Maaemo (4800 NOK, 1/10/2024, 16-Course incl VAT)

MAAEMO, Oslo, 1/10/2024 (16 – Course, 4800 NOK incl. VAT), Nordic, Michelin 3-Star)

MAA (earth), EMO (mother) are old Finn language words, meaning “Mother Earth”. The correct pronunciation requires two syllables. It is the most northerly restaurant with Michelin 3-Star in the world. Its head chef Esben Holmboe Bang is a Danish chef, restaurateur and co-owner, has opened the restaurant since December 2010 with a journey thru the Norwegian landscape (sea and land) featuring ingredients from the pristine and icy waters on the north to the grown and foraged land surrounding Oslo to reflect changing seasons and the raw nature of Norway. It focuses on local food and only uses organic, biodynamic and wild produce.

Maaemo was the first restaurant to be awarded 3-star in the Nordic. It moved into a larger current location in the trendy neighborhood of Oslobukta (nearby the Opera House and Edvard Munch Museum) in March 2020. This resulted in the loss of all its 3 stars in Feb. 2020. In Sept. 2021 it won back all its 3 Michelin stars. On the front door at its current location, it has got a barely noticeable sign of Maaemo ***. In the dark we missed it when we passed by it first time.

I have visited Maaemo in Sept. 2017. Its current decoration is very Nordic style, mainly black, white, beige and grey colors of furnishings. We were greeted by the maître d’ and seated near by the lounge downstairs, there were about 30+ guests around. We were informed of the 16-Course Tasting Menu without Amuse Bouche and optional wine pairing. Food was served shortly.

I .LOMPE – Cold Water Shrimp, Horseradish and Summer Preserves

It was a bite size pancake, at the very bottom there was a piece of Norwegian potato flatbread made of flour and potato, topped with multi-layered seafood and herbs. One of the major ingredients was Arctic shrimp salad which was made of Arctic cold water shrimp fusion with lemon juice and herbs. In addition to the Arctic shrimp salad, there was a layer of umami and tasteful caramelized langoustine purée, a layer of cumelon (baby cucumber), a layer of horseradish, a layer of elder flower a and a layer of grated cured egg yolk. At the very top, it was adorned with fresh chives. Arctic shrimp is small in size, but soft and tender and tasty. Caramelized langoustine purée was umami. With the touch of lemon juice and horseradish, it was well-balanced to perfection. Its sheer small size camouflaged the daunting amount of work required. (20/20)

II. Duck Liver, Warm Brioche, Chestnuts and Toasted Yeast

It was a light brioche filled with smooth tasteful chestnut purée and toasted yeast. Cold water shrimps were wrapped inside of the green nasturtium, adorned with shredded frozen duck liver (foie gras). Shredded duck liver can only be done at -20 degree, not an easy task to shred a piece of duck liver. The shredded fine foie gras provided a delicate taste and flavor, well balanced with toasting flavor and mild sweetness of chestnut purée. (20/20)

III. Pinnekjøtt, birch and Preserved Rose

It was presented as a floral tartlet made with sliced Swedish rutabaga (turnip) and sliced beetroot. Part of the sliced rutabaga was dyed with beetroot juice to create different shades of crimson color. It not only looked pretty, it also tasted pleasant like a crunchy pie crust, rendered by a refined low temperature baking process. The final surprise was at the bottom filled with tender and juicy lamb tartare. The whole tartlet gave you a dilemma of hesitation between the palatial enjoyment of appreciation of the taste and flavor vs. the esthetic appearance. It was so delicious and pretty. Should you enjoy it gastronomically at present or have more visual appreciation? This is my favorite course among the whole dinner. (20/20)

As soon as we completed the 3^rd course, we were invited to go upstairs (ground floor) where the formal dining room and private dining space are located. Open kitchen was large and artistically contemporary looking with black color theme. Open kitchen was connected to the main kitchen downstairs where major preparation and serious cooking/baking were performed. Chef used the open kitchen mainly for the last touch up.

