We were very close to a place I had picked out for smorresbrod. I usually make a map of all the recommended restaurants and interesting places, then kind of wander without a strict schedule. If we get peckish I look at my map and there is usually a place nearby. Today it was the Cafe GL. Torv. The building, which houses the cafe, was built on top of an old moat – with beer bottling and food servicr since 1671.
It was some of the best food I have ever eaten. I expected it to just be herring, herring, herring, but there was a dazzling array of open-faced sandwiches. I don’t drink much these days, but I noticed a drink being served at another table with a very long story, and I am a sucker for a good story.
So, a barrel of this aquavit was forgotten on its trip to India, and returned to Denmark. It turned out that the longer maturing time and the rolling seas of the trip had made a smoother, more rounded spirit. Today they distill the aquavit with special herbs and spices like caraway and star anise, then pour it into sherry casks and send it on a long ocean journey across the equator and back.
So how was it? Well, to me, all this stuff tastes like rubbing alcohol. So, it was a smoother, more rounded rubbing alcohol with notes of caraway and star anise.
It was a smorresbrod restaurant, and they recommended two per person, which was way too much. The Green “pliace was possibly the best sandwich, Pliace is a fish, but this was battered and fried Jerusalem artichoke, like a vegan fish and chips. It was amaaazing!
We also ordered a roasted beef, which was cooked to just the right level of pinkness and topped with vegetables, fried onions and edible flowers. Delicious!
Pork roast with mushrooms
And basically a Danish avocado toast with super ripe avocado, smoked and fried onions, aioli and egg.
The most traditional of the sandwiches was shrimp and dill. We were stuffed! I wanted to return later in the trip but didn’t get a chance.
