It’s a bar, no it’s a restaurant, no it’s a bar … well this dilemma continued in my head as I made my way to Bella Sky Hotel’s Sky Bar restaurant. After all, you can see if from afar so there is plenty of time to think. Only two years young and already it’s hard to imagine the city skyline without Tower 1 and Tower 2, the two tall buildings that comprise the hotel and ever so slightly lean away from one another.
Sky Bar, which is located on the 23rd floor of Tower 2, is nothing like the usual business lounge bars one comes across in big cities. It first opened its doors on 16 May 2011 as a cosy lounge and bar, where one could enjoy a drink while in good company or enjoy the views out to Copenhagen and all over the Øresund region. But it wasn’t long until the management decided they would add to the comfort of the customers, to complete the picture so to speak, and serve food. With two signature restaurants already at the hotel, the Library and the Balcony, Sky Bar decided to approach the matter of serving food to their guests with a twist. Instead of being served full meals, guests at Sky bar would get mini dishes, Nordic-style tapas, to have with their drinks. And thus Sky Bites came into being, the bar’s signature menu that consists of dishes in snack-sized portions.
Sky Bar’s menu, which is now primarily Nordic European, follows a unique categorisation in which the dishes are put into four main sections based on the four elements: air, water, fire and earth. For instance, the shrimp with peas and dill and salted trout is listed under ‘water’, whereas the confit duck, Danish dried beef put under ‘earth’. Most people choose Sky Bar primarily to enjoy fine dining with remarkable views.
But my evening turned out rather different, as it turned out to be one of the foggiest days of the year, which meant that the views were entirely blocked in the thick mist. But this did not dampen the evening and the plush décor, and the Honey smash welcome cocktail was just the tonic needed to make up for the lost views.
As for the meal, my dining partner and I were served a selection of Sky Bites that included snack-size portions of lightly-smoked and dried ham, Danish dried beef, new potatoes with crunchy ventrèche and chive, foie gras mousse with beetroot, prawns with peas and dill, black olive tapenade, blue potato chips, lemon curd of honey and Fynbo extra cheese. To accompany these dishes was a mixed bread basket, and to wash them down we were served some fine Henri Boillot Puligny Montrachet 2009. Dessert was the traditional Danish buttermilk dish koldskål.
Usually at any restaurant, when going through the menu, one is usually spoilt for choice and making a decision on the dishes becomes a difficult matter. At Sky Bar, the decision is simple as, with the concept of Sky Bites, there is also a cheese menu for the cheese enthusiasts and it is served with a selection of bread. Chrisitan Kirk, the assistant manager, mentioned that the lunch menu at Sky Bar is very popular, and follows the concept of Sky Bites, but with more traditional Nordic lunch dishes such as marinated herring, smoked mackerel from Bornholm, tatar and cured duck breast. Champagne is usually the drink of choice with the lunch menu, which is popular with corporate clients and visitors to the Bella Centre exhibitions.
Sky Bar is a restaurant that has it all: great views, a perfect location, easily accessible thanks to the Metro ride. Not many restaurants in Copenhagen can boasts views of the city like this, fine food that is unpretentious, cosy lounging, and a rich selection of drinks. It is difficult for any restaurant or bar lounge to please everyone, but Sky Bar seems to have got it right with a great selection of food and drink presented in a chic ambience.
Sky Bar
Bella Sky Comwell, Center Boulevard 5, 2300 Cph S, 3247 3595
Open Mon-Thu 12:00-01:00, ?Fri-Sat 12:00-02:00, Sun 12:00-23:00; lunch Mon-Sun 12:00-15:00
Cuisine: Nordic/Euro tapas
Top Dish: Sky Bites
Price Range: ten tapas for 350kr