IV. Dry Aged Beef, Meadowsweet and Pine Cone Vinegar

35-day dry aged beef from Telemark in the southeastern region of Norway was used because of its pasture. Beef tartare sat on top of cep mushroom tartlet. Cep mushroom is larger and has a more yellowish color than the straw mushroom. On top of the tartlet, there was jelly made of meadowsweet and pine cone vinegar. The inclusion of jelly provided a well-balanced taste and flavor. (20/20)

V. Marinated Trout Roe, Apple and Smoked Reindeer Heart

Trout roe derived from ocean trout from Denmark. Trout marinated by Aquavit before being used in the plate. Aquavit is a distilled spirit mainly produced in Scandinavia. Aquavit is distilled from grain or potatoes and flavored by herbs. To be classified as an aquavit, the dominant flavor must come from a distillate caraway or dill seed. The word “aquavit” derives from the Latin words aqua (water) and vit (life), meaning “the water of life”. Use of aquavit produced a strong and spicy flavor, chef used another strong and spicy ingredient, chopped smoked reindeer heart, at the bottom of the plate to balance the overall palatial effect. Chef also used granny smith apple slices to refresh the taste of fresh trout roe. It was a creative product to perfection. (20/20)          

VI. Oyster “Tradition 2010”

It has been one of the signature dishes since 2010. Flat oysters are available from Bømlo, Norway in all seasons. Oyster and mussels were made into a layer of jell (in transparent color) sitting on top of mussel broth. In addition, cream sauce and dill oil were floating on the top. No solid piece of oyster or mussel was present in the dish. It was the flavor through different way of preparation that made the taste stand out. When I dined at Maaemo in 2017, it was served with a more dill-accented sauce. (19/20)

VII. Gently Cooked King Crab, White Asparagus and Hazelnut Milk

King crab is expensive and is the best crab from the Arctic Circle. We figured that an average weight of 3 ½ Kilogram per crab would cost $300 each in the tank. Since crab meat doesn’t have much fat content, to preserve its tenderness during the cooking process requires some clever methods. First, poached the crab in hazelnut milk and hazelnut cream. Then, prepare Chawanmushi sauce – a stock of egg, aged cheese, dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, miso of sun flower and burnt onion. It was an authentic fusion sauce, a very sophisticated umami taste while still keeping the tenderness and freshness of the King Crab. Then, foam mussel stock at the very top was infused with bacon. It was a masterpiece of perfection. The tender, juicy umami taste of a king crab was sublime, the subtle acidity from the fermented asparagus was the appropriate balancing agent. It was another perfection. (20/20)

VIII. Skrei Brushed with Juniper Butter Horseradish, Lemon Verbena and Celeriac

Skrei is another name for Cod and Norway has an abundance of supply. Cod was steamed for 2 minutes, then, brushed with juniper butter and elder flower. Sauce was made of chicken stock, mussels, celeriac, nasturtium, horseradish and lemon verbena. In addition, on top of the layer of leek purée sitting on top of tender fish, there were artichoke, horseradish and jam of onion. Overall, the varieties of herbs, not overwhelming, in the recipe made its well-balanced taste and flavor. (19/20)

IX. Scallop Roasted in Honey, Sauce of Pumpkin and Burnt Onion

Scallop was from the Arctic Circle, caught by the best fisherman. To be specific, it was from the western part of Norway around Hegeland. Helgeland is derived from the old Norse Helgaland meaning ‘holy’ ‘sacred’ + land. Arctic scallops are quite a size, the largest that I have ever seen. It grew slowly because of the extreme cold water in the Arctic, it was also more elastic and flavorful but neither tough nor chewy.

It was seared in honey butter to get the well-roasted appearance. Sauce was a complicated process. It required sabayon (egg yolk only), burnt onion oil, elder flower vinegar, salt, pepper, pumpkin purée, black trumpet mushroom and dry yeast.

The Arctic scallops differ from the ordinary scallops not only in size. Their texture and flavor being more superior. If anyone ever had the Australian lobster, the Aussie lobster has the same analogy to the ordinary lobster. In this course, every ingredient was well thought and well prepared to make another mouth-watering signature dish. (20/20)

X. Scallop Roasted in Honey, Sauce of Pumpkin and Burnt Onion

We loved the Arctic scallop so much that we made a special request for scallop in a more rare-medium mode. It was another delightful treat.

XI. Reindeer Cooked Slowly over Embers, Forest Berries and Rømmergrøt

Reindeer was prepared with dual cooking processes. Chef initially cooked reindeer meat for 20 minutes then let meat rest in the pot for ½ hour. Repeat the process 3 times. Reindeer meat was more tender than usual because it was simmered by the residual heat during each of the ½ hour slow-cooking.  Sauce was made of reindeer intestine stock, juniper berries, blue berries and other berries. It also required Norweigian Rømmergrøt in the sauce. Rømmergrøt is Norwegian sour cream porridge made of sour cream/heavy cream, whole milk, butter and flour. Reindeer meat always paired well with juniper berries and using intestines stock provided a more sophisticated taste and flavor. (19/20)

We were invited to relax in the lounge downstairs where we initially started the dinner so every guest could have as many drinks and deserts as he/she liked.

