The science of turning ordinary metals into gold has been a long and fabled tradition, the various permutations of which stretch through the furthest reaches of philosophy, folklore, medicine and desire. Whilst humankind may kept the art of turning metal into gold solely in its philosophical premise, the art of creating magic, transforming ordinary elements into something infinitely valuable has permeated into every aspect of life. Food has always been child of alchemy, the creating fine dishes out of the most basic and simple ingredients, nourishing, desirable, addictive to a cult status; indeed, cuisine upholds the very philosophies of alchemy and fascinates us every single day, urging us to seek out more and more alchemists and revel in their success. It is, then, no surprise that a restaurant be named Alkimia, paying homage to the fine science of creation and pleasure.
Oscarsgate, Oslo
Never before have I been so under dressed for dinner. Then again, I did go straight from the airport after my Arctic adventure and I wasn’t made to feel out of place by the very gregarious staff that looked after me at Restaurant Oscarsgate in Oslo. Well, I wasn’t actually planning on eating anywhere is Oslo – rather just check in to my hotel and bask in the afterglow of the Northern Lights. It was only on my last day in Svalbard that I met a friendly girl from Oslo who questioned why I wasn’t trying out the fine dining there and that I should definitely try this restaurant as she’d worked there many years ago and they served exceptional food. As luck had it, even though they were fully booked, there was a last minute cancellation which I happily scooped up. In a restaurant of 20 covers, this is a big thing!
Huset, Svalbard
78°15′ North. Well inside the Arctic circle lies the town of Longyearbyen on the island of Svalbard. For some it is the land of the Northern Lights, for others it is a fabled pilgrimage (addicts of Philip Pullman’s ‘Dark Materials Trilogy’ will agree with me on that!), but no matter how one looks at it, Svalbard is a winter wonderland, a frozen paradise that overwhelms all senses and takes one on an ethereal, thrilling adventure of a lifetime. Not expecting to find a restaurant serving anything more than good, hearty and rustic fare (of which I had plenty!), I was quite pleasantly surprised to find somewhere serving up a multi-course Arctic menu!
Chez Bruce
Some restaurants need no introductions. Having been fortunate to spend nearly two years in the kitchens under the tutelage of Bruce Poole and his long standing head chef, Matt Christmas, Chez Bruce, during my stint was probably the most educated kitchen in all of England, with almost every chef having a degree under their belt in literature, philosophy, geography or science! It definitely made for some of the more interesting conversations to be found in such an environment! Having dined their several times during my employment, the memory of each meal stayed remarkably fresh – not because the food was cooked any better for the staff who came to dine, but because it was just so very good and consistent. It’s no surprise Londoners voted it as their favourite restaurant for so many years. So when a good friend (and ex-colleague from here) suggested we go for lunch, I didn’t have to to think twice.
