Høst is the Danish word for Harvest, and the restaurant focuses on seasonal Nordic ingredients in a rustic ambiance, which gently reminds you of the sources of your dishes. It's a corner property on Nørre Farimagsgade. The 1790 street name derives from the expression "Father in mag", which means "Drive slowly" (due to the original rural nature of the road).
Diagnoally across from Ørsteds Park, Høst Restaurant has a splendid view. A winner of 3 international design awards, the restaurant is best-known for its Michelin "plate" designation—meaning that if they refined the "ambiance", they might win a star.
We think their simplified and inspiring ambiance is cozily sublime and—like many Copenhagen chefs—they prefer to avoid the stressful "stars" and focus on pleasing their international clientele. (We were situated beside a table of Russians, a deuce of Frenchmen, a pair of "fabulous" Danes, and a trio of Germans).
Making our "international" reservation online, I used the "additional comment" segment to indicate that our hotel was two blocks away, so we could arrive sooner if an earlier table appeared. It didn't... because they were full-to-capacity... even at 9:30 on a Thursday night! That's impressive.
So, having enjoyed cocktails at our hotel's bar, Lewis and I arrived punctually and were greeted by their apron-wearing manager/server. He wore gold glitter on his forehead and hair. My compliment about it made him blush, and he admitted how challenging it was to wash away. Sadly, we doubt that such an appearance would be tolerated in a high-ranked establishment in America.
He realized that Lewis and I were celebrating our recent anniversary, and he immediately swished us to our table, above the greenery-adorned mezzanine.
Chef Jonas Christensen offers a 3 or 5-course seasonal Tasting Menu. Knowing the kitchen's fame, we ordered the larger menu, including the Wine Pairing Menu.
Second were smoked Scallops with Horseradish Cream, Apple, and Dill: perfectly firm and well-balanced flavors.
*To see when we tasted the best scallops in the world, please use this link:
So, having enjoyed cocktails at our hotel's bar, Lewis and I arrived punctually and were greeted by their apron-wearing manager/server. He wore gold glitter on his forehead and hair. My compliment about it made him blush, and he admitted how challenging it was to wash away. Sadly, we doubt that such an appearance would be tolerated in a high-ranked establishment in America.
He realized that Lewis and I were celebrating our recent anniversary, and he immediately swished us to our table, above the greenery-adorned mezzanine.
When Danes eat, they hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right.
We do that, too, but most Americans obstinately retain the inconvenient method of shifting the fork between the left and right hands.
America might be the only country that still does that. We encourage the easier way.
We adored their candlelit interior: taper and pillar candles on every table, in sturdy iron candleholders, while an upbeat soundtrack illuminated things further. Below, is our table by the window. Made of reclaimed planking, it blended with the deliberately-mismatched chairs.
Chef Jonas Christensen offers a 3 or 5-course seasonal Tasting Menu. Knowing the kitchen's fame, we ordered the larger menu, including the Wine Pairing Menu.
Their homemade bread/whipped butter were triumphs! The BEST butter we ever had. Similar to 2-Michelin-star Nordic NYC restaurant, Aquavit, their bread arrives over a bed of raw wheat. I liked the wooden spatula to spread the soft butter.
*To see our fabulous dinner at Aquavit, please click here:
After glasses of wine, we received an amuse-bouche: crispy cornbread with shrimp salad.
*To see when we tasted the best scallops in the world, please use this link:
That was followed by Lumpfish Roe with Blue Mussel sauce, paired with a Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc by H. Villemade. A delightful warm dish, it avoided a salty taste, and I liked the small purple flowers as springtime garnish.
As an "extra surprise", our waiter presented a pot of Thyme, where a pair of Mushroom Risotto balls were nestled, accompanied by bowls of Mushroom cream broth. Both had immense flavor.
We were wowed by the Grilled Norwegian Lobster with Butternut Squash and Corriander, paired with Les Chenes Chardonnay by Céline et Laurent Tripoz. Such pure flavor!
For dinner, Lewis chose their Crispy Cod with Jerusalem Artichokes and White Asparagus sauce (heated in a copper pan). I selected Beef Tenderloin with White Asparagus and Morels...
...both paired with Giusi Montepulciano Rosati by Tenuta Terraviva.
The first part of dessert included another "surprise" course of nitrogen ice cream on a plateful of fir. I enjoyed the custard-like way the ice cream congealed on my tongue.
Our dessert was Sea Buckthorn sorbet with Black Tea and White Chocolate, paired with Spätlese Riesling by Weingut Meierer. Their "snowflake" wafer was delicate and enticing, hovering above yellow flower petals.
The cost was 450 kroner ($70.00) and 345 kroner ($52.00) for the wine pairing. Americans probably expected that the meal would cost hundreds of dollars (while the restaurant employees were underpaid without medical insurance benefits). That's the typical scenario in the USA. In Denmark, the employees are paid a livable wage and get Universal Healthcare from the government (no extra deduction from their pay). In Denmark, a spiffy eatery will provide elegantly-plated food made from superior ingredients and wholesome, time-consuming recipes... without greedily making the price so high that the nice experience is merely a "luxury" that people must save money for. Danish society is flourishing without that type of greed. It's wonderful.
As an "extra surprise", our waiter presented a pot of Thyme, where a pair of Mushroom Risotto balls were nestled, accompanied by bowls of Mushroom cream broth. Both had immense flavor.
We were wowed by the Grilled Norwegian Lobster with Butternut Squash and Corriander, paired with Les Chenes Chardonnay by Céline et Laurent Tripoz. Such pure flavor!
For dinner, Lewis chose their Crispy Cod with Jerusalem Artichokes and White Asparagus sauce (heated in a copper pan). I selected Beef Tenderloin with White Asparagus and Morels...
...both paired with Giusi Montepulciano Rosati by Tenuta Terraviva.
The first part of dessert included another "surprise" course of nitrogen ice cream on a plateful of fir. I enjoyed the custard-like way the ice cream congealed on my tongue.
Our dessert was Sea Buckthorn sorbet with Black Tea and White Chocolate, paired with Spätlese Riesling by Weingut Meierer. Their "snowflake" wafer was delicate and enticing, hovering above yellow flower petals.
The cost was 450 kroner ($70.00) and 345 kroner ($52.00) for the wine pairing. Americans probably expected that the meal would cost hundreds of dollars (while the restaurant employees were underpaid without medical insurance benefits). That's the typical scenario in the USA. In Denmark, the employees are paid a livable wage and get Universal Healthcare from the government (no extra deduction from their pay). In Denmark, a spiffy eatery will provide elegantly-plated food made from superior ingredients and wholesome, time-consuming recipes... without greedily making the price so high that the nice experience is merely a "luxury" that people must save money for. Danish society is flourishing without that type of greed. It's wonderful.
We were also impressed with their Policy on Food Waste and reducing their CO2 footprint. They invested in a "solar cell park"! As we departed their candlelit milieu, we knew it was a successful enterprise which welcomed us to a successful capital city!
Tomorrow would be a full day!
We easily followed the reddish glow of our hotel's neon signs, and enjoyed climbing into bed with content thoughts.
Tomorrow would be a full day!
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