XII. Warm Milk Bread Glazed with Reindeer Fat and Sour Honey winter Truffle Butter

The glazing radiated from the reindeer fat and sour honey had a special gloss on it, it did not look like ordinary butter glazing. Warm bread served with the sweet reindeer fat and yummy winter truffle butter is always welcome on a cold winter night. It also served as a palate cleanser. (18/20)

XIII. Frozen Goat’s Cream, Smoked Cherry and Plum Kernel

Goat’s cream was delicate and tasty, when served with smoked cherry and plum kernel the combined they were well suited. It was more delicate and sophisticated than an ordinary cheese course. (19/20)

XIV. Brown Butter Ice Cream Cornet Hazelnuts and Molasses

It may sound odd to enjoy ice cream on a freezing cold winter night. But we did enjoy it very much for its taste, flavor and texture. (19/20)

XV. Freshly Baked Cinnamon Buns

They radiated a sweet aroma and looked like flakier than the warm milk bread. I can see from the top crust; it also got some cinnamon sprinkles on top. (19/20)

XVI. Wild Chamomile and Pine Fudges

Candies to munch on the way home or snack. By this time, my stomach was happy and ran out of space. (19/20)

Oria Restaurant (120€, 5/26/2023, 10 – Course incl VAT)

 Oria Restaurant (120€, 5/26/2023, 10 – Course incl VAT)

Celebrity Chef Martin Berasategui’s Oria restaurant stands right next door to his Lasarte (Michelin 3-star restaurant) in the Monument Hotel, Barcelona. Oria restaurant is a modern and sophisticated space integrated into the lobby of the Hotel Monument by means of an inverted pyramid structure.

Around the world, chef Berasategui has got quite a few restaurants that boast Michelin stars, including Martin Berasategui (3-star), Lasarte and Oria (each 1-star). Oria is like the informal dining room to Lasarte’s more upscale ambiance. I visited Lasarte in 2018. Interior decoration in Lasarte was fabulous. The style and elements of core interior design in Oria is very similar to what was done in Lasarte, but in a delicate way, characterized by its high ceiling, a sky light that floods the space with natural light and lamp pool. In Oria as well as in Lasarte, the emphasis is on light and texture. The thin strings of lights poking through the ceiling were exquisite, elegant and classic. I thought the more moderate setting in Oria suits it well. To make a comparison - Lasarte has a more upscale atmosphere and to dine at Oria is a gastronomical way to taste the avant-garde cuisine by the local innovative chefs on the fusion of Mediterranean, Catalan and Basque cuisine.

There are two types of Tasting Menus. I chose the small Menu Tradition which contains 9 courses to give my stomach a little break. It started with Amuse Bouche.

I. Codfish Fitter with Chamomile Mayonnaise and Yuzu Gel

Local cod fish, made into fish ball, breaded and fried. Served with Chamomile Mayo and nice refreshing Yuzu gel (yellow gel), and adorned with shiso (purple). Yuzu flavor provided a kicker to start your palate, while the beautiful purple-blue shiso enhanced the visual side of stimulus. (18/20)

II. Crunchy Violet Potato and Red Shrimp with Salt

Local shrimp, served with house-made violet potato chips, hazelnut mayonnaise, anise flower (green), pink salt, and shrimp head juice. Chef at Oria was fully committed to bringing out shrimp’s full flavor not just the flesh/meat part of the flavor. It was very tasty and inspirational for an amuse bouche. (18/20)

III. Fake Tomato Macaron and Trout Tartar

It was fig macaron with smoked and marinated trout with KiIimanti (yellow) cream and plants. Kilimanti is the highest flowering plant, can reach almost 2-ft tall at 8000+ feet elevation on Mount Kilimanjaro. They are known as everlasting flowers because they can bloom year-round, grow in clumps with a yellowish-brown shade, with lemon-scented, pale white leaves and unusually shaped, delicate flowers. It was lemon-scented, but the source of this course certainly showed chef’s dedication and creativity. I had inquired with our server whether chef Berasategui’s signature dish of Smoked Eel is available at Oria, and was informed that it was not available. (18/20)

IV. Sandwich stuffed with Mushroom Duxelle with Ibrian Foil, Black Garlic and Truffle Mayonnaise

Sandwich was filled with local trumpet mushroom, with Iberia ham, baby parsley leaf, spring onion, bottled President cream, black garlic with truffle. It was a real gem with well-balanced flavor. I could feel that my previous evening’s sumptuous dinner at El Celler de Can Roca probably had enhanced my appetite and I was ready for the mains. (19/20)

