Kristian Mortensen

40th birthday dinner at Alyn Williams at the westbury.

I was called to London on a business trip and opted for the possibility to bring the family and stay for my 40th birthday. After searching the internet we choose Alyn Williams restaurant at the Westbury. Unfortunately the restaurant is now closed after Alyn parted ways with the hotel in 2019.
I called in advance to hear if there was dress code and what their policy was on children. Luckily no dress code and children was allowed, as long as they behaved well.
My aim up to my 40th was to eat 40 michelin stars before. I made it – I think this was my 44th.
White clothed and modern elegant interior with dimmed light. This was a real old school Michelin dinner. The food was beautifully presented and well tasted, and the experience was actually quite reasonable (something around 400 pounds I remember) – with set meals for me and my wife and another more child friendly set dinner for the children – and wine of course.
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The now closed 108 - the Kristian Baumann headed restaurant in the NOMA family. Kristian Baumann comes from the NOMA kitchen and family, and the new Nordic kitchen with fresh ingredients was very present at 108. This afternoon was an offer we bought. And we have done that, and do not do that again, that is never a good experience. That should not be hold against 108.
The food had a 100% control of the technic needed to make Michelin level food, and the taste was very balanced and interesting. The wine pairing was fine, maybe a bit unadventurous (which I think is very much what to expect for an offer - which the service levels was under strain of as well, these offers can turn even AOC into something very unadventurous, which we have tried)
The Copenhagen food scene at the time (and to this day) had (and have) these flavors very present, so this was a very nice and pleasant experience, and maybe a bit bland. To be fair, when you are in the NOMA family, I think you are held up to a higher standard, which is not 108s fault, but it was.
I am sad this was the only time I got to try 108, but I have tried KOAN (Kristian Baumann's new Korean restaurant) take-away and will definitely try the restaurant once they have a more permanent residence
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Back in 2014 Alkimia was housed in Gracia, before it moved to its current place in Principal.
We had a multi-course early dinner that day with our then 3 year old daughter. A walk-in we were reluctant to bring her to such a fine dinning experience, concerned how they would meet her (this being the first time we had on of our children at a michelin resturant, but this would not the last). That concern was put to shame, they made a couple of dished for her (a Canneloni with chicken and ice) for a very reasonable price and made crayons availed to her and the waiter that severed us was very good with her and quite good service generally.
We got (as shown on the pictures) a soup, a filled pasta (a type of ravioli I think) meat and ice cream and chocolate
Such a nice experience we swore we would come back (and we will!)
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Classical tapas place in Barcelona. Noisy, turisy, expensive and very very good food and drinking.
One of the few places (at the time) that did not close for siesta, so we could have our three year old with us and have an amazing meal.
Patatas Bravas, Pulpo, Montaditos, Croquetas and seashell food, and that was just a tiny fraction of what we had.
We were there some years later, in 2017, same food, same quality. Less

Demo – One Star Michelin restaurant near the center of Helsinki

Demo have held a Michelin Star since 2007, and with good reason as well.

A small and cozy restaurant with the kitchen next to the dinning room. The restaurant holds less then 10 tables but have white table cloths and the vibe is very bistro-ish. You can overlook the place when walking by

The food is high quality. I think at the time, the wine parring was more of the classical type, no natural wines, but that does not stand clear to me. I had a none-alcohol beer that day (Drynuary)

There is set menus that you can choose – between 5-6 or 7 dishes. The pricing is very fair and the food level is good. The food is classical modern – beautifully presented. French flavors and technics.
The place, like most of Finland, is not without humor, subtle humor. Its small things, like a small note on the wall of the bathroom. The place have a familiar tone and good service. I have been two times to Demo, and both times have been walk-ins.
If you are in Helsinki I will recommend you placed a visit at Demo
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AOC is the "forgotten" 2 star michelin restaurant in Copenhagen.

The others are run by famous and charismatic chefs or have a very distinct kitchen(Noma, Kadeau, Jordnær and Alchemist).

Placed in Moltkes Palæ - a 17th century basement close to Kongens Nytorv. This place is a classic fine dinning restaurant. In the sense that there is white tablecloths and the waiters are immaculate dressed and articulated. The winecard and parring has no spontaneous tastes or modern etiquettes.

The food is extremely well-produced and beautiful presented. Modern and focused on good produce.
The Wine was pleasant and I very nice supplement to the meal. I have nothing bad to say about it (and it was nice to have a meal without a tart taste following the whole experince for once)

Very much in line with the times, it was local crops, fish and seashell that dominated the menu.

I have never tasted langoustine better and well prepared, perfection. It was presented almost provokingly simple, but it stood alone perfectly.

If I was anywhere else then Copenhagen this would be the best resturant I have tried in the city and one of the best meals I have ever had.
The level is just so high here that this was a solid third place of all the meals I have ever had (after Kadeau and Jordnær - the latter who I imagine will land on the third star within a few years) Less