjoy a wonderful meal for ourselves. It pays to treat yourself sometimes!

(Or to treat others! Here's me and all my suitemates in Gabrielle enjoying a wonderful 21st birthday lunch - sorry that each photo does one of you guys dirty >_<)