Stylish Travel and Dining in the
Land of the Midnight Sun

Every trip must begin somewhere and a trip to Norway (or any destination
for that matter) is appreciated more with a little background
information. The brochures and descriptive material from the Norwegian
Tourist Board in New York City are well done and informative. Armed with
the comprehensive packet and a guidebook (I like the Fodor's Guide,
published by Random House) one is ready to comparison- shop for
transportation alternatives. While Delta offers non-stop flights to
Oslo, Norway's gateway city, SAS gives one the feel of the coun- try and
the "President's Lounge," which it shares with its travel-partner
Continental, is attractive and a pleasant spot in which to relax with an
aperitif before embarking on one of Scandinavian Airline's Boeing 767
jets. The flight can take as little as 6 and 1/2 hours. Two classes are
offered: "EuroClass" and "Economy." While "Economy-Class" can never
compete with the attention and amenities offered in "Business-Class" or
"First-Class" travel, one would expect newspapers in English, sufficient
lavatories for nature's callings, and more than the limited staff of
three (there had been a recent cutback) that served our packed SAS
flight. A "EuroClass" crossing was a notch above most "Business-Class"
flights and a bit below "First Class." The pitch of the seats was a
major drawback, as was the rather tight configuration. But one couldn't
fault the service. Stewards looked spiffy in maroon-blazers and later
donned chef's-whites and checkered ascots, while serving rather good
food (especially a boiled- beef plat-du-jour in horseradish sauce),
mediocre wines (except for Piper Heidsieck "extra dry" Champagne), fair
smoked salmon and caviar that was conspicuous by its absence.

Oslo may not afford the charm of Bergen (five hours away by rail) and
Norway's west, but it is clean, efficient and safe. Cabs are plentiful
and honest, and the ride from Fornebu, the modern and attractive
airport, costs Kr100 (100 Kroner), a bit over $15 U.S. at today's
exchange rate (currently around Kr6.781 to the dollar). Oslo hotels
range from the atmospheric Bristol to the fashionable Conti- nental,
charming Ambassadeur and traditional Grand. Modern structures include
the Plaza and enormous Royal Christiania, centrally located near the
railway station, and our destination. The "R.C." is an accumulation of
451 rooms, 73 suites, and an exterior glass- elevator, and would not
look out of place in Houston or Minneapolis. Our room, a business suite,
while not sumptuous, was clean, easy to get used to and hard to leave.
Very modern with a sitting- room, blond-wood motif, glass coffee table,
sofa, TV, mini-bar, large desk that could function as a dining table and
attractive wall prints. One questions the practicality of having but one
television-set and radio (sans wheels) in the outer room and neither in
the bedroom. Royal Christiania does manage to preserve a certain charm,
despite a convention-hotel bent. The staff is friendly, but not always
effective. (Our room was not turned down at night, nor were we given
clean towels until repeated requests). Most Norwegian hotels include a
complimentary buffet breakfast. The Royal Christiania's was copious and
offered sufficient assortment to please most tastes, although the
herrings were disappointments, breads were wonderful, as were soft-
scrambled eggs with chives that miraculously "held," even in a chafing
dish.

One Oslo tradition that must be experienced is the Scandinavian buffet
at the Hotel Stefan. Under the direction of a young and dedicated
executive chef, Tor Myrseth (a member of the Norwegian Culinary Team),
one can discover the variety and nuances of Norwegian cuisine. It is
served with out garnishes (very Japanese in presentation) and suggested
to be eaten "neat" (with no distracting sauces or with a dab of sour
cream). Going from mild-fish to strong, choose from a impressive display
including heady house-smoked or astringent and appealing pickled salmon
and marvelous bits of halibut and herrings. Then, some unusual
cold-meats. (When is the last time you indulged in reindeer tongue,
whale or smoked moose)? Hot dishes follow -- change plates with each
round. And finish with some excellent desserts: creme caramel,
cloudberry-pudding and marvelous Norwegian cookies, known as
"kransekake." Don't fail to sample the delicious flatbread, it's
homemade.

An interesting interlude takes one to an area near the port, actually a
mall, and the Koltzow delicatessen/fish-market with more than 100
varieties of imported seafood, wonderful sandwiches, chowders and
fish-cakes that can be taken home or consumed on the premises.

