Frederikshoj Restaurant, Aarhus, Denmark

Aarhus is Denmark's second largest city. Drawn there by a business meeting, I was taken to what is considered that city's best restaurant. It did not disappoint. Clearly, the chef, Wassim Hallal, was influenced by both the Nordic food trends as well as the very current Spanish innovations in cuisine.


We enjoyed aperitifs with "snacks" in the lounge.

Our first course, after being seated, was lumpfish roe with finely chopped cucumber and fresh cheese that was smoked. It was presented under glass, enveloped by wood smoke.

Almas caviar with avocado and thinly sliced radish topped with bread ash.

Shrimp boiled in seawater, oysters, bits of air dried cauliflower and fresh steamed cauliflower and dill.

Sole with tomato, tomato foam and bread. The composition was topped with a thin piece of transparent gel made from tomato juice. 

Cold foie gras with marinated sliced pear, pear gelee, malt powder, croutons and hazelnuts.

Seared foie gras with marinated julienned pear, gelee of pear in malt, toasted bread cubes and hazelnuts.

Sweetbread, crispy browned potatoes and watercress sprouts..

Confit of Bresse pigeon leg and breast which is topped with crispy "popped" pig skin ( a Danish tradition) with beet root in different forms, celery and puree of celery.

Vanilla, chocolate, caramel, lemon. The ochre coloured ball is paper thin caramel "candy" filled with caramel ice cream. The white wafers are meringue. The dark coloured "snake" is chocolate toffee. Scattered about the plate are crumbles and pieces of chocolate cake, puree of lemon and milk and caramel cream. A complex but satisfying conclusion.