It has been a while since my expectations for a new restaurantopening has been so high as it was with 108. So far it is only a popup in Noma so how the final result is going to I will just have to wait. After all a big part of the identity of a restaurant is the physical space.
The concept of the restaurant is casual dining for both a quick meal and a full evening experience. With this the restaurant will find it easier to create their own identity independent of Noma.
The menu is quite simple 9 savory dishes and 4 desserts with a recommendation of 4 dishes. Off course we couldn’t limit our self on well just wanted to try as much as we could eat so we went for 5 dishes.
First dish of the evening was cured squid prepared as nodules served with a bacon broth and salted plums. The bacon broth provided strong umami flavors, which in my opinion dominated the dish with the more delicate squid. I understand where they were going, but I just love squid so I had hoped it was given a more central role.
The second dish was however very tasty. Braised oxtail with coriander seeds and very fresh pine shoots. A dish with great balance and perfect on a cold winter evening. Probably the best dish of the day. This dish keeps up the Noma tradition of eating with your hands when it makes sense.
Oxtails as well as celeriac are personal favorites of mine. This time salt baked with pickled herbs and a delicious ferments and hay cheese sauce. Again great balance where the pickled herbs, garlic and the sauce was a very nice touch to an otherwise “classic dish”. Definently a great dish.
The last main was delicious and great. This was my first time trying caramelized milk skin, but definently not the last time. It was sweet in a very nice way that complimented the also sweet tongue. Watercress and horseradish finished off the dish.
Usually I am often disappointed of the desserts of better restaurants, especially New Nordic restaurants. This was definently not the case tonight. Rausu kombu ice cream with toasted barley cream and blackcurrant wood oil. Icecream usually doesn’t have potential to be excellent but this was the case for this one.
I am looking forward to see 108 in their final setting both with a little more time to develop the menu which I am sure has further potential, but mostly to experience the atmosphere of their very own restaurant. So far it seems that it has a clear identity from Noma as a great supplement in stead of a competitor. It was great value for money and I will off course return.
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