As soon as I booked my flight to Copenhagen, I was ready to splurge on a gastronomic experience. At the top of my list was Noma and, unfortunately, it was closed during my visit. A good friend recommended Geranium, the only three Michelin star restaurant in Denmark. It was one of the best meals that she had eaten and that was good enough for me. I managed to book a reservation for our group of six for lunch and eagerly anticipated the feast. The cuisine at Geranium is modern Nordic with international influences. Lunch and dinner set menu at Geranium costs 2,000 DKK per person (approximately $320) and requires a deposit of 750 DKK per person (approximately $120). I also selected the juice pairing, which was something I had not seen before. With tip and tax, the meal came out to approximately $400 per person. It was a very expensive meal…but the inventiveness of the cuisine and the experience were worth every penny.
Upon entering Geranium, the interiors projected a cool Nordic vibe with its sleek modern décor and luxurious finishes. It is a beautiful restaurant overlooking Fælledparken, the park surrounding the soccer stadium. Luckily we were seated at the center table right in front of the kitchen, which afforded an unobstructed view of the culinary theatre. On our table was an elegant envelope containing a welcome letter and the Spring Universe menu.
The meal started with a variety of appetizers that were a work of art and tantalized our taste buds for the courses to come. The most memorable appetizer for me was the “Razor Clam” with Minerals & Sour Cream. The shell was edible and it blew my mind how realistic the faux shell resembled the real thing. Each presentation was art on a plate and tasted just as good.
The main dishes followed the appetizers at a leisurely pace. The whole meal took 4 hours, but we never felt rushed or bored in between each course. One thing I noticed was that every chef at some point served us and explained what the dish was, including head chef Rasmus Kofoed. It added just the right amount of personal touch to the haute dining experience. The kitchen also resembled the United Nation of culinary talents so it was interesting to learn where each chef came from as we were being served by them.
The main dishes that followed were:
“Dill Stone” Horseradish & Frozen Juice from Pickled Dill
The fish are presented as “stones” and exploded with flavors when eaten.
Salted Hake, Parsley Stems & Finnish Caviar in Buttermilk
This was one of Geranium’s signature dishes and I can see why. The fish was buttery and the caviar added a layer of decadence without overwhelming the delicate hake.
Scallop, Fillipa Apple, Scallop Roe & Brown Butter
The scallops were served by Chef Kofed in a theatrical display in front of our table. They were textbook perfection.
Crispy Grains, Bread with Old Grains & Gluten Free Bread with Seeds
Oddly this course was disappointing. The various breads were not on par with the dishes that we had had thus far and if anything, the gluten free bread reaffirmed my dislike of it.
Pickled Carrots, Smoked Pork Fat & Melted Vesterhavs Cheese
This dish was almost too pretty to eat. The pork fat and cheese flavors were subtle and melded together for a tasty treat.
Lightly Salted Turbot, Celeriac & Pickled Pine
This was a good rendition of a fish dish. However, it was overshadowed by all the other creative courses that we’d had thus far.
Walnut, Cep Mushroom Soup & Black Truffle
I love truffle and this was a truffle dream. The chef shaved a few slices of black truffle directly into the soup and the smell just enveloped your senses as you tasted the creamy liquid.
Grilled Lamb, Ramson & Sheep Cream with Smoked Lumpfish
Our last course was surprisingly small or maybe it seemed diminutive due to the giant plate. However, the dish was the right amount of food to end the savory portion of our meal. Thin slices of tender lamb just melted in our mouths. The lumpfish was the flavor bonus to tie it all together.
The assortment of desserts arrived at our table at the same time and they were a work of art. I liked that each dessert was not sugary and was bite sized.
We also ordered the verbena tea and espresso to end our meal. The tea and espresso were good, although the “making” process was gimmicky. For the tea, the server rolled a cart over with a pot of verbena plant and proceeded to snip leaves to brew for the tea. For the espresso, another server rolled out the espresso cart to our table and pressed the coffee by hand. It definitely looked like a workout.
Overall, the meal was an unforgettable culinary experience and the extravagant price reflected the Michelin rating. I was grateful that we had had the lunch option as it gave us time to digest our 4 hour meal. Lunch and dinner menus are the same at Geranium. If you have a stopover in Copenhagen, this is one experience I would highly recommend to top your list of activities.
Check out our weekend in Copenhagen by clicking here.
For related articles, visit the TRAVEL page or the World Travel Index.
Author: Chau Hoang
Photos: Gleb Chuvpilo
La Vie Partagée 
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