27-06-2018
A detail of the dining room at Barr, in Copenhagen, in a photo taken from their official website
In the past, not long ago, you’d visit this location in Copenhagen, the iconic Strandgade 93, to taste one of the most avant-garde cuisines on the planet, served by René Redzepi at his Noma. Everyone surely knows how the most influent restaurant in Denmark moved and reopened a few kilometres to the north.
What is less known, at least in Italy, is the story of the restaurant that has replaced it on the 5th July 2017. It’s called Barr and Redzepi is involved here too, even though not personally: his partner in the front line isThorsten Schmidt. He’s also Danish. He’s an established and highly appreciated chef, especially by his friend René.
Thorsten Schmidt, chef and creator of Barr, with head chef Mia Christiansen
While in that "amusement park" chef Schmidt presented what he defined a "rebellious" cuisine, based on the utmost creativity, his new project has different features. As stated in the intro on the official website, Barr is a casual restaurant, a place where you can find conviviality and food that enhances Nordic traditions, raw materials, and substance over appearance.
If you’re a mountain lover, once you cross the door a chic mountain hut will immediately come to mind: the restyling was handed to a very famous Norwegian firm of architects, Snøhetta. They used different types of wood to give the guests at Barr an immediate feeling of warmth. Mission perfectly accomplished, without forsaking beauty and modernity.
The dining room
Mia Christiansen, head chef at Barr, who’s worked beside Thorsten Schmidt since the opening, describes the approach of the restaurant with a percentage: «Traditions and culinary memory count for around 80% of our way of cooking, the remaining 20% is innovation and research. Our dishes start from flavours that those who grew up in these countries will remember from their childhood, and it is for this reason that our food makes the people who eat it happy».
Smoked herring, wild fennel, green strawberries, elderberry flower sauce
A thorough research is essential to collect traditional recipes and techniques that are then interpreted in the kitchen at Barr: «But there’s never enough time – laughs Mia Christiansen – we study a lot, we travel and meet farmers, fishermen, we ask them to tell us their story».
Cured rib-eye, green asparagus, parsley (the second and third ingredient are under the meat)
The cured rib-eye in the restaurant’s refrigerators
Yet one of the things that struck us the most during our chat with the head chef from Barr is her belief that it is necessary to guarantee a sustainable life to those in her profession: «One of the goals of this restaurant is also not to work too much. Chefs usually work an absurd amount of hours each week: this must not happen here. Everyone works four days a week. We have shifts and rotations. And we have many students who come here to learn, and they allow us to work less and better. This is another reason why it’s nice to stay at Barr».
Bone marrow, gooseberry, parsley, wild garlic, crispy seeds
The intense food – strong flavours and use of fatty ingredients – of the restaurant guided by Thorsten Schmidt is perfectly matched by the selection of craft beers from all around the world to which the beer bar is dedicated, taking a rather large room in the restaurant.
Sour cream parfait, rhubarb sorbet, wild berries, rhubarb, vanilla
Translated into English by Slawka G. Scarso Barr Strandgade 93 Copenhagen, Denmark Closed at lunchtime from Monday to Thursday +45.32.963293 booking@restaurantbarr.com Tasting menu 600 Danish krones, average price à la carte, 500 Danish krones
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Journalist, based in Milan. At 8 years old, he received a Springsteen record as a gift, and nothing was the same since. Music and food are his passions. Author and broadcaster at Radio Popolare since 1997, since 2014 he became part of the staff of Identità Golose Instagram: @NiccoloVecchia