Tromsø - Norway - page 380

between tables to allow a sense of intimacy and—if you need it—secrecy. The
charming staff members serve food that celebrates the culinary traditions and
raw ingredients (shellfish, reindeer, and cold-water fish) of Norway's far north-
ern tier. Examples of the cuisine include six different preparations of mussels,
including a version with curry. For a true taste of Norway, enjoy such palate-
pleasing dishes as poached salt cod with an onion-and-tomato sauté, or else pan-
fried filet of reindeer with a carrot-and-celery purée spiced with a juniper berry
sauce. For dessert, we opted for the delicious lime cheesecake with a coulis of
berries.
In the Radisson SAS Hotel Tromsø, Sjøgata 7. & 77-75-90-16. Reservations recommended. Fixed-price
menus 11:30am-5pm 125NOK ($18), 5-11pm 345NOK ($49); main courses 178NOK-295NOK ($25-$42).
AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 11:30am-11pm.
Markens Grøde Restaurant CONTINENTAL/NORWEGIAN
This small, upscale, and relatively famous (in these parts) restaurant has the aura
of a private parlor in an old-fashioned home. Menu items emerge from an open
kitchen, whose odors waft appealingly out into the dining room. The best exam-
ples include willow grouse served with mushrooms and cloudberry sauce; rock
ptarmigan with a black-currant sauce and herb-baked potatoes; and a “sym-
phony” of fish comprised of monkfish, trout, and catfish, all of them steamed
and served with a tarragon sauce. Especially interesting is the game platter that
contains filet of reindeer, breast of grouse, and filet of venison, all covered with
bacon-flavored Madeira sauce and braised wild mushrooms. Desserts, the most
creative in Tromsø, include a saffron-and-lemon mousse with mascarpone
cream, served with chile peppers, baked pineapple, and fresh apricots. Don't
confuse this stylish restaurant with the adjacent suds-and-sandwich pub of the
same name.
Storgata 30. & 77-68-25-50. Reservations required. Main courses 258NOK-306NOK ($37-$43); fixed-price
menus 399NOK-559NOK ($57-$79). AE, DC, MC, V. Tues-Sat 5:30-11pm; Sun 5:30-10pm.
Peppermølle INTERNATIONAL One of Tromsø's genuinely warm and
appealing restaurants is “the Peppermill,” which is set one floor above the street
level of a modern building along the town's main shopping thoroughfare. It was
established in 1972, and since then, has attracted clients who have included
Roald Amundsen, who ate his last meal here before one of his explorations of
the Antarctic. There are a total of three separate dining rooms, including the
“green room” and “the middle room.” But the most interesting of the lot is the
“Amundsen Room,” which is lined with photos of Norway's Polar explorers,
many of whom used Tromsø as their base of operations before heading to points
much farther north. Menu items are savory and well prepared, and include a tar-
tar of smoked salmon; broiled tenderloin with a tarragon-flavored mustard
sauce; tenderloins stuffed with crayfish and served with crayfish sauce; and filet
of monkfish fried with mushrooms, shrimp, and crème fraîche.
Storgata 54. & 77-68-62-60. Reservations recommended. Main courses 226NOK-275NOK ($32-$39). AE,
DC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 4-11pm; Fri-Sat 3-11pm; Sun 3:30-9:30pm.
Store Norske Fiskekompani SEAFOOD A visible monument on
Tromsø's dining scene, this place is on the town's main shopping street. The
decor looks older than it is. Menu options, which change with the season,
include such starters as extremely fresh seafood, including a tartar of salmon and
scallops flavored with coriander and truffle oil, cream of lobster soup with pis-
tachio oil and scallops, or salted redfish with sour cream and onions. Main
courses include grilled whale steak with anchovy sauce and rösti-style potatoes;

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