Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
apple chutney; and lobster with a mango salsa, braised fennel, and fresh arti-
chokes. The cheese board here is particularly esoteric, combining many obscure
varieties from the various regions of mainland France.
Eiganesveien 8. & 51-52-86-26. Reservations recommended. Main courses 325NOK ($46); fixed-price
menus 325NOK-795NOK ($46-$113). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 6-11pm.
Cartellet Restaurant CONTINENTAL Set within the basement of the
recommended Victoria Hotel (p. 240) but under completely separate manage-
ment, this is the most prestigious and expensive restaurant in Stavanger. Don't
come here expecting anything cutting edge, either in the realm of cuisine or clien-
tele, as the restaurant is just a wee bit staid. The redbrick hotel that contains the
restaurant was built at the turn of the 20th century as Stavanger's first hotel. Set
immediately adjacent to the harbor, it's outfitted in an all-Victorian format that
celebrates the grand (and somewhat stuffy) bourgeoisie of the late 19th and early
20th centuries. Antiques and masses of flowers and candles contrast pleasantly
with the russet-colored bricks of its walls. The menu here is reinvented every
Tuesday, when the chefs compile their culinary offerings for the next 7 days. (“We
virtually re-create ourselves every Tuesday,” according to the maître d'hôtel. ) On
our most recent rounds with friends in Stavanger, we were delighted with such
enticing dishes as breast of duck roasted in pepper with cured chanterelles and a
sweet plum sauce, and roasted redfish with dried tomato, carrot purée, and but-
ter-fried French beans. Two desserts proved to be the most memorable out of all
the desserts that we tried in Stavanger: raspberry mousse with almonds and sher-
bet, and passion-fruit cheesecake in a tangy raspberry sauce.
In the Victoria Hotel, Ovre Holmgaten 8. & 51-89-60-22. Reservations recommended. Main courses
225NOK-260NOK ($32-$37); fixed-price menus 900NOK ($128). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 6-10:30pm.
Craig's Kjokken & Bar INTERNATIONAL Oklahoma-born Craig
Whitson is a local hit, and he illustrates his down-home style of humor with a
dozen dried pigs' heads hanging on the wall. Once you get by that jolt, prepare
yourself to “pig out” on some good food. The American sofas with tables can be
used for dining, and there is an array of other unusual tables and chairs. There
are more than 600 bottles of wine in the cellar, with such major regions of
Europe as Alsace or the Rhone represented along with many Tuscan vintages. A
homemade soup of the day hits the spot on a cold day, or try one of the nightly
appetizers fashioned from langoustines or fresh scallops—the menu changes fre-
quently. A popular dish is a rib-and-sausage plate with gnocchi, or baked cod
cooked in a zesty tomato bouillon. The spring lamb burger is another tasty treat.
For dessert, there's nothing finer than the vanilla-laced crème brûlée.
Breitorget 6. & 51-93-95-90. Reservations recommended. Main courses 210NOK-270NOK ($30-$38); 6-
course fixed-price menu 595NOK ($84). Mon-Sat 6-11pm. Closed Dec 20-Jan 3 and 1 week for Easter. AE,
MC, V.
Elizabeth Restaurant INTERNATIONAL/SPANISH One of our
favorite restaurants in Stavanger occupies a white clapboard-sided house, origi-
nally built in 1860, set directly beside the Breavent (the small pond that's a focal
point for Stavanger's town center). Part of the restaurant's charm involves its
joint ownership by a partnership of (married) Norwegian and Basque entrepre-
neurs, Elisabeth Aune and Jesús Gorostiza, whose respective cultures are suc-
cessfully wed within the walls of this restaurant. The earthier and less formal of
the two dining venues is the basement-level bodega, outfitted with ceramic tiles
and thick plaster-sheathed walls.
Finds
Search WWH ::




Custom Search