Dinner at Maaemo

Dinner at Maaemo

at Maaemo on 2 August 2022
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The New Maaemo!
A dramatic set-up, double, maybe even triple height entrance. A Lounge with a wine cellar down below with an open fire place where one gets served the snacks. The dining room is also double height with four kitchen islands and can host up to 30 people. A beautiful place, well fitting to the beautiful food which gets produced there.
Esben Holmboe Bang always impressed me with his gentle and precise cooking. I still remember the Arctic Cod, steamed with salted butter as a benchmark for me when it comes to cod.
In his second iteration he evolves and even further improves his cooking. Downstairs in the Lounge six snacks were served of which the warm duck leg and the Lompe (also known as potetkaker), a small variety of potato-based Norwegian flat bread, were the stars. The doughnut, warm and succulent, the hazelnut and pickled vegetables providing texture and acidity. You would have thought that langoustine and rose petals work together? But they did and the Lompe provided the perfect vessel for them.
Upstairs in the Dining Room the atmosphere completely changed. Where Esben ruled his kitchen upstairs in the old restaurant with military drill and loudness, now the executive chef Martin commands his brigade in total silence. They all work with focus and precision. The resulting food is perfect but also venerable and delicious.
The scallops, the turbot and the lamb were all lawyered with vegetables and fruits. The resulting flavor combination is incredibly satisfying.
The front office operates a very smooth service with the roles equally distributed.
All in, a true 3 star place (worth an extra journey). Kudos to the team which improved on an already perfect place.

10th meal

Modern French
Nordic
10 / 10

Summer shrimps on brioche, smoked vendace roe and vinegar

Warm duck leg doughnut, hazelnut, jasmine and pickled vegetables

Warm duck leg doughnut, hazelnut, jasmine and pickled vegetables

Dry aged beef with preserved truffle and egg yolk

"Lompe" langoustine claw and summer rose

Gently cooked king crab shoulder, chilled broth of smoked reindeer heart

Oyster "tradition 2010”

Our Caviar, hazelnut and buckwheat

Scallop from the west coast, preserved berries and warm broth with elderflower

Grilled turbot, the first summer peas and sauce of almonds

Spring lamb and wilted summer leaves, creme of aged winter vegetables

Seasonal ragout fermented white asparagus and hay

Norwegian strawberries rose summer milk and lavender

Rhubarb tart custard and lemon thyme

Brown butter ice cream cornet hazelnuts and molasses

Freshly baked cinnamon buns