It’s been a few days since I stopped by the Geist restaurant in Copenhagen. But just like my visit to Ten Bells, I thought: Damn, why isn’t there something like this in Hamburg?
I had found my way to Geist thanks to a recommendation from the team at Noma. After all, there are an incredible number of exciting and very different restaurants in Copenhagen at the moment. Geist is the latest venture from Bo Bech, who previously led Paustian in Copenhagen to a Michelin star and then played the Danish restaurant tester on the TV show Med kniven for struben.
But for my occasion, a small, very late dinner following the first Mad Monday in Copenhagen, Geist seemed like just the right and uncomplicated choice; in particular, the space at the large counter with a direct view of the exceptionally dark kitchen was perfect. In general, the spirit is kept extremely dark and at the same time extremely clear, modern and in a pleasantly unpretentious way also very chic.
There is no fixed menu, but a compact card from which four or five small dishes (or more or less) can be combined quite individually.Of course, I relied on the recommendations of the very friendly and informative service.
Spinach lightly stewed with samphire and pimento
I can’t remember ever eating spinach this delicious. Absolutely fresh, only very lightly sauteed, plus the very spicy combination of sea fennel(?) and allspice and a light fresh cheese component in the sauce – perfect.
White radish with creamy oyster was also recommended to me.
Also reduced to a few ingredients. Tasty and fresh, but a bit monotonous over the size of the portion and tasting too intensely of oyster. Smaller would be better here.
Potato mash with brown stone crab and salted butter
Perfect puree, tender crab meat, almost to put in.
I liked it extremely well in spirit and – for Danish standards – you can try many small treasures here at an extremely good price/performance ratio in a wonderful, young and very urban atmosphere and at the same time let the view wander through the kitchen or out of the large windows over the always busy Kongens Nytorv…
Impressions from the mind
Spirit
Kongens Nytorv 8
1050 København K
Denmark
(+45) 3313 3713
mail@restaurantgeist.dk
