Meal number two on the Best of Scandinavia tour last night, and after Frantzén the evening before, @maaemo had a pretty serious act to follow.
Chef-owner Esben Holmboe Bang opened Maaemo in Oslo in 2010. It gained two Michelin stars in 2012 and, in 2016, became the first restaurant in Norway to be awarded three. The restaurant moved to its current home in Bjørvika in 2020.
The dining room is stunning. Huge, dramatic, beautifully lit, with an open kitchen and artwork throughout. One of the most striking features is the wall of hanging wool at the back of the room, made from offcuts left over from the production of Norway’s traditional bunad folk costumes. A brilliant detail and very much in keeping with Maaemo’s identity.
Despite the scale of the room, the service was warm, friendly and completely relaxed from start to finish.
The food was exceptional. Esben’s cooking is deeply rooted in Norway and its produce, but never feels forced. The langoustine was probably my standout dish of the night — absolutely superb.
And a special mention for the wine list. We drank exceptionally well by the bottle, with some seriously good choices and very fair pricing for this level of restaurant.
After such a brilliant first night at Frantzén, I genuinely wondered whether anything could follow it.
Maaemo was right up there.
Two meals into the tour and the standard is incredibly.
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Michelin: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Best Chef Awards: 🔪🔪
OAD Europe: 33
World’s 50 Best: 35 previously
La Liste: 95.00
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#maaemo #oslofineding #norwaydining #Michelin #FineDining
