The Infallible Foreign Tales of the Famished Foodie: An Evening at Noma

When I was choosing a city to study abroad in about a year ago, an interesting article came out in Food and Wine Magazine listing the top 5 food destination cities. Included were Tokyo, New York, 2 others that I forget now, and Copenhagen. I was surprised, to say the least, that a country like Denmark could beat out European food A-listers such as France or Italy. In reading the article, I found that it was places like Restaurant Noma that had put Copenhagen on the culinary map. So, after making reservations back in October, I finally had my chance to experience the world's third best restaurant a few days before Christmas.

Noma, along with a small handful of restaurants in Copenhagen, are known for their "New Nordic" cuisine. This of course means reinventing the way people think of Nordic cuisine, but it also infers to relying on the ingredients at hand rather than another country's exports. That means no foie gras, no olive oil, and put down that bottle of burgundy, cause this sauce is going to be flavored with beer! In a country that is known for being extremely "green", Danes are becoming more and more aware of the foods they consume and where they come from. The people want local products,which in Denmark can be limiting, especially in the colder months. It is in this predicament that people like Chef René Redzepi step in, taking basic seasonal ingredients and presenting them in ways our minds and taste buds could never imagine.

I had been looking forward to eating here since I arrived in Copenhagen in August. I had been told by many that if a die-hard foodie was to eat anywhere in Denmark, this restaurant would be it. So as I jumped out of the car facing the old warehouse on the harbor where Noma is located, I could not repress the butterflies I felt echoing inside my specially-prepared empty stomach. I already knew that it would be a meal I would never forget.

When my mom and I walked in, the restaurant was still fairly quiet, with just a few tables full. The kitchen was open and right in front, so every member of the staff gave a casual and friendly greeting. Everyone seemed to smile knowingly at me, probably because I could not wipe the dopey grin off my face. They knew that I knew exactly what I was getting myself into.

As we were lead to our table, I took in the surroundings. The restaurant was minimalistic, with plain wood floors and white walls. The large warehouse windows looked out over Copenhagen's huge harbor. With plain white candles everywhere and white furs over the backs of every chair, the place was airy and bare, yet somehow extraordinarily cozy.

As soon as we sat down, it was down to business. Redzepi likes to begin the night with a bunch a small snacks before you receive the menu. It is in these small tastes that I saw what Noma is all about. Unfortunately, I only have a few pictures, as I was too eager to dig in to remember half the time, but hopefully you will get the main idea. First came a savory cookie made with sable, served in a traditional Danish cookie tin (you know, the big blue ones with the butter cookies inside you see every Christmas). We opened the huge tin, and inside were two perfect cookies, one for the each of us. It was a great way to get you excited about the meal because really, who doesn't love sticking their hand inside the cookie jar?

Next came probably one of the coolest things I have ever seen. The "snack" consisted of cracker thin rye bread with smoked cheese spread, topped with a thin cracker resembling the best crispy parts of puff pastry. It was chicken skin. My personal favorite part of the bird had been turned into a crispy wafer of perfection, light yet giving the bite a fantastic meaty flavor. It was in this dish that I saw that Noma strives to bring the best out of every last part of every ingredient.

Then came the signature potted plant (see above picture). A terra cotta pot filled with raw vegetables stuck in what looks like dirt. Really it is just a mixture of mushrooms and malt, giving a nice crunchy contrast to the cool yogurt and herb dip that lies beneath. When my radishes were gone, I took a spoon to it. This was the epitome of what Noma stands for: eating from the earth.

Our last snack consisted of a wavy cracker topped with roe (I forget what fish), herbs, and a vinegar powder, giving it the look of snow - which is exactly what it was doing outside. Decorated so carefully with herbs and flowers, it was ALMOST a shame to eat something so pretty. It tasted like the best salt and vinegar chip ever.

Finally, we received the menus, along with some homemade bread served with sheep's milk butter and lard. Can I just say that melted pig fat on hot bread is a revelation? Noma offers a 3, 7, or 12 course menu. Since the 7 course menu was only a few kroner more than the 3, we opted for that one, along with the wine pairing menu. Reading over the menu, I could tell that my mom was hesitant, and I could understand why. With course titles such as sea urchin, spinach, onion, and carrot for dessert, it is hard not to wonder what you are paying so much money for. However, from what we had eaten so far, I had full faith that everything would be delicious.

