The West Coast Fjord Country - Norway - page 329

The staff can help you plan sightseeing or fishing trips. On-site is a well-run
restaurant specializing in Norwegian dishes.
Kongens Gate 27, N-6002 Ålesund. & 70-12-29-38. Fax [phone]. www.rainbow-hotels.no. 110 units.
790NOK-1,195NOK ($112-$170) double. Children under 11 stay free in parent's room. Rates include conti-
nental breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Dec 22-Jan 3. Amenities: Restaurant; 3 bars; nightclub; limited room
service; nonsmoking rooms; rooms for those w/limited mobility. In room: TV, dataport, minibar, hair dryer.
Rica Parken Built in 1981 and last renovated in 2001, this nine-floor
hotel has a tasteful modern design throughout. Lying a 5-minute walk north of
the bus station, most of its bedrooms open onto scenic views of the harbor and
mountains. All the rooms are comfortable but a bit bland. Each comes with a
small and immaculate private bathroom, half with a tub and shower, the rest
with only a shower. There is a little park behind the hotel, and a pathway into
the mountains begins right outside the hotel.
Storgata 16, N-6002 Ålesund. & 70-12-50-50. Fax [phone]. www.rica.no. 145 units. 999NOK-1,540NOK
($142-$219) double; from 1,800NOK ($256) suite. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed
Dec 22-27. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; sauna; laundry service; nonsmoking rooms. In room: TV, dataport,
minibar, hair dryer, safe.
WHERE TO DINE
EXPENSIVE
Brasserie Normandie FRENCH/INTERNATIONAL/NORWEGIAN
This is one of the top restaurants in town. Known for its good food, romantic
decor, wine selection, and service, this restaurant attracts those who appreciate
the delicacies of the sea. Authentic regional produce is harmoniously blended
with international recipes. Recommended starters are the fish soup, the most
savory in town, and the salmon, which comes marinated in gin with fresh herbs
and is served with a mustard sauce. The fish platter is the town's finest, loaded
with carefully prepared monkfish, catfish, salmon, mussels, scallops, and
shrimp. Or you might choose to order an herb-flavored roasted filet of lamb, fin-
ishing your meal with one of the sundry pastries made fresh daily.
Storgata 16, in the Rica Parken Hotel. & 70-12-50-50. Reservations required. Main courses
270NOK-290NOK ($38-$41). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 6-11pm. Closed Dec 22-27.
Hammer og Kanari NORWEGIAN/SEAFOOD After opening in
2000, this restaurant quickly became known for having some of the finest cui-
sine and service in Ålesund. The restaurant lies on Ålesund's pedestrian street
with a panoramic view over the harbor, and its walls are decorated with paint-
ings from the north and photographs of old Ålesund. Its seafood is among the
freshest in this part of the fjord district. Fried scallops with lemon dressing make
a perfect appetizer. We've also been delighted with the fish entrees, including cod
with bell peppers, pesto, and potatoes and a sweet and tender butter-fried monk-
fish. For meat fanciers, there's an array of such dishes as filet of pork in a sherry
sauce with fresh vegetables.
Kongens Gate 19. & 70-12-80-08. Reservations recommended. Main courses 235NOK-260NOK ($33-$37).
AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 6-11pm.
Orient Bar & Restaurant SUSHI/JAPANESE/CHINESE This is
the only sushi restaurant in the fjord district. In a white building with stylish fur-
nishings, the restaurant comes as a real surprise. Its dishes are full of flavor and
are served in harmonious combinations. Our tuna and king crab salad set the
tone for an array of dishes that were imaginative and carefully crafted. For a
main course, you'll have a choice of the latest catch, no doubt crayfish, king

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