5 minute read: I had only been in Norway for a few hours when I found this venue.

This appears to be a recurring pattern of my martini discoveries in the Nordic countries where I have accidentally stumbled upon great beauty shortly after leaving the airport, like Tata Bar in Copenhagen, Ateljee Bar in Helsinki, and Hernö Bar in Stockholm.

I was wandering around the wood-scented backstreets of Bryggen when I saw what looked like a well-established bistro-style restaurant.

It was situated in an old but well-maintained brick building with arched ceilings and high windows letting in a lovely evening light as the summer turned to autumn. I was hungry and wanted to try out some of Bergen’s famous sea food so I went in to try it out.

It’s very close to the lovely, if somewhat touristy waterfront, but seemed to have avoided the hordes of visitors, travelling around in tour packs.

I realise I was one of them, but I wasn’t travelling in a crowd and at least I was trying to speak Norwegian, as bad as it was.

I was welcomed in and seated at a high table overlooking the patrons who were made up entirely of locals.

A Pleasant Surprise

I was given a menu where the dry martini immediately caught my eye. Such serendipity. I ordered it on sight.

I then saw that the restaurant was providing a seasonal tasting menu of local fish. I needed no further information and ordered it right after the drink.

Bergen is famous for its seafood. Norway is a fishing global superpower and it’s very evident in this town.

Locals complain that the fish market isn’t what it used to be, and that it’s now mostly catered to tourists (like myself), but I guess wholesalers and businesses have more efficient ways of obtaining fresh catch these days, so it has had to adapt, like so many things.

The Drink

I was given a bottle of water gratis and the martini arrived swiftly after. It had been shaken with ice until cold and was served in proper v-shaped glassware. The lemon peel had been expressed into the glass, then shaped and dropped into the drink.

The gin used was Seven Sisters, made from grape spirit produced on the same farm it is grown on in Sussex on the south coast of England. The Rathfinny Estate looks absolutely beautiful, not far from wonderful places like Lewes, Brighton and Glyndebourne.

I hadn’t been asked about options (such as lemon or olive) but the menu determined gin and I’m sure they would oblige if you knew your preference and asked for it when ordering. Either way, a twist of lemon in a dry gin martini is my personal preference so I was very happy with the outcome.

Bread

I was then served a delicious plate of fresh bread and homemade herb butter which was such a comforting addition to the drink. I’ve written previously about the unexpected simple joy of bread and butter alongside a martini, so to have it with homemade herb butter was particularly nice.

The Starter

The first course was cured fish with roe, pickled cucumber and rye bread crumbs on a bed of Greek yoghurt. The very tasty flavours all went beautifully with the drink. My tongue is having palpitations just looking back at the photographs.

The cured mountain char was like a firm salmon and had a balance of silky texture with satisfying bite, underpinned by the crunch of the toasted rye bread crumbs.

The Main

The second course was a slab of lightly cured cod in a buttery sauce. I’ve never seen such a large serving of cod in my life.

It was plated on top of roasted vegetables, potatoes and mashed peas, all topped with peppery greens and more burst-in-the-mouth orange roe.

It was an incredibly generous portion but I’m not complaining. It was delicious. The flavours were also robust enough to stand up next to the martini.

Dessert

Dessert was a delicious and refreshing cold strawberry “soup” with berries, flowers and a sphere of vanilla ice cream. Sweet and refreshing.

The Non-Alcoholic Pick-Me-Up

Honorary mention to the espresso I was served as well. It was one of the smoothest coffees I’ve ever had and was just the stimulation I needed after my long day of travel.

All in all, it was a lovely martini with an excellent meal with good service and nice atmosphere, right across the road from Bergen’s famous fish market. I’d recommend giving it a visit if you’re in town – and I’d recommend visiting Bergen overall because IT IS BEAUTIFUL!