Quick Bites: Copenhagen's Madklubben

Recently I returned for another business trip to Copenhagen. I learned the hard way last time that the Danes are nutso for dinner reservations, so I didn't make that mistake again. This go around, I pre-booked a spot at Madklubben, where my previous efforts to dine had been thwarted by reservation-crazed throngs of Scandinavians. Their website is all in Danish but it's not too hard to find your way to their reservations page.

It may come as a surprise, but I have other interests besides just food, and as of late, I've become a Scandinavian mid-century design fanatic. I can wax poetic for ages on the glories of Wegner wishbones and Arne Jacobsen swan chairs, but I'll spare you. Suffice it to say, I was thrilled to find that Madklubben is choc-a-bloc with gorgeous chairs - eiffels, and pantones, and navy oh my!

Even better, in a land of sky-high dinner bills, Madklubben, which translates as Food Club, is actually quite reasonable. Diners select 1-4 courses which are at fixed prices, ranging from 100 to 250 kroner (~$20-50), and then you just pick from a limited list of course options. I opted for a veal starter and lamb main. Considering a burger and beer can sometimes run you $50 there, this was quite a bargain for really good food. My veal didn't knock my socks off, but the lamb, no longer on their current menu, was tender and full of flavor.

The gracious staff didn't complain or look miserable even when we were the last people in the restaurant by a long shot. I'm sure a table of giggling American ladies was not exactly their ideal table, but still they were lovely. My kind of service!

All in all, when you consider atmosphere, price, service and quality of food, Madklubben was the best meal I've had in Copenhagen by a land slide. Not sure if work will take me back there any time soon, but if I return, I have a feeling Madklubben will be a great sure thing to have in my repertoire.

Things I learned in Denmark

1. You have to be rich to eat really well in Copenhagen, at least by Atlanta or even NY standards. According to the NY Times, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure et al, Copenhagen is one of the world's best eating cities. Alas the kind of eating they're talking about will cost a pretty penny (or kroner for that matter). Noma is one of the world's top restaurants - it's fixed price menu runs about $200 USD a person. Alas probably not in my budget any time soon. Entrees at a regular restaurant (e.g., Le Le) seem to average around $30 USD and at a slightly nicer but by no means fancy restaurant (e.g., Cafe Victor) are in the $40-60 range. For a piece of fish to cost $60, Eric Ripert himself should be serving it to me, or maybe it should come with a chaser of gold.
2. Danes are nuts for making dinner reservations apparently. We had to eat at the bar numerous times and were outright turned away from our attempt to try smorebrod.
3. You know how they always bleep out the cursing on Hell's Kitchen? They don't in Europe, so you get to hear the cheftestants and Gordan Ramsey swear their little hearts out.
4. Did I mention you have to be rich to eat in Copenhagen? Seriously $20 soup and $25 slices of cake at nothing special restaurants. Holy moly! And to be honest, most of the food I had was good but not all that memorable, so certainly not worth super fancy restaurant prices. Quelle disappointment!
5. Riding a bus in a foreign city alone has to be one of the world's must frustrating and stress-inducing activities. FYI, there is no stop called Ny Torv Glamens Torv no matter what the owner of your hotel tells you.
6. The Danish version of Manhattan Italian apparently includes New England Clam Chowder. Yes I realize that it's an odd choice for two former New Yorkers to go to a NY style restaurant, but we didn't know that's what it was, and Tony's came recommended. Fortunately, although the pheasant was bland and the tirimasu so so, the chowder was actually delicious and the 3-course menu was super cheap by Copenhagen standards - 200 Kroner, or about $40.
7. Copenhagen is approximately as cold as Antarctica, or at least what I imagine Antarctica would feel like. It's frigid in a wrap your face in a scarf so that only your eyes show kind of way. And even my eye balls were cold. I didn't even know that was possible.

Sigh...I never thought I'd ever be in a hurry to return home from Europe, but I miss my cute little house, my sweet puppy and Mr. AT!