Restaurant Kontrast
Scallop, Rooftop Radish, Turnip, Einkorn Shoyu
Cage caught Shrimps from Eidshaug, Dill, Garum, Sour Cream, Horseradish
Potato Donut, Leek Mayonnaise, Confit Quail Egg, Wild Herbs
Pork Blood Croustade, Holtefjell XO Cheese, Beer Vinegar
Jerusalem Artichoke, Whiskey, Tim Wendelboe Coffee, Strawberry
2022 Somlói Vándor Juhfark
Baked Turnip, Sea Snails, Seaweed, Beer, Siberian Sturgeon Caviar
Wheat, Rye and Spelt Sourdough, Salted Unpasteurized Local Butter
Crab Curry, Crab Garum, Carrots from Vold Gård, Sour Cream, Rosehips
3-year XO Sauce, Cauliflower, Grilled Cabbage
Wild Halibut from Ålesund, Grilled Squash, Shoyu, ‘Peaso’ Sauce
Salt Baked Chicken from Hovelsrud, Chanterelles, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Dashi, Sweet Corn, Vin Jaune Beurre Blanc
Old Norse Spælsau Lamb from Svartskog, Beetroot, Buckling, Onion, Coffee Shoyu, Pickled Cherries
Frozen Kraftkar Bleu Cheese, Oxidized Sunflower Seed Ice Cream, Sunflower Crumble, Birch Syrup
Plums from Skott Gård, Caramelized Almonds, Plum Curd, Plum Ice Cream
Spruce Financier, Woodruff Parfait with Chocolate, Brown Cheese Caramel
Born in Skåne Mikael Svensson began his career in Oslo before stints with 3* Spaniards Quique Dacosta and Martin Berasategui, a focus on “organic and ethically sourced Ingredients from within Norway” seeing Restaurant Kontrast show off local producers and the Animals they raise.
Stating “the end result is never better than the quality of the Product you start with,” a fact frequently overlooked in today’s low-cost and convenience driven market, it is through temperatures and textures frequently found in juxtaposition that Svensson builds layered bites tied together through the use of acid, fermentation and Herbs.
A fifteen-course tasting that begins in the lounge, cement floors and exposed ceilings creating an industrial feel that magnifies noise from other tables, opening bites consist of bold flavors such as Scallops with bitter Vegetables and Shrimp with Horseradish before moving on to a delicate Donut followed by a Pork Blood Croustade topped in Vinegar-splashed Cheese.
Going down the street for a Sunchoke and Tim Wendelboe Coffee before taking a seat in front of the open kitchen, just five Chefs running three seatings simultaneously, a vibrant White Wine from Hungary proved adept to handling first Turnips and Sea Snails with Caviar then poignant Crab Curry imbued with Garum atop Carrots and Sour Cream.
Refusing to outsource Sauces, Mikael’s XO a three-year process made on-site, Crucifers spung to life before Wild Halibut and Chicken with Mushrooms, Soy and a complex reduction featuring Yellow Wine with Sweet Corn.
Slowing as the room filled up, lengthy waits between courses seeing the final four items take longer than the first eight, aged Lamb brought plenty of flavor to match Cherries plus Coffee before frozen Kraftkar Bleu Cheese and Sunflower Seed Ice Cream shocked the palate in preparation for elegantly arranged Plums followed by Mignardises.
www.restaurant-kontrast.no
