Nimb – Copenhagen

My last night in Copenhagen, and I was looking forward to Nimb. Another recommendation from a London foodie, I booked a table for 8:30pm Sunday.

Nimb is located in the Nimb hotel, also home to Herman – one of Copenhagen’s best (and most expensive) restaurants.  It occurred to me as I sat down that the Nimb recommendation as a suitable replacement for the fully-booked Noma may have been for Herman, and not at the cheaper (though still dear for all intents and purposes), Brasserie.

I’m glad though, because after devouring nearly a whole pizza for lunch, I wasn’t very hungry. Spending Herman-type money would be a waste. Instead of even the reasonably-priced four-course tasting menu, I opted for a main with an option to get dessert.

To start though, I was given some well-presented bread, the spongy rye that I’d grown quite accustomed to.  It was a difficult bread served with a difficult butter, solid all the way through.  The wooden spoon/knife (spife?) it was served with, though classic Danish design, didn’t do very much in the way of cutting. No joke, I was forced to hold it a few second over the nearby candle in order to spread it on the bread.

My main was the Poached Western Sea Skate with Fresh Apples and Roasted Pure, Burnt Leeks and Spinach Vinaigrette of Chicken and Smoked Bacon.

Wow! What a mouthful – figuratively and literally.  I really liked this. The skate was flaky and light, and the apples (I think the Danes like apples) were lovely and sweet. Even better was the bacon, which couldn’t have been any more crisp and life-affirming, even if I’d been hungover.

I nearly opted for the Caramel Ice Cream, Butter Cream and Cookie Crumbs for dessert, but my stomach and wallet had other plans.

There are parts of me that wish I was able to try more. Though I really enjoyed my meal, I’m not sure it was an accurate representation of the restaurant. I always worry when the basics (bread and wine, for example) aren’t up to par and – because you’re a single diner – they seat you at the bar next to dirty kitchen utensils while the restaurant is pretty much empty. Yep:

Perhaps a better option would have been to come for the Sunday Brunch, an all-you-can-eat affair with lots of choices for 245 kr.  The place strikes me like it would be good for brunch. It’s bright, cheerful and overlooking Tivoli, which I’m sure is a charming view in daylight.