Dinners at Restaurant Zeleste, Copenhagen

I am currently in Copenhagen for a short holiday to eat the world's best restaurant in a couple of days (review to follow!), but not knowing very much else about the dining scene I had to ask my hotel for more recommendations upon arrival. On the first evening I was directed to a seafood restaurant Zeleste in the Nyhavn area, and I was so enchanted by its food and service that I decided to return the very next evening. This post summarises my experiences at this restaurant.

The restaurant is located on a little side street apart from the tourist traps along the canal. You might miss it if not for the flags hanging from the side of the building. It was a bitterly cold and windy winter evening and the restaurant looked rather full, so I was extremely relieved that they still had a table for me without prior reservation.

Lovely quiet corner by the window

The restaurant offers a diverse à la carte menu of seafood and game, with the possibility to make up your own 3- or 4-course meal. I decided on 4 courses for both evenings, with 2 desserts during the first, and 2 starters the next.

Starter: tartare of salmon and scallop mixed with wild garlic, chilli, onion, almond oil and capers, served with toasted bread and watercress oil.

This was a real pleasure. The seafood was all very fresh, and the rich oily taste of salmon was perfect when paired with sweet juicy scallops. The marinade was delicately aromatic, sharp and spicy, enhancing the natural flavours of the seafood effortlessly. The accompaniments were completely apt as well; toasted dark multigrain bread provided a lovely crunch and deep nutty dimension, while the fresh watercress salad and purée were a breath of fresh air amidst this picture of understated indulgence.

Main: half Canadian lobster served chilled, with lemon and dill mayonnaises. (50 DKK supplement)

This couldn't be simpler and better: incredibly succulent and sweet lobster served only with homemade mayonnaise to enhance its fresh natural flavour. Luxurious and satisfying indeed.

Dessert 1: sea buckthorn ice cream, fruit leather and juice.

This astringent juice from this coastal berry is very popular in Scandinavian countries, where it is said to contain particularly high levels of nutrients such as vitamin C and carotenes. Here, it is featured in three different ways. I particularly liked the ice cream, which was really light, smooth and had a good balance of sweetness and acidity, almost like a sorbet. The hazelnut crumble base provided a lovely sweet crunch with every spoonful of ice cream. The fruit leather was like a fruit gum. The small glass of juice was sharp and refreshing. On the whole, this dessert felt like a palate cleanser for the next that was to come.

Dessert 2: cold rice pudding with chopped almonds and vanilla, served with hot sour cherry sauce and fresh mint.

Part of the seasonal Christmas menu, this traditional Danish pudding has its own little story: if amongst the crushed almonds in the mixture you actually come across a whole intact one, you will be blessed with good fortune for the year to come! No such luck for me unfortunately, but the pudding was really rich, with chopped almonds providing a lovely crunch and deep flavour in each lumpy mouthful. Cherry sauce with a generous amount of juicy whole simmered cherries provided an essential fresh and sharp balance to the sweet and creamy pudding. The contrast in temperatures was another delightful touch for the palate. All in all, a very festive and comforting way to end the dinner amidst the relentlessly chilly weather.

Open fireplace in the courtyard - how do these people
stay outside for so long?!

Pretty sure it would be lovely to
sit out here in summer!

Just before I left, I remembered that restaurants in Europe are generally closed the next day (Sunday). I was pleasantly surprised to find out from my friendly server that they are open seven days a week, and I did not hesitate to return the next evening - saves me the trouble of having to look for a good place on a Sunday!

Starter 1: grilled goat's cheese served on toasted bread with pumpkin purée, and a salad of pickled porcini mushrooms and walnuts with a rowanberry dressing.

The grilled goat's cheese's gooey texture and strong sharp taste was extremely well complemented by the pumpkin purée's rich smooth texture and intense sweetness, as well as the crisp and nutty toasted multigrain brown bread. These two morsels of indulgence were kept in balance by a clean-tasting and astringent salad, featuring pickled mushrooms and a very light berry dressing, while walnuts provided a lovely crunch with every mouthful. This was an excellent way to begin the meal.

Starter 2: Jerusalem artichoke soup with apples and smoked bacon.

The sweet and slightly earthy flavour (akin to root vegetables) of artichoke was allowed to shine fully through this rich and creamy soup. Depending on what one might pair each spoonful with, small chunks of apple provided further sweetness and a juicy crunchy texture, while moreish pieces of bacon complemented the delicate earthiness of artichokes with a further savoury depth. A chive garnish topped off this hearty soup with lovely enticing aromas. Not a single drop was left in the bowl!

Main: pan-fried sea bream served with fried potatoes and beetroot purée.

Actually, this was where there was a slight lapse in service here. The previous soup had been served at the same time as this main course. To be fair, my waitress had asked me at the beginning if I would mind a more quick-paced dinner as I had arrived rather late and the kitchen was about to close up soon. Of course I didn't mind (I was hungry too!) but two courses arriving together in a Western restaurant was really unexpected, and I tried very hard not to take it the wrong way that I was unwelcome at this hour, considering how friendly my waitress had been so far.

To the kitchen's credit, this piece of fish was still very well cooked, with soft and moist flesh under a delicately caramelised and crispy skin. Only a few flakes of sea salt were needed to enhance its fresh and mild flavour. On the side, beetroot purée imparted a pleasant sweet earthiness, while fried potatoes provided the essential weight for this dish. All in all, a substantial and wholesome dish which I might have enjoyed even more had I not felt so rushed.

Dessert: poached pear served with mint oil, chopped nuts and vanilla ice cream.

Thankfully there was a slight break before dessert was served, and as the dinner was coming to an end things also felt more relaxed generally. I really enjoyed this one; rich vanilla ice cream was set upon a nut crumble base, which itself sat on a bed of thinly scooped-out and rearranged slices of poached pear, with diced chunks set around the ice cream. This was a well-composed myriad of textures from creamy to crunchy to juicy, and despite being rather sweet on the whole, the dessert managed somehow to avoid coming across as cloying to the palate. Perhaps this had to do with the ingenious touches of mint oil, which really helped to lighten things up with a fresh spicy kick. The strips of shortbread garnish also contributed to this feeling of lightness with its sheer delicate crispness. On the whole, this was a pleasantly refreshing end to two lovely dinners at this restaurant, despite some earlier issues with the pacing of courses.

My friendly server and chef for both evenings.

In summary: warm personal service and great food in a peaceful and cosy setting. Prices are commensurate with typically high Scandinavian costs of living, and since it's expensive everywhere in Copenhagen, you might well ensure that you spend your money in a nice place!