Eating My Way Through Scandinavia: Norrebro Bryghus, Copenhagen

The first night of our stay in Copenhagen we ate at the brewery in the “hip” neighborhood of Norrebro. I put “hip” in quotes here, because this is precisely how the neighborhood was described to my parents by our friendly concierge and subsequently, precisely how my parents insisted on referring to themselves throughout the evening for having ventured coolly into this Williamsburg of Scandinavia. Hip hop we went to the brewery where we selected a 5 course tasting menu which included a beer pairing with each course. Wether under the influence of jet-lag or delusions of hip-ness I can’t be sure, but it evidently did not occur to us that two members of our five person party do not, in fact, drink beer. True champions in the fight against wastefulness, my brother, father and I bravely accepted the challenge of imbibing 20 beers over a filling Nordic meal. (I’m expecting my medal any time). 

The brewery from above.

Our first beer was a New York Lager, which we all, bolstered by jet-lag  found hilarious, having ventured some three thousand miles from its namesake to experience the tastes of Copenhagen. Incidentally, when I made guilty eye contact with our waiter while trying to slyly pocket recycle this coaster for my collection, he generously provided me with one of each of the brewery’s coasters (specific to each type of beer), a token of Danish kindness that was quite a departure from the snide looks afforded me by Brooklyn bartenders for the same act. 

Anyway, some food:

I like to consider myself somewhat of a potato-leek soup connoisseur, and this just may have been the best example I’ve ever tasted. The thinnest fried onions and a drizzle of leek-infused oil are the icing on the cake, so to speak. In fact, from now on I may just start saying “leek oil on the cake” and really whet everyone’s appetites.

The second best part of the meal was a pork belly over roasted apples, braised in a marinade of (what else?!) beer. I’m not usually a huge fan of pork, but I think I would have literally eaten a shoe were it braised in this marinade. 

Dessert was beer.