Settling into Oslo - Norway - page 102

Øvre Slottsgate 12. & 22-42-01-30. Main courses 98NOK-225NOK ($14-$32); pizzas 91NOK-115NOK
($13-$16). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat noon-11:30pm; Sun 3-10:30pm. T-banen: Stortinget.
AKER BRYGGE
EXPENSIVE
Lofoten Fiskerestaurant SEAFOOD Near one of the most distant cor-
ners of the Aker Brygge dining complex, on the ground floor with views over
the harbor, this is one of the city's most appealing seafood restaurants. The inte-
rior sports nautical accessories that might remind you of an upscale yacht. In
good weather, tables are set up on an outdoor terrace lined with flowering
plants. Menu items change according to the available catch, with few choices for
meat-eaters. The fish is plentiful, served in generous portions, and very fresh.
Examples include filet of trout poached in white wine and served with tomato-
enriched beurre blanc sauce; grilled halibut with assorted shellfish and coconut-
flavored risotto; and grilled filet of tuna with garlicky potato cakes, Parmesan
cheese, and red-pepper cream sauce. Look for culinary inspirations from Italy
and France, and ample use of such Mediterranean preparations as pesto.
Stranden 75, Aker Brygge. & 22-83-08-08. Reservations recommended. Lunch main courses
138NOK-258NOK ($20-$37); dinner main courses 175NOK-272NOK ($25-$39). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat
11am-11pm; Sun noon-11pm. Bus: 27.
Solsiden NORWEGIAN/SEAFOOD The degree to which this
restaurant is known throughout Oslo seems way out of proportion to its size and
season—it's open for 4 months. Part of its fame involves its location within an
ugly, cement-sided warehouse opening onto a pier that's directly across the har-
bor from the bigger, glossier restaurants of the Aker Brygge complex, directly
below the imposing bulk of Akershus castle. It's especially appealing on sunny
midsummer evenings when sunlight streams onto the pier, while many of the
restaurants of Aker Brygge lie in the shadows. The venue features an open
kitchen, wide views of Oslo's harbor, the setting sun, and a hardworking staff.
Menu items include only fish and shellfish, with no meat of any kind on the
menu. The highly theatrical house specialty is a platter of shellfish, prepared for
a minimum of two diners at a time, artfully draped with seaweed. Norwegian
salmon with herb-flavored oil and potato purée is a perennial favorite.
Søndre Akershus Kai 34. & 23-33-36-30. Reservations required. Main courses 235NOK-275NOK
($33-$39); 3-course fixed-price menu 405NOK ($58). May-Aug Mon-Sat 5-10pm; Sun 5-9pm. Closed
Sept-Apr. Tram: 10 or 15.
INEXPENSIVE
East Sushi & Noodles ASIAN Finding a relatively inexpensive dining
option in high-priced Aker Brygge can be lethal, but this member of a chain that
extends throughout Norway sometimes fills the need . Within a sparsely deco-
rated dining room sheathed with varnished planks, you can order well-liked
pieces of sushi, which are priced at 35NOK to 55NOK ($4.95-$7.80) for two
pieces. Noodle dishes are very popular too.
Briggetorget 7, in Aker Brygge. & 22-83-63-51. Reservations not necessary. Main courses
100NOK-250NOK ($14-$36); 3-course fixed-price dinners (available only during happy hour, 4-7pm)
99NOK-145NOK ($14-$21). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 1-10:45pm. Tram: 10 or 15.
WEST END
VERY EXPENSIVE
Bagatelle FRENCH/CONTINENTAL This contemporary, informal
restaurant is justly regarded as one of Oslo's premier dining choices. Owner-chef

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