A Dinner at BROR, a Hot Copenhagen Restaurant

i knew i had a fairly long layover in Copenhagen but didn’t really make any plans until earlier this week. i was here a year and a half ago on a weekend trip up from Hamburg so didn’t feel too pressured to do anything in particular. one thing i knew i wanted to do, though, was eat. some have heralded Noma as The Best Restaurant On Earth, but it’s also One Of The Hardest Restaurants To Get A Reservation At. i kept checking throughout the week to see if even a waitlist spot would open up, but none were available for the times i would be in the city center.

well, and add to that that the prix fixe menu alone (no drinks) at Noma costs almost $300.

i did, however, get a reservation at BROR, which was opened by Noma alums last year to a lot of buzz. i live tweeted my dinner (sorry to my followers!) but here’s how it went.

sidebar: practical matters i would recommend making a reservation — i think they were able to seat a few walk-in parties when they opened at 5:30 (when i had my reservation for) but it filled up for sure by 6:00. dress (as is the general atmosphere) is casual — some people even came in shorts and a t-shirt, but others were in business casual or even a bit fancier. dinner can easily last for two hours plus; let them know if you need them to pick up the pace (as i did since i needed to get back to the airport) or slow down (which one of the waiters offered me early on). they take mag stripe credit cards and have wifi (ask for the password). half the staff seem to be native English speakers for what it’s worth.

oh, and i knew the street it was on sounded really familiar — it wasn’t until i walked down it that i realized why. i took a bike tour with Bike Mike (which ended up being private — and with Mike! — since i was the only one that off-season day), just half a block away from the restaurant. highly recommend if you have limited time like i did in 2012 and want to get a good overview of the city.

you are pretty much forced to have the four course + dessert menu and they suggest adding on some appetizers (“snacks”) and an additional dessert. to be honest the portions for the prix fixe were plenty, but i didn’t mind oinking on more.

Ok @restaurantbror — impress me! Got the asparagus starter + menu + yeast ice cream(!) pic.twitter.com/XAnEGKPZRh

— Jonathan Khoo (@jonk) May 17, 2014

the food

asparagus snack:

asparagus snack is topped with some sort of ice (didn't catch what but she said it was a spicy herb). #jonkbror pic.twitter.com/QhCSSDcObw

— Jonathan Khoo (@jonk) May 17, 2014

course 1:

Not sure if waiter was kidding when he said these are bull testicles with tartar sauce. #jonkbror (it's good!) pic.twitter.com/RPbENeNkdQ

— Jonathan Khoo (@jonk) May 17, 2014

the bread (a really yummy and crusty sourdough):

Butter is flavored with smoke beef bone marrow, topped with pine salt. Also, they are playing Batman theme. #jonkbror pic.twitter.com/AIUV1Q9iXQ

— Jonathan Khoo (@jonk) May 17, 2014

course 2 (i loved the cod):

Lots of cod stuff and cucumber stuff going on. And did she say "a sauce of whey"? #jonkbror pic.twitter.com/ichnjwOiEW

— Jonathan Khoo (@jonk) May 17, 2014

course 3:

Organic hen yolk + roasted and puréed cauliflower + watercress + watercress sauce(?) #jonkbror pic.twitter.com/3CkgCHAg59

— Jonathan Khoo (@jonk) May 17, 2014

course 4 (the most visually appealing):

Pork shoulder from pigs from a special island(?) & spinach and spring herbs (gotta say it's quite pretty) #jonkbror pic.twitter.com/R6afldCrCn

— Jonathan Khoo (@jonk) May 17, 2014

prix fixe dessert (the meringues were surprisingly good):

Ice cream with rhubarb compote and tarragon meringues. #jonkbror (quite delish!) pic.twitter.com/XEKRlow3qp

— Jonathan Khoo (@jonk) May 17, 2014

my additional dessert:

Finally, yeast ice cream & apple caramel dipping sauce. AND THE CREDIT CARD PEN. ("So nobody steals it") #jonkbror pic.twitter.com/zq4PhqcH4y

— Jonathan Khoo (@jonk) May 17, 2014

the verdict

wow! i’m definitely not a fancypants meal kind of guy so i was a bit overwhelmed every time they described a dish (using upwards of 40 words, i guesstimate), especially since i was trying to remember everything for the tweet. was the food good? yes. how was the staff? amazing (and so knowledgeable).

i also really appreciated all the effort that went into putting everything together — so many people involved, poring over each individual plate.

was it worth $101 (for the set menu, asparagus snack, extra dessert, and water, including a 10% optional tip)? hmmm…i could see myself spending that amount of money to experience new and interesting taste combinations again (but not often). i wan’t too impressed with the asparagus but everything else was pretty good. not mouthgasm-worthy by far, but still a very enjoyable dinner.

that said, i probably would have gotten the same amount (or more) of pleasure from a KFC Double Down. as i’ve always said, i’m not a foodie; i just like to eat.