Restaurant Oscarsgate – art on the tableNo matter what criteria you assume to judge Restaurant Oscarsgate in Oslo by, you will end up thinking that few others can match this little pearl.
Outside in the busy Pilestredet street cars usually are stuck in the traffic, the noisy trams pass by regularly and people hurry to and from. But behind the front door you can relax in a quiet, little oasis, in the shape of a small, cosy restaurant with only eight tables. It feels like entering a completely new world, or even like being invited to an intimate, private dining party. In a way, that is exactly what this is, a small apartment turned into a fabulous eating place. Eight chefs in the kitchen and three waiters in the dining room each night are taking care of the twenty people who are allowed into the restaurant to experience the magic touch of Chef Patron Björn Svensson and his unanimous ensemble. Most of the guests have been waiting for at least two or three months to get hold of a chair. Björn Svensson has made a lot of waves in the world of top restaurants since he made his first serious attempts in a professional kitchen as a pizzamaker in his hometown Sundsvall in Sweden. Then he moved to restaurants in Denmark and the Czech Republic. During his twelve years in Norway he has been working with aforementioned Hellstrøm in Bagatelle and Boccuse d'Or-winner Terje Næss at his Oro Restaurant. In addition to this, he is among very few young chefs who have got the chance to work at and gain experience from both Gordon Ramsey's and Ferran Adria at El Bulli. Today Svensson points out that his inspiration has been picked up at various places all over the world. The team at Oscarsgate is performing food mastery at the highest level. Sometimes what you get on the plate is the expression of real art. Some of the dishes are so sensational that they could be framed and hung on the wall, so perfect is the presentation and the taste. Visually you will travel through a continuous variety of highlights, from the unforgettable amuse bouches that are waiting for you as you sit down at the table, to the smoked chocolate cigar that finishes the adventurous travel some hectic hours later. The tasting menu lists twelve different courses, but when you do the final counting, you will find out that you have had at least twenty different, innovative and magical tastes. Five starters find their way to your table as soon as you are welcomed by the utterly friendly staff. That could be tuna and Norwegian lobster with soy foam, meant to be dipped in ginger and nori bread crumbs. Or eel on the so-called flatbread (which is very popular in Norway) with egg cream and truffles. Cream puffs filled with smoked trout and caviar, could be another treat. Then the real showtime starts with the Chef's menu, which may include highlights like oysters with caviar and sea urchin, fresh from the sea. Or salma salmon (seafresh loins) and crayfish with apple, lime- and coconut sorbet and soyasuzu-sauce. The inevitable white truffle could come in the shape of a pasta filled with scallops, crab and broccoli, and then appear again in a shellfish bisque accompanied by salt baked potatoes. The wild Norwegian reindeer is served with parsley, foie gras and a sauce made on Juniper berries. When Oscarsgate was introduced, Björn Svensson and his co-owners had done almost everything of the interior work themselves. They were working on a low budget, but had high ambitions. This gem of a restaurant is a must when you are in Oslo. Restaurant Oscarsgate scored 80 points of 100 points in our rating system View our Top 60 of the world. Back to the reviews. By Ulf Published: November 26, 2011 Restaurant Oscarsgate Pilestredet 63D 0350 Oslo Norway Phone: +47 22 46 59 06 www.restaurantoscarsgate.no |
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