As you know, I recently had the pleasure of visiting one of my nearest and dearest friends in New York City. I’d been planning the visit for months and was so delighted to indulge in some precious time to catch up and just be together. It was a lovely long weekend and one to be repeated very soon.

What you don’t know is that, on the heels of that one well-planned adventure came an unexpected whirlwind surprise that had me jet-setting from NYC to Copenhagen rather than coming home for less than it would have cost me to take a cab home from the airport. Oh. My. Word.

I promise to tell you more about both my New York and Copenhagen adventures in upcoming posts, but today I thought I would share just a taste {pun intended} of the synchronicity of these events through a restaurant that connects the dots on the map from NYC to Copenhagen.

On my flight to NYC, my seatmate happened to be renowned Canadian chef Chris McDonald. Chris was the mastermind behind one of my husband’s and my favourite restaurants in Toronto {Avalon}, so it was entirely serendipitous that he and I met and I had the chance to learn all about his exciting new Spanish restaurant, Cava. We can’t wait to get down to Yonge and St. Clair to experience the culinary adventure that awaits us there, Chris!

Anyway, while chatting with Chris, he asked about my travel itinerary and I laughingly mentioned that I was having an entirely atypical jet-set week going from NYC through to Copenhagen upon my return. Chris’ eyes lit up and he began sharing with me about his own recent trip to Copenhagen. Naturally, his recommendations all gravitated towards where to eat, including a discussion about what is highly regarded as the most important restaurant in the world right now, Noma. Given that reservations are booking months in advance and lunch is a mere $450, we moved on to discuss more realistic options. In fact, Chris pulled out his laptop and offered recommendations that had been passed along to him by one of the most esteemed chefs in Canada. So generous!

On that list was today’s feature, a restaurant that connects the dots of my whirlwind adventure from New York to Copenhagen: Aamann’s.

Often mistakenly called an “open-faced sandwich” by diners unable to pronounce the mysterious Danish “ø,” Smørrebrød, as it is known today, became popular in Copenhagen in the late 1800’s. Shortly thereafter it came to be seen as a lunchtime staple of the working class. Comprised of a variety of pickled vegetables and cured meats {ideal for long, cold Danish winters}, Smørrebrød has evolved from a pragmatic meal into an art form in the hands of visionary chef Adam Aamann.

Flavour, texture and visual composition are all taken into consideration when crafting these artfully presented Smørrebrød. The base is a simple, homemade slice of traditional Danish rye bread, and the toppings are carefully selected, organic and locally sourced combinations meant to excite the palate and satiate the appetite.

With menu options such as Smoked cod with juniper and apple, apple-compote, dill and soft hazelnuts; Chicken salad with fried carrots, chestnuts, lemon, watercress and carrot crudité; Braised duck with red cabbage salad, pickled dried fruits in warm spices and fig-marmelade; and Roast beef sirloin with crispy onions, sauce Remoulade and freshly grated horseradish, these “sandwiches” are far from pedestrian, guaranteed to entice even the most dedicated foodies to moan just a little over lunch. Even the “typical” smoked salmon and cream cheese is elevated to “Graved laks” cured salmon with dill, foxy sauce, Pickled onions, endive and rye breadcrumbs.

So how does this restaurant connect the dots between New York and Copenhagen? With locations in both cities, of course! New Yorker’s in search of a truly authentic Scandinavian experience can head to the northeast corner of the Tribeca Film Building in New York City to visit Aamann’s for both lunch and dinner, with a brunch experience soon to be offered as well.

Wishing you all a warm and happy Wednesday, filled with unexpected flavours and artful combinations to excite your palate and awaken your senses.

xo
s.