• Vegetarian Degustation at Nimb Louise (Tivoli, Copenhagen)

Tivoli is apparently the oldest amusement park in the world.  Nimb Louise, is a newly updated restaurant within it.  Fitting to the amusement park theme, Nimb (the hotel to which the restaurant is attached) is set-up in an imitation Taj Mahal.  Tacky?  Perhaps.  At least the interior is consistent with stylish Nordic design.

We were having the set lunch menu, and vegetarianism was not a problem in this way.

Appetisers
The pickled, white, crunchy asparagus was displayed on a contrasting slate, with the cream from pickling dolloped to the side.


Next was deep fried bread with Parmesan cream.  It was crispy from all the oil and the crème was subtly flavoured.


In a dish similar to the first, was green asparagus, this time served slightly poached with a pineapple gel on the side.  It was pretty, simple and tasty.


Nimb has a theme for using local ingredients.  The next dish was smoked Danish potatoes, lavish cream, thyme and hay with potato chips on the side.  The potato had been cooked just enough so that it was not crunchy but not too soft either.


Entrees
Khalabi is a Scandinavian cabbage that grows by the sea.  This was served with parsley oil and cream. The khalabi was crisp and raw.  The parsley oil had a light flavour, the flowers (used instead of fish) were slightly bitter.  It was like a pasta and I enjoyed soaking up the oil on bread.


The bread was sourdough.  The waitress explained that it was a mix between Italian and Danish recipes served warm.  They were very fussy to cook it part way, then finish the final baking just before serving.  It was very crusty and served with fluffy butter that had been mixed with crème fraiche.  We all ate so much bread because it was so good!


Sea kale was next with a goats’ cheese cream and bitter leaves.  The sauce was pleasant and creamy.  It seemed to have been pickled too.  The flavours were an interesting mix with the bitter kale, balsamic, subtly flavoured cheese and dressing.


Main
My main course was curious.  It was prepared with cooked lettuce, dressing, peas and potato.   Onto this was poured a herbed, tangy hollandaise.  The potatoes were sweet.  The lettuce had been slightly cooked and served warm.  Rather than being wilted, it had been seared without oil so that it was browned on the outside and warm throughout whilst maintaining its crunch.  A paste of peas hid underneath.  The herb flavouring was goot weed.  It all felt very healthy.


Dessert
Reminding us of where we were, dessert was Danish strawberries with Cecily and beautiful elderflower cream.  It was very refreshing.


Alongside the strawberries I enjoyed a recommended Rose din Jour from France, 2010.  It smelt like strawberries and tasted sweet like a cordial of strawberries and honey.  It went better with the dessert when it took on spicier tones, maintaining its sweetness against the fruit.

Overall the meal was delightful.  We had felt like we had enjoyed a truly Danish experience.

Nimb - Louise

Bernstorffsgade 5
1577 Copenhagen Denmark
+45 8870 0020
louise@nimb.dk
www.tivoli.dk/nimb/