A Wren Says

Digitally stalking the city of Copenhagen on Google maps, I noticed a restaurant with a name that caught my eye. Ancestrale.  It was just a short walk from where I was staying, so I made my way over. The interior was very casual. The wait staff shuffled around in shorts and sneakers. We relied solely on the natural light from the summer sun and candles. There was limited overhead lighting but none of it was in use. The tables were rustic wood. There was a feature wall of wine bottles. And the “bar” was actually an 8 seat high table in the middle of the small dining room.

I tried the fixed menu.

• I started with sourdough bread served with  butter and dehydrated caramelized onion.
• The next dish was a cured white fish with turnips, buttermilk, and wild herbs.
• Then came the romaine dressed at table with mustard seed, pickle and a very Danish dressing. It was the most elegant way I have ever seen romaine presented. Was it Mexican oregano? Maybe some fennel fronds?
• The Dutch potato came with mayo underneath, mushroom, buckthorn, fermented pine cones, and chili. It was better than I expected. It was not salted but the buckthorn added an enjoyable crunch. And I had no idea what pinecones were supposed to taste like, but it was definitely like a pickle with an interesting texture.

• The white fish arrived, so well cooked. Why did that taste so good. The cabbage had a miso dressing, which, I didn’t taste. There was also a butter and crema sauce.
• Then came my favorite part, an ice cream made with creme fraiche and a drizzle of tarragon oil. I also like the essentially Danish jam and crumble.

The table next to me was a large party. A few couples along with their teenage children. They were having an active conversation all throughout the night. As the wait staff returned to ask how everything was, the men gave detailed feedback. “It was middle of the road, maybe [add some] lemon juice.” “The kohlrabi was bland, maybe better if it was made something with flavor like pear or apple.” The staff member took the feedback in earnest and said she’d tell the chef.

Now, I think it’s a good time for me to tell something important. To be fair to that table, the food was simple. The focus was on the vegetables used. And if it wasn’t grown in Denmark or a neighboring country, it wasn’t as likely to make its way on to the menu. You might not like this restaurant if you need an explosion of flavors. You might like this if you prefer very processed food, in the true meaning of processing. You might not like this if your palate prefers salty food. But if you are interested in a vegetable forward menu, with some fish, you might light this. If you are interested in getting to know more about Scandinavian ingredients, you should try this place. And especially if you are interested in more eco-friendly approaches to food culture, you might as well make a reservation now.

If you find yourself in Copenhagen, consider trying Ancestrale. (Also apparently, their wine selection is amazing, if that gets extra points for you.)