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A taste of Norway with seafood and cloudberries at I’m Angus Steak House
The roasted langoustine sits on a confit of leeks and Gruyere cheese
Although nothing beats local comfort food, I still grab the opportunity to sample other cuisines so I can taste the world one plate at a time. Recently, my palate got to explore premium Norwegian cooking by Chef Markus Peter Dybwad, who was hosted by I’m Angus Steak House.
Ironically, my first visit to this meat mecca of a restaurant wasn’t for its famous steaks but for the fine seafood creations by the visiting chef from Baerum, Norway. He currently resides in the UK where he works as a sous chef at Heston Blumenthal's famous The Fat Duck in Berkshire.
Dybwad, who has worked in a slew of restaurants around Norway, France, Sweden, and Singapore, is in town to offer Pinoys a taste of Norway from May 20 to 29. “A leap, like going from the English countryside and running pastry in a three-star restaurant to promoting seafood products from the region of my origin in Southeast Asia, is just the type of challenge that makes it all worthwhile to me,” he said.
Traveling to Norway through my taste buds
This young and up-and-coming chef highlighted the best seafood from his hometown and even incorporated some local ingredients in his kitchen creations.
At a recent lunch degustation, our gastronomic journey began with assorted canapés that were topped with bits and pieces of pickled herring, smoked eel, smoked salmon, and bleak roe.
Each mouthful was an explosion of different flavors from the sea. The eel had a smoky taste, the roe wasn’t as salty as I expected, and the salmon was simply divine. I would have gone back for seconds but I thought I should save space for more Norwegian treats.
Our appetizer was a stylishly plated Royale of Norwegian Blue Mussels with cucumber, roe and seaweed. The chef got the juices from the shellfish and combined it with gelatin to create this dish. I could smell a hint of aroma from the mussel-flavored gelatin, and it had a complementary taste that was just right and not overpowering at all.
It paired well with a glass of Charles de Fère Chardonnay Brut, a dry, sparkling wine from France.
Then came the gazpacho, a bowl of cold soup made with fennel and chewy bits of fish. This Fennel Gazpacho with Ceviche of Sterling Halibut had a light, clean-tasting broth that went perfectly with the summer vegetable. I’m not really fond of cold soups, but this one had a citrusy aftertaste that made it a zestier dish. It paired well with some Boschendal 1685 Sauvignon Blanc 2013, a dry, light-bodied wine from the coastal region of South Africa.
The next dish was the one I looked forward to the most—King Crab from Varanger, Norway. The chef shared that this variety of crustacean originally came from Russia and migrated to the waters of Norway. The boiled crab was removed from its shell, which made it easy to eat. It was served with pomelo, mayonnaise and basil—an interesting combination of ingredients that made it more savory. The mayo was sweet and creamy and the pomelo was just juicy. I believe I could have eaten the whole crab if it were served on my plate!
Ironically, my first visit to this meat mecca of a restaurant wasn’t for its famous steaks but for the fine seafood creations by the visiting chef from Baerum, Norway. He currently resides in the UK where he works as a sous chef at Heston Blumenthal's famous The Fat Duck in Berkshire.
Dybwad, who has worked in a slew of restaurants around Norway, France, Sweden, and Singapore, is in town to offer Pinoys a taste of Norway from May 20 to 29. “A leap, like going from the English countryside and running pastry in a three-star restaurant to promoting seafood products from the region of my origin in Southeast Asia, is just the type of challenge that makes it all worthwhile to me,” he said.
Traveling to Norway through my taste buds
Chef Markus Peter Dybwad. Photo courtesy of I'm Angus Steak House
At a recent lunch degustation, our gastronomic journey began with assorted canapés that were topped with bits and pieces of pickled herring, smoked eel, smoked salmon, and bleak roe.
Each mouthful was an explosion of different flavors from the sea. The eel had a smoky taste, the roe wasn’t as salty as I expected, and the salmon was simply divine. I would have gone back for seconds but I thought I should save space for more Norwegian treats.
Our appetizer was a stylishly plated Royale of Norwegian Blue Mussels with cucumber, roe and seaweed. The chef got the juices from the shellfish and combined it with gelatin to create this dish. I could smell a hint of aroma from the mussel-flavored gelatin, and it had a complementary taste that was just right and not overpowering at all.
