Michael U.
Yelp
The first Michelin starred Restaurant in Copenhagen, no small feat in a city that at one time contained San Pellegrino's "World's Best Restaurant" Era Ora is more than a place to eat, it is an act of resistance and commitment in an era where nearly everything else of note has allowed "New Nordic" to change the way it's Chefs cook and think.
Opened in 1983 and currently toqued by Antonio Di Criscio, the family owned and operated space in Christianshavn found along one of the area's canals on the opposite side of Torvegade from kadeau, Era Ora defines its style of cooking as "Italian Inner Fusion," nearly 90% of the ingredients including basics like Flour brought in from Italy to focus on influences dating back to the Romans and Greeks with a focus on creating new ideas with ancient roots, the idea operating without regard for Copenhagen's Cold and Dark Winters or all-out embrace of ideas such as pickling and foraging.
Open Lunch and Dinner Monday through Saturday save for five Holidays, the current manager a youthful American Born Dane from California, it was on Tuesday afternoon that a total of only three guests dining at separate tables made their way into the restaurant decorated in Peach, Green, Floral Images and luxe Textiles, things admittedly 'slow' on weekday afternoons despite a relative bargain 598DKK 4-course Chef's Tasting that becomes around nine plates plus Bread when accounting for Canapes and Amuses.
Describing 'inner fusion' as the idea that although distinctly "Italian" the food at Era Ora attempts to put ingredients from several regions on one plate, no specific style embraced across dishes of Antipasta, Pasta, Fish, Meat, Cheese or Dessert or a Wine list nearly 600 Bottles deep and almost exclusively from Italy, every meal at Era Ora begins by way of an Anti-pasti platter incorporating several big flavors, on this day a trio of Marinated Zucchini with Bell Pepper, a Tapioca Crisp perfumed in Licorice plus Mint and a pickled Turnip smeared in Garlic all vibrant and fresh with a piece of robustly crusted Sourdough served without Butter or Oil quick to follow.
Explaining that Bread is intended only for scarpetta at Era Ora, the open crumb certainly well suited to the task of mopping up elegant Sauces across the plates to follow, it was next atop four stones that Chef Di Criscio welcomed diners, the trio of Crisps each showing off a different type of Grain from Italy and topped with everything from Raw Langoustine to housemade Ricotta and Wild Boar Bresaola shot and cured by the staff, the final bite a small pot of Sheep's Milk Cheese topped in Hazelnuts atop mashed Fava Beans.
Italian for 'about time,' a concept embraced by both Era Ora's cuisine and art displaying the sun and moon in the foyer, it was perhaps forty minutes after seating that the first proper course of the menu was presented, the Manager playing the role of server and describing a flavor profile that started sweet and ended with a bit of spice, the fact that Opuntia grows in Italy previously unknown but the gel of its Fruit doing a beautiful job of highlighting the Halibut while also mellowing the Peppers imported from Tuscany.
Well portioned for a tasting menu, each course enough to give diners an opportunity to explore ingredients on their own and then in combination, course two was a fortunate find for those who live in parts of the world where Salt Cod is not considered a delicacy, the three Black Raviolis stuffed just short of bursting with creamy filling and a lot of brine that found itself well met by confit Tomatoes, a light Cream Sauce ringed in Parsley Oil and pan-seared Chickpeas.
Sopping up every last drop of Sauce from the Pasta and accenting to a continuation of lunch, the kitchen clearly working well beneath capacity and thus happy to fire plates at a pace dictated by diners, the day's entrée was served with a story about how importing Veal allows the restaurant to skirt Denmark's Laws forbidding the butchering of young Animals, a thick sirloin lightly fried and fork-tender on a backdrop of Egg Yolks and Vinegar plus sautéed Leeks and Haricot Verts.
Taking a pass on Cheese, the 100DKK Supplement not a favorite as offered topped in Chipotle and Parsley, it was with a dish featuring Peaches imported the day prior that the meal ended, a disc of tangy Semifreddo anchoring ingredients including Ice Cream, Nasturtium Flowers, Chocolate Mousse and Mint, the individual flavors pleasant and an ability to mix and match interesting but none of it really congruent in the way that the dishes before it had been and thus an unfortunate way to end what was otherwise a noteworthy meal in a Restaurant that stands out in a dining scene that sometimes seems flawed by conformity.
