Viking Magazine - September 2022 - 14

IT WAS LOVE
at first bite for
Anders and
Kaitlin. If Oslo didn't have such interesting
eateries, the American girl and the Norwegian
boy might never have met. A reservation
at Norway's most famous restaurant (the
groundbreaking, three-Michelin-starred
Maaemo) was the main reason for Kaitlin's
first trip to the Nordics. (She expected a
delicious meal, but she did not expect to fall
in love with the guy sitting next to her!) We
were two star-crossed food bloggers from
completely different worlds, but we were
united by the same passion. It was destiny
for us to join forces and write about food
together.
Since Oslo was a main character in our
love story, it's a city that is very near and dear
to our hearts. Anders had lived in Oslo for
about the crown jewel of the city's food scene.
Maaemo is the most famous restaurant in
Norway. It's the only eatery in the country
with three Michelin stars, and it's the only
Norwegian restaurant that's ever made it on
to The World's 50 Best Restaurants list. This
fine dining establishment has been open in
the city center of Oslo for over a decade, and
recently moved to a stunning new location in
a modern building on the waterfront down by
the Opera House.
Chef Esben Holmboe Bang's tasting menu
WITH SO MUCH INCREDIBLE PRODUCE AT
HAND, IT'S NO WONDER THAT FOOD IS
A BIG PART OF THE CULTURE IN NORWAY.
more than a decade, testing and reviewing
all the best restaurants before we moved to
Copenhagen, where we run Scandinavia's
largest restaurant-focused food blog together
(andershusa.com).
While Norway is perhaps most famous for
its nature, the tall mountains and the dazzling
fjords, it's the restaurants that put this country
on the map for food travelers like us. And with
so much incredible produce at hand, it's no
wonder that food is a big part of the culture
in Norway. The cold Scandinavian waters are
overflowing with fresh seafood, the land is
rich with root vegetables, and the forests are
full of game meat, mushrooms and berries.
There's a lot of delicious things to discover,
so sit back, relax, and let us be your Oslo
experts! We'll guide you to all our favorite
restaurants, bars, coffee shops and more.
FINE DINING FAVORITES
It wouldn't be an Oslo guide without talking
14
September 2022
highlights reinvented Nordic classics like
rømmegrøt (sour cream porridge) with shaved
reindeer heart, and brunost (brown cheese)
and waffles. It also features the incredible
seafood of the region, from scallops to wild
salmon to langoustines. In the past few
years, Holmboe Bang and his team have
expanded to open several
more casual concepts, so if
you can't get a reservation
at Maaemo, be sure to check
out The Vandelay (an all-day
American brunch restaurant
with pancakes and one of the
city's best cheeseburgers),
Kafeteria August (a hip wine
bar with small plates) and
Mon Oncle (a classic French
restaurant with old-school
favorites like Beef Wellington).
There are, of course, more fine dining
restaurants that are worth a visit when in
Oslo. One of our favorites is restaurant
Rest, where " rest " (the word for " leftovers " in
Norwegian) is used to craft a gourmet tasting
menu. One man's trash is another man's
treasure, and Rest makes gold out of food that
otherwise would've gone to waste. The chefs
work from a strict zero waste philosophy and
use ingredients that no one else wants, such
as ugly or imperfect produce, and parts of an
animal that are typically not used.
Restauraunt Einer is another more upscale
restaurant we love in Oslo. Chef Svein Trandem
and his partner in wine, Sara Johansson,
previously worked together at Maaemo before
branching out to open their own spot. Their
tasting menu showcases seasonal Nordic
ingredients alongside natural wines. If you want
to have a real taste of Norway, this is a great
place to whet your appetite.
sonsofnorway.com
http://www.andershusa.com http://www.sonsofnorway.com
Viking Magazine - September 2022

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