When we made plans to visit Copenhagen with my husband, my first priority was to make reservations for dinner at some non-kid friendly restaurants. My sister told me about Noma, a popular fine dining restaurant. I checked their website, and of course there was no availability, however, I put us on the waitlist. To our surprise, a few days before our trip, two seats at a communal table opened up.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, we walked along a path to a lush garden with a table of fresh ingredients that would be used in our dinner. Noma's approach to the menu is based on seasonal themes and focusses on foraging, fermentation, and dehydration. Since it was summer, the menu “season” was vegetables, and therefore the table in the garden featured things like honeycombs, corn, berries, eggs, and mushrooms. The garden also featured large greenhouse where we were met by the hostess who welcomed us with a glass of organic unfiltered wine.
We were seated with six other guests from all over the world. One was from Japan, four from London, and one from Sweden. It was only after talking to the other guests that we realized that Noma was not only incredibly popular, but a destination restaurant. Everyone at our table traveled to Copenhagen specifically for this dining experience. We were shocked but also ecstatic that we were lucky enough to have this exclusive experience. Rene Redzepi is the chef and owner of the three-Michelin star restaraunt and won best restaurant in the World multiple times, most recently in 2021. The restaurant decor was beautifully modern, using natural wood, glass, and stone.
We decided to do the wine pairing, a carefully curated selection of wines that complemented the food very well. A juice pairing was also available for those who did not drink alcohol. All the poured wines were unfamiliar to us, mostly organic and some unfiltered. It was evident that much thought and research had gone into the wine pairing, rather than simply offering well-known commercial wines. The meal itself was exceptional. Despite being entirely vegetarian, it was incredibly flavorful, creative, and beautifully plated. The service was also impeccable, with the staff anticipating our every need. Our favorite dish was something we affectionately dubbed “moldy taco” at our table, and it basically was a moldy taco pancake filled with truffles and cheese. I had seconds of this moldy taco, with no regrets. Noma has an open kitchen, where you can witness the staff's maniacal precision and passion for their craft. After dinner,we toured the restaurant, back kitchen, and concluded our evening in their Hygge lounge with a nightcap of dessert wine.
It's difficult to put into words how a simple dinner could be such an extraordinary experience. The attention to detail, art-like food, and seemingly choreographed service was what set this meal as the creme de la creme of fine dining. Dining at a communal, international table not only enhanced our time at Noma but was an integral part of the experience as we had so much fun getting to know our fellow diners. Unfortunately, Noma is set to close dining service after winter 2024 to focus on creating a giant lab, Noma 3.0. They will dedicate their time on food innovation and will be hosting pop-up restaurants around the world, such as the one in Kyoto in 2023. Much luck to Rene and his phenomenal team.
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