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every day, according to the availability of the ingredients and the whims of the
chef. Other options include a three-course vegetarian menu at 455NOK ($65).
Representative dishes, each one delectable, include lobster ravioli, glazed scallops
with Serrano ham, a platter that combines three different versions of foie gras
(grilled,
en terrine,
and
en brioche
), and spit-roasted pigeon stuffed with foie gras.
Tordenskiolds 6A (entrance on Kjeld Stubs Gate).
&
23-01-02-40.
Reservations required. Main courses
315NOK-345NOK ($45-$49); fixed-price menus 455NOK-955NOK ($65-$136). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat
6-10pm. T-banen: Stortinget.
Restaurant Julius Fritzner
NORWEGIAN/CONTINENTAL This is
one of the best and most impressive restaurants in Oslo. It opened in 1995 to
rave reviews and the accolades keep coming. It's one floor above street level in
Norway's most prestigious hotel. The venue is appropriately conservative, with
a battalion of impeccably trained waiters who maintain their humor and per-
sonal touch despite the sophisticated setting. The dishes, all made with the finest
Scandinavian ingredients, change with the season and the chef 's inspiration.
Examples include pan-fried turbot, lobster and caviar sauce, crispy fried cod
with sautéed vegetables, poached halibut with vermouth sauce, filet of veal with
crispy fried sweetbreads, and roast saddle of lamb with rosemary. Desserts,
which are delicious and occasionally theatrical, include a terrine of chocolate
with a compote of peaches and sorbet flavored with basil and cinnamon.
In the Grand Hotel, Karl Johans Gate 31.
&
23-21-20-00.
Reservations recommended. Main courses
220NOK-350NOK ($31-$50); 3-course fixed-price menu 470NOK ($67); 4-course fixed-price menu 550NOK
($78); 6-course fixed-price menu 640NOK ($91). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 5-10:30pm. T-banen: Stortinget.
EXPENSIVE
Babette's Gjestehus
SCANDINAVIAN/FRENCH/CONTINEN-
TAL Named for the heroine of the film
Babette's Feast
—which almost every
Scandinavian has seen at least once—this restaurant is decorated in the style of
a turn-of-the-20th-century Norwegian home. The walls are blue, the antiques
are genuine, the curtains are lace, and there's a scattering of old paintings dot-
ting the walls. Menu items are authentic as well, with such time-tested favorites
as filets of reindeer (not Santa's) with lingonberries, steamed brill with mustard
sauce and stewed tomatoes, breast of pheasant with mushroom sauce, and pan-
fried breast of duck with creamed cabbage. The masterful chefs use seasonal
products to produce reliable, good-tasting food all year.
Rådhuspassasjen, Roald Amundsensgate 6.
&
22-41-64-64.
Reservations recommended. Main courses
250NOK-300NOK ($36-$43); 6-course fixed-price menu 745NOK ($106). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 5-11pm.
T-banen: Centrum.
restauranteik
INTERNATIONAL Located within the Quality Savoy
Hotel (p. 87), one floor above street level, immediately adjacent to Oslo's National
Gallery, this is a hip, trendy, expensive, and highly visible restaurant that has
attracted such big names as the president of Norway since its opening in 2003.
The color scheme of very pale pink and gray offsets a starkly minimalist decor that
includes floors and an entire wall that's paneled in walnut. The five on-staff chefs
here are spearheaded by owner Ole (Johnny) Eikfjord, who gives them each free
reign to express their creativity in the form of food that's inspired by Thai, Chi-
nese, Japanese, American, Continental, or all-Norwegian culinary motifs. Some
dishes that were served on the day of our last visit included pumpkin soup with
Serrano ham and tempura-fried onions; fried redfish with sage-flavored butter;
spring rolls stuffed with sweet chili, pine nuts, and new cabbage and served with
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