For serious dining, the hottest new restaurant in town is Berit
Stiensen's restaurant, which bears his name: Stiensen's. In this three
hundred and fifty year old house that has stayed vacant for seven years,
world champion chef and winner of the Paul Bocuse "Golden Award" has
opened a cave-like Danish Pub (Kro in Danish) downstairs. Just above,
Berit's wife, Anneta, (who is Danish) greets you and escorts you to a
sumptuous room with crystal chandeliers, lovely flowers, delicate
glass-ware and table settings by Figgio, one of Norway's most respected
manufacturers of fine china. Service, by women in long black-outfits, is
discreet and chef Stiensen's food is delicious. No dabs and doodles of
sauce. Instead oodles of intense stocks, lightly thickened with cream or
oil. A teaser of crayfish mousse in a subtle crayfish-sauce is garnished
with crispy-shreds of celery root and leeks and is accompanied by an
interesting house- aperitive: Cointreau, Cherry Herring and soda. Sweet
Norwegian scallops (far better than ours) are seared and accented with
purple cucumber-flowers, a parfait of chicken livers and red-leaf salad
with balsamic-vinegar and walnut dressing. A '91 Pouilly-FuissŠ accom-
panied this and a second fish course, a lovely sauteed halibut-filet
with chopped tomatoes, zucchini, and saffron/white-wine/cream sauce.
Then, curried baby-mussels, with small cubes of apples for a
crunchy-contrast. A bottle of Crozes-Hermitage, Alain Graillot, '92
drank well with tender and rare noisettes of reindeer, surrounding a
feuilletage of wild mushrooms. Desserts were a letdown: chocolate
mousse, garnished with candied orange peel and fresh fruits, flanked by
rather ordinary ice cream.

Benoni og Rosa, open only a few weeks is lovely to look at and already a
hit with classic Norwegian food and two terrific looking rooms (the one
in back is more formal). Open six days a week, it is near Stiensen's, as
is the cunning and romantic AttachŠ.

Menyforslag, Ostmarkseteren Restaurant, is a remarkable old wooden-
house, 15 kilometers from Oslo and a 10 minute cab ride (Kr100). Housing
Oslo's best wine cellar (10,000 bottles) and beautifully orchestrated by
owner, Mr. Jan Engblom, two floors, with party rooms are waiting to be
enjoyed. The dining room is stunning: hand- tooled leather chairs,
Meissen china figurines (with the two-sword insignia) and a
refined-yet-bucolic appeal. A young chef, Christian Stoltenberg, takes
Arctic char, marinates it in salt and sugar for two days, then coarsely
choppes it with fresh-dill to form an unusual tartar. Terrific
fresh-water crayfish with caviar sauce and house- smoked salmon (smoked
for eighteen hours, and dried for three weeks) follows. Two more fish
courses are distinguished: turban of sole, stuffed with scallop mousse,
and a simple sauteed-sole, garnished with fresh spinach and purŠes of
celeriac and carrots in a light crayfish-sauce. A bottle of Mouton-Cadet
Blanc served the food well. Gorgeous caramel truffles and espresso were
a fine conclusion.

For Oslo's ultimate dining adventure, the two star Michelin Restaurant
Bagatelle (the chef is Eivind Hellstrom) is considered by Oslo
cognoscenti to be Scandinavia's finest French restaurant. We
wholeheartedly agree that Bagatelle is first-rate by world-class
standards and is one of Europe's top "50." Contemporary, elegant and
striking with clean lines and lovely floral arrangements, service is
beyond reproach: wait-persons crouch table-side to take orders and
explain the interesting menu. A degustation or "tasting-menu" for about
$90 U.S. is the way to go. A give away of tiny mussels, wrapped in philo
and deep fried, is served with an assertive red-pepper mayonnaise. (A
special import Billecart-Salmon Champagne is a fine foil). Next,
Norwegian scallop-carpaccio. Delicate, with a fine texture, resting in a
puddle of caviar-spiked creme-fraiche and garnished with remarkable
potato-blini. Superb! A bottle of Leflaive Rully-Rabource '92
accompanied sugar-sweet whole crayfish with julienned vegetables, and a
foamy beurre-blanc, accented with just a touch of tarragon. Moist, firm
and infinitely superior to Maine lobster. Next, sole-fingers (mercifully
un-breaded), with the contrasting sweetness of oven-dried tomatoes and a
fillip of acidic-seaweed. Finally, thin slices of Norwegian duck, napped
by a rich brown-sauce composed of duck-stock and thickened in the
traditional manner, with its blood and liver. The garnish was ligon-
berries and wild-mushrooms. Lovely desserts followed: an intense coconut
sorbet, with pineapple sauce, dried pineapple and hand- picked wild
strawberries and blackberries. The second sweet was a dessert-blini,
which was carmelized and layered with cloudberries and creme anglaise.
Petit fours, financi‚res and chocolate-truffles followed. Dessert-wine?
Go for the Ostertag Vendange from Alsace, with its good nose and
assertive fruit.