It paired well with a glass of Charles de Fère Chardonnay Brut, a dry, sparkling wine from France.
Then came the gazpacho, a bowl of cold soup made with fennel and chewy bits of fish. This Fennel Gazpacho with Ceviche of Sterling Halibut had a light, clean-tasting broth that went perfectly with the summer vegetable. I’m not really fond of cold soups, but this one had a citrusy aftertaste that made it a zestier dish. It paired well with some Boschendal 1685 Sauvignon Blanc 2013, a dry, light-bodied wine from the coastal region of South Africa.
The next dish was the one I looked forward to the most—King Crab from Varanger, Norway. The chef shared that this variety of crustacean originally came from Russia and migrated to the waters of Norway. The boiled crab was removed from its shell, which made it easy to eat. It was served with pomelo, mayonnaise and basil—an interesting combination of ingredients that made it more savory. The mayo was sweet and creamy and the pomelo was just juicy. I believe I could have eaten the whole crab if it were served on my plate!
The King Crab is served on its shell with pomelo, mayonnaise and basil
As we were served small plates for tasting, I encountered an unfamiliar saltwater fish called brill, a flatfish from the turbot family. It was plated with some anchovy cream, sauce vierge and cress. It had a mild flavor, but I made sure to accompany each flaky bite with a helping of the side salad made with tomatoes and alfalfa.
The last seafood concoction was an uncommon item in the local scene—Roasted Langoustine. The meat of the shellfish was served on top of a confit of leeks and Gruyere cheese. As I looked at the black bits floating around my bowl I heard the chef say that they intentionally added those burnt bits to create another layer of flavor.
I was told that the langoustine was roasted using wood from oak and beech trees and these affect the taste of the food. I ate every delectable morsel from my plate—even the burnt ones—and washed it down with some Chateau Bonnet Blanc 2012, a dry medium-bodied wine from France.
While we were eating, the chef explained that he used conservatory techniques in his cooking, which characterizes Scandinavian-Nordic cuisine.
Aside from the seafood specialties, another first for me was having a taste of cloudberries, a Norwegian delicacy. They say that these tarty treats grow in high-altitude marshes where grandmas would search for these berries to create desserts for their families—while keeping the berries' location a secret from others.
At the end of the meal, the chef brought us the cloudberry dessert. The golden berries were folded in muscovado sugar and served on top of a mixture of spiced cream and white chocolate. It was a light dessert and I was happy to indulge in a gourmet meal that left me satisfied but not bloated at all. — BM, GMA News
Norwegian Gastronomic Delights with Chef Markus Peter Dybwad will run from May 20 to 29 at I'm Angus Steakhouse, 7431 Yakal Street, San Antonio Village, Makati City. Order a la carte dishes or set menus. For reservations, call +63 (2) 892-6206.
The last seafood concoction was an uncommon item in the local scene—Roasted Langoustine. The meat of the shellfish was served on top of a confit of leeks and Gruyere cheese. As I looked at the black bits floating around my bowl I heard the chef say that they intentionally added those burnt bits to create another layer of flavor.
Amber-colored cloudberries from the cold Nordic marshes are combined with spiced cream, white chocolate and muscovado sugar.
While we were eating, the chef explained that he used conservatory techniques in his cooking, which characterizes Scandinavian-Nordic cuisine.
Aside from the seafood specialties, another first for me was having a taste of cloudberries, a Norwegian delicacy. They say that these tarty treats grow in high-altitude marshes where grandmas would search for these berries to create desserts for their families—while keeping the berries' location a secret from others.
At the end of the meal, the chef brought us the cloudberry dessert. The golden berries were folded in muscovado sugar and served on top of a mixture of spiced cream and white chocolate. It was a light dessert and I was happy to indulge in a gourmet meal that left me satisfied but not bloated at all. — BM, GMA News
Norwegian Gastronomic Delights with Chef Markus Peter Dybwad will run from May 20 to 29 at I'm Angus Steakhouse, 7431 Yakal Street, San Antonio Village, Makati City. Order a la carte dishes or set menus. For reservations, call +63 (2) 892-6206.
