With crisp autumn air and shorter daylight time upon us, many get the urge to spend more evenings at home cooking up stews and lighting candles, stirring up such a naturally cosy feeling that we must remind ourselves that hygge is indeed a Danish concept. But the chill in the air also marks the beginning of another season here in Copenhagen, Opera season, and with that a perfect opportunity to grab your loved ones and scale up your hygge at the Royal Opera House. Enjoying a theatre menu before your show at Bojesen on the fourth floor of this magnificent Amelieborg-facing waterfront building will complete the experience.
Before dining at Bojesen, I was sceptical that the food would be second rate, relying on the novelty of the dining room’s location, wedged between a spectacular view of the sun setting over the Copenhagen waterfront, and the gilded opera house foyer, housing the light creations of Olafur Eliasson. However, upon tasting the season-specific miniature masterpieces, I realised that instead of allowing the experience to be overpowered by the uniqueness of the location, the restaurateurs have embraced it by creating a specific dining experience that gives you plenty of time to relax and enjoy your pre-show dinner, without having to compromise on enjoying a pleasant dining experience due to the lack of time.
From the moment you are greeted by one of the professional staff members, you might be struck by the marked efficiency by which they greet you, take you to your seat and offer you a glass of bubbly. The service is expeditious, but only to the exact degree it needs to be in order to provide a delightful dining experience in the time-frame available. You have two choices for your savoury five-course menu that is served all together on a platter consisting of individual plates: ‘green and sea’ or ‘green, sea, and field’. I opted for the menu that included meat and I was happy I did so, as the Mallard duck breast with a sauce that included hints of their house-made, free trade chocolate, Oialla, stole the show. Granted, I was lucky enough to taste the Fried Zander from the field-free menu that my companion was enjoying and it was deliciously paired with glazed turnips. My menu also gracefully incorporated a gourmet spin on the classic Danish pølse by serving a coarse sausage with a plum ketchup and homemade crispy onions.
The other courses included a home-smoked salmon with a sorrel mayo, and two vegetarian dishes creatively pairing celeriac and hazelnuts, and chanterelles and barley. Since the courses are all served at the same time, you do not have the option of adding a wine pairing to the menu as you might typically do with a menu such as this. Yet Bojesen serves a few wines by the glass, and more importantly, it offers a unique solution to its unique dining experience by offering a quite extensive selection of wines by the half bottle, in case you prefer to try a couple.
The five-course menu costs 295kr and can then can be followed either before the show or during the intermission by a cheese and sweets platter for a total of 385kr. I personally think the best option is to ask the server to have the last two courses ready for you, possibly with a dessert wine or coffee, during the intermission, when you can come back to your same table and enjoy them, after letting your quite filling dinner settle a little. We enjoyed one soft cheese with a touch of ash and one semi-soft hay cheese, served with spiced bread and a chocolate nib made with their house chocolate, topped with apples and chestnuts.
Dining at Bojesen in conjunction with a show is the perfect way to add the engagement of your sense of taste to the list of your other senses that will be stimulated when attending a show in Copenhagen’s great opera house. I recommend relaxing and enjoying your dinner here beforehand, in the place where the servers make it their responsibility to care about your time restrictions while the chefs take special care to excite your taste buds.
Bojesen i Operaen
Ekvipagemestervej 10, Cph K
3391 4600, operaen@bojesen.dk
Open: All performance days, but rarely matinees
Cuisine: International/Danish
Top Dish: Mallard duck breast
Price Range: five-course menu 275kr, seven-course 365kr
www.bojesen.dk
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