No trip to Norway would be complete without a visit to the old-world
TheaatrecafŠen in the Hotel Continental. Old-Vienna is alive and well
with music, traditional grand-cafe ambiance and food that is far better
than one expects. A fine plate of poached sole, Norwegian crayfish and
grilled salmon arrived garnished with wonderful mealy boiled potatoes
and a delicate dill-cream sauce. Chocolate-nut tort with mouth-watering
caramel ice cream, giving itself to melt into a rich- sauce and fresh
berries competed with a clientele that is the creme de la creme of
Oslo's artistic and cultural heritage. Also part of the Continental's
restaurant family is "Lipp," a hip brasserie-style watering-hole with a
young crowd and open till 3 a.m. and "Annen Etage," the elegant main
dining room. Posh and kitschy, the food is some of Oslo's best. "The
Living Room" (actually in the lobby of the Continental) is the place for
afternoon tea and the whole is beautifully managed by Director, Mathis
T. Berge.

Time permitting, a ten minute drive to Kongeveien brings one to the
remarkable Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica. Every modern amenity contrasts
a typical wood-house "Dragon-Style" Hotel and Convention Center that is
world renowned. The main dining room, "Five Living Rooms" is striving to
keep pace with the incredible view and under the direction of Frank
Baer, yet another member of Norway's esteemed "Culinary Olympics" team,
we think it will succeed.

SteAmen, the outdoor cafe of the Hotel Continental, or Nichol&Son, a
cafe devoted to Jack Nicholson memorabilia, are pleasant diversions for
a lazy afternoon or early-evening cocktail. And Babette, another top
restaurant with a German chef, is charming and easily remembered from
the movie Babette's Feast. Also noteworthy is Feinschmecker (considered
one of the three best in Scandinavia by most aficionados) and Taste of
France, the Brasserie of Restaurant D'Artagnan, a pricey eatery, located
just above, and considered by some to be topnotch and by others as
overpriced. While Oslo has no outstanding Italian restaurant, there are
no lack of fast food joints and the popularity of Burger King and
McDonald's is unnerving. One Chinese restaurant, "Dinner," is said to be
the finest in town.

Should you be in town the first week in September, the "Oslo Seafood and
Crustacean Festival" is worth exploring. Fish cakes, mussels, lobster,
shrimp and heaping platters of coquillage are accom- panied by wonderful
Norwegian beer: Aass Classic Spesial Brygg and Lysholmer Spesial Ol, or
C.B. Only four ingredients can legally be used in the beer-making
process: water, malt, yeast and hummle (a spice).

While you may not have the opportunity to try such Norwegian sta- ples
as lutfisk or dried-fish first soaked in lye, then poached, rakorres or
"rotten fish," (so-called because the fish is preserved for months or
years) or the brown and oddly-sweet goat-cheese known as brun geitost,
the Oslo Food Fair (new this year) offers the opportunity to sample some
traditional dishes in a traditional environment on the island of Bygdoy.
(Don't miss the fascinating "Norsk Folkemuseum").

Value hint: Purchase an "Oslo Card," offering unlimited use of public
transportation and entrance fees to museums and other important tourist
sites and theaters. Also discounts for everything from cinemas to stores
and hotels.

While Oslo is Norway's (and Scandinavia's) gourmet mecca, two other
cities are worth considering: Bergen and Stavanger. Restaurants in
Bergen are not up to Oslo standards, but you might try Munkestuen Cafe
for typical homey-Norwegian fare and the restaurant of the SAS Hotel,
Statsradenand, for something a bit more upscale. In Stavanger, there are
more choices: Krtellet, Jans Mat og Vinhaus or City Bistro, non of which
will wow you, but all of which will satisfy.

Norway offers unspoiled pleasures, gastronomic highs, an intriguing
heritage and best or all, the modern-Norwegians: kind, honest, indus-
trious and fun-loving. Not a bad combination.

Hotel Stefan's Executive Chef, Tor Myrseth's, recipe for pickled salmon,
"herring-style" follows ------------------------->

Cut 1 kilo of salmon filets in cubes & salt one hour. (Wash off salt &
dry). Heat to dissolve, then cool:1/2 liter vinegar, 1/2 kilo sugar, 1 &
1/2 liters water, white pep- per corns, mustard seed, cloves and sliced
onion. Add salmon and refrigerate at least 48 hours.