108 - Copenhagen

One of the attractions of a short new year break to Denmark's capital city, Copenhagen (Kobenhavn) is the opportunity to experience their amazing culinary skills particularly with seafood. 

Nordic food has become fashionable in recent years featuring in several TV shows and reviews. Scientific Research at the University of Copenhagen has found traditional Scandinavian cuisine to be every bit as healthy as its Mediterranean counterpart with emphasis on locally sourced fresh produce and delicate preparation.

We started our tour at 108 which is sited in a former whale meat warehouse with floor-to-ceiling windows and water views; bare concrete and a semi-open kitchen giving it a cool Nordic style.

108 sprung from the world-renowned restaurant, Noma, whose Head Chef and recipient of 2 Michelin stars, Rene Redzepi, is often cited as the founder of the New Nordic Cuisine. The Chef at 108 is Kristian Baumann, once an apprentice of Redzepi, who now also boasts a Michelin star for his success at the restaurant.


Arriving on a cold wet evening we were warmly welcomed by the friendly and attentive staff who recommended a Gin & Tonic using this Scandinavian gin from Nordic Spirits Lab.  Infused with Aqvavit botanicals we were equally enthused by its great flavour - so much so that we purchased a couple of bottles at the airport to bring home. Akvavit traditionally contains coriander, angelica and lemon peel but it is the caraway and dill which really adds the the Nordic essence to this refreshing gin.


The menu offers plenty of pickled, cured and fermented ingredients on the 'no rules' menu, from which you pick as many dishes as you like. On recommendation from our table staff, all of whom were extremely well informed about the ingredients and preparation of every dish, we chose a selection of smaller plates and then one larger plate to share.  Every dish was beautifully crafted visually and each one contained its own flavoursome character.  Combined with their own freshly baked bread we were completely satisfied both in terms of appetite and flavours.

Glazed Pork with last year's Pickles

The Glazed Pork was 'melt-in-the-mouth' balanced with the acidity of the pickles. Last year's pickles are more mellow than fresh pickles and have a wonderfully dry chewy texture with lots of flavour.  

Raw Shrimp, Mushroom and White Currant

Jerusalem Artichoke with Caviar

The Raw Shrimp was incredibly flavoursome being lightly cured in the oil and white currant dressing.  The delicate white mushrooms, thinly sliced and arranged like the petals of a flower were a perfect match with the prawns and white currant.



Jerusalem Artichoke combines so well with the Royal Belgian Caviar to give exciting texture contrasts and flavour combinations.

Brown Beech Mushrooms with Smoked Egg Yolk

Our larger sharing plate was Brown Beech Mushrooms with Smoked Egg Yolk and Grilled Greens. Also known as Buna shimeji (Hypsizygus tessellatus), it is an edible mushroom native to East Asia but it is cultivated locally in temperate climates in Europe where it grows mainly on Beech trees.  Although bitter when raw, once cooked they are considered to be one of the most flavoursome of all the edible mushrooms. They were dusted in seaweed and dried mushroom before flash frying to give a Tempura style.  Crunchy, nutty and full of flavour they were perfectly paired with the subtle Smoked Egg Yolk sauce.  The grilled Greens were fresh and light  and topped with thin slices of grilled Butternut Squash.  Now, I am not a huge fan of the Butternut but I could eat these all day long.

All in all we had four smaller plates and one larger one, freshly baked bread and a couple of glasses of Sauvignon Blanc.  Together with 2 G&Ts and filtered water the bill came to £200 which is not cheap but so worth it for an exciting night out enjoying good food in a great restaurant.

Galleria Restaurant in Rome

On a recent 5-day visit to Rome we sampled the cuisine of a range of restaurants. The best by far was Galleria which is situated in a small but stylish shopping gallery on Via dei Sabini.

Galleria Restaurant in Rome

Its elegant interior with clean lines has a contemporary feel even though the restaurant has been in operation for over 6 years.  When we had lunch here, the restaurant was fairly busy with well dressed business people and savvy tourists.  At dinner the restaurant was quieter, not least because the shopping gallery was closed and the only access was from a side-street.  I am sure that outside the holiday period the restaurant is full of local people who are 'in-the-know' and return time and time again for the high quality food and service.

Great service from the pleasant staff and extra attention from the owner, Guido Anastasio Pugliese, enhanced the dining experience.  Guido took the time to come over and explain in detail some of the excellent wine choices and to offer samples of a delicious olive oil from L'Aquila in Abruzzo.

On arrival we were greeted with a complimentary glass of Prosecco before proceeding to the Chef's Amuse Bouche of Roman Sweet Pepper.

Raw fresh fish and Shellfish

For starters we shared the Grande Crudo di Pesce e Crostacei which comprised a range of raw fish and shellfish including Amberjack Carpaccio (from Sicily), Scampi (Adriatic), Red Prawns (Sicily), Salmon (Scotland) and a large Rock Oyster (France).  All beautifully fresh and garnished with redcurrants, blackberry and a homemade Tomato Sorbet, it was a delight on the eye and 100% pleasure on the palate !  

Farfalle with Prawns

Red Prawns on a stick

To follow we had Farfalle pasta with grilled red prawns, pea puree and Tuna Borttaga (salted roe).  Also, grilled Red Prawns on a skewer with sliced radish and a balsamic and orange reduction.  Both dishes were superb.

The cuisine is elegant and refined but not in any way pretentious. All the food is prepared with care using the finest fresh ingredients.  



Eating at the Gallery has a sense of style and occasion, which is reflected in the tremendous quality of the food and service.  All of this comes at a very affordable price and it will definitely be on the top of our restaurant list next time we are in Rome.