Bread and Butter

Our server first brought over warm hand towels to clean our hands before bread and butter were served. There were traditional, whole wheat and whole grain with 3 different flavors of butter – salt, rosemary and olive. (17/20)

Mains

I. Cured Scallop with Sage Hollandaise, Noisette Butter Cream and Codium Seaweed Crisp

Sea scallop was from Spain’s main seafood supply region Galicia, scallop was marinated with sugar and salt for approximately 20 minutes. Hollandaise sauce was served with sage and spinach, caviar of trout and grapefruit jelly, codium seaweed (known as green sea finger or dead man’s fingers) and adorned with sage flower. Codium seaweed, after being thoroughly washed, is eaten raw, and the spicy-vanilla aroma made codium seaweed was a great companion to hard-drinks but also to fruits. It can be used to infuse spirits! (19/20)

II. Hake Kokotxas with Pilpil on Iberian Pork Stew and Baby Squid Tartare

Kokotxas is a traditional Basque fish stew. The dish is made from stewed fish neck/dewlap served with a sauce made from salt cod, white wine, garlic, olive oil and constant motion allows the olive oil and salt cod to emulsify into the fantastic pil-pil sauce. Kokotxas means chest in Catalan, is the equivalent of cheek on fish head.

Ragout of Iberian pork was in the base with tartare of roasted squid on top of ham and hake cheek at the very top, skirted by emulsion of chives (green) and the lovely bollga flower. Fish was extraordinarily tender and tasty, flavor was superb. Different parts of fish require different cooking time, chef has done a very prescient timing and quality commitment beyond what I expected from a Michelin 1-star restaurant. (20/20)

III. Hake Loin in Tempura, Iodized and Acidulated Cockles Sauce

Hake loin was fried in coated tempura, served with garlic mayonnaise, iodized sauce with cream of celeriac, cockles with crunchy quinoa, cream pea, codium seaweed, pea shoot, marinated cockles at the base along with celeriac family. The preparation for hake loin was completely different, it also required different timing and technique. I was surprised with the tenderness and freshness of the hake loin. It has got a fuller tenderness than the fish cheek. Both of them were superbly orchestrated. (19/20)                          

IV. Rack of Boneless Suckling Lamb with Cream of Salsify and Grilled Marrow Perigueux Sauce

Lamb was from Valladolid, a province of northwest Spain in the central part of the Autonomous community of Castile and León, served with Perigueux sauce. Meats in the region of Spain are famous for their unique flavor. Lamb was first seared over high heat then slow-cooked at medium-low temperature to create a more intense flavor due to the fat present in the cuts. The fat also helps to create tender meat. While Valladolid in Spain is famous for its meats and roasts, Valladolid of Mexico, located in the Yucatan state of Mexico, is recognized for its natural beauty, cenotes and the iconically renowned archeological site Chichen Itza. Perigueux sauce was amazingly complementary with the tender and succulent lamb. Since this was the last savory dish, chef offered a bit more variety – sweet potato and potato radish cream, baby carrot, chardonnay gel and chardonnay tempera, bone marrow and black mushroom (murgula or morels). They were all delicious and sumptuous. (20/20)

Palate Cleanser – Basil Water with Creamy Raw Almond and Lemon Peel Ice Cream

Green sauce at the base of the plate was made by basil water, green beans from Basque + lime + almond paste + skin of lemon + white chocolate. It was so refreshing. (20/20)

V. Creamy Juniper, White Chocolate and Citrus

By appearance, it was not that complicated. But by taste and flavor, it was superbly sophisticated. There was lemon foam, creamy white chocolate with juniper inside cream, popcorn lemon (pearl), meringue of grapefruit (ice cream), tangerine sorbet, tangerine jelly, bergamot (white, from Italy) and rice paper caramel. It was one of the most satisfying ends of the meal desserts that I have had. (20/20)

Petit Fours (18/20)

1). Tart Tatin

2). Pistachio and Caramelized Pistachio

3). Passion Fruits Macaron with White Chocolate

4). Raspberry Jelly

5). Cookie and Pedro Jimenez, Egg and Cream

They were all pleasant and appetizing and we were able to enjoy them with an almost full stomach. (18/20)

We had a very good experience at Oria and I was quite delighted with the Tasting Menu at Oria. It has delivered beyond what most of the Michelin 1-star restaurants have delivered in terms of taste, flavor, creativity, and technique.