It was more than just delicious. I knew what to expect, yet every time a new plate was put down in front of me, I was surprised by the creativity and beauty that was brought to each ingredient. Perfectly cooked spinach steamed in tea with pickled rose petals and small, crunchy croutons was a dish that would make any spinach-hater swoon. Crispy pig's tail cooked slowly overnight was the most succulent piece of meat I have ever tried, and if I could eat bone marrow everyday for lunch, I most certainly would. With a side of Noma's house pickled vegetables, please.

The two dishes that surprised me the most; however, was the dish entitled "onions" and the dessert "carrots". The former was an array of different preparations and types of onions, my favorite being the caramelized pile in the center of the plate oozing with a danish cheese. Surrounded by an onion bouillon, it put any French onion soup to shame. I was borderline laughing as I ate it, because I had this overwhelming desire to stop the rest of the courses and eat 4 more bowls of "Onions from Læsø". I am also usually the one who always goes for the chocolate cake. So a dessert with carrots did not sound ideal. But of course I was wrong. A sweet carrot sorbet was encased in a buttermilk ice cream, of sorts, and decorated with the most perfect and crunchy slices of raw carrot. These were not your carrots from the grocery store.

This was true of every ingredient my mother and I enjoyed that evening. When you have a dish that is centered around a single ingredient, the ingredient itself has to be the best quality if it is going to be worth serving. That is why Noma cooks seasonally and does not import many ingredients, that is why Noma makes their own vinegars, fruit juices, and pickled vegetables, and that is why Noma is known for having foragers that go out into the Scandinavian countryside to find different herbs and plants to experiment with. As our potted plant told us, Noma cooks from the earth, and proves that it is in fact, where the best food comes from. Shocker.

The wine was a whole other story. Denmark, as I have reported earlier, is not really known for their grapevines, so most of the wine list came from other countries around Europe. With our menu, France was the most highly represented country, although Portugal did make an appearance. I was surprised that every wine served expect one (a 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape) was white. My guess was that since so many of the dishes were based on one ingredient, often times a vegetable, a lighter wine was chosen as to not overwhelm the flavor of the food. The pairings were phenomenal. They blended so well with the flavors of the food that they became a part of each dish themselves. Thanks, Ian, for telling me I had to get the wine menu as well. It took the meal to a whole new level of experience.

But perhaps what struck me the most was the pride and care each chef at Noma has for their restaurant and food. There are no waiters at Noma. Maybe one to refill wine glasses, but the food is all served by the cooks themselves. It made the experience more personal, as you got the sense that the particular chef had just prepared your food himself, and like an eager child, wanted to show off his accomplishment especially for you. Each chef would also tell us every ingredient in the dish, as well as a basic explanation of how it was prepared. It was not just eating, it was an education. With 17 different nationalities, one chef told me that it creates the best working environment, because everyone brings their own ideas and creativity to the kitchen. I found it fascinating how although it is a Danish kitchen, the main language spoken is English because it is the one most understand. Chefs travel all over the world to be a part of this "New Nordic" cuisine, showing a commitment and passion to the products they produce.

As the evening came to a close, our bellies full of food and roughly 11 glasses of champagne and wine, we realized that we had been there for over 5 hours. This was true of every table around us. Noma is not about turning over tables to get as many customers as possible (they charge enough to not have to worry about that). Every night Redzepi invites a few people into what really is his home, and shares a whole evening teaching individuals not just about New Nordic cuisine, but also a way of life. Eating from the earth is not something that can only be done in Denmark, it can be applied anywhere. At Noma you see the potential a simple and often times cheap ingredient can have as long as you start with good quality. Of course it does not mean that you have to go forage the countryside for exotic plants or herbs, but if we could be more aware of the goldmine of flavor in the ingredients lying around us, maybe we would not feel the need to import our entire food supply. Except foie gras. Sorry Redzepi, I am not giving that up!