Restaurant Kontrast

While pricey, one of the best meals I’ve had. Great dining and culinary experience with local Norwegian ingredients made with care and expertise. At one point, i was more impressed by the creativity of how many steps it took to prepare one part of one dish! The dinner took quite a bit of time, but did not seemed slow or rushed. The service was excellent - not pretentious - my questions were answered genuinely. Too many delicious courses to name favorites, or remember how they were prepared. If you have the chance, and the funds, a must go! (With a wine pairing!)

Kontrast was our second Michelin star restaurant experience in Oslo. It has 2 red and a green stars. We really loved the place, cozy, welcoming. Seating area is facing the kitchen. Music selection was a perfect match for our age and I couldn’t helped my self to sing. Also, another table joined and we started chatting. Now we have new friends to visit in Prague. Food, atmosphere, service all was so good, a nite to remember. Also, we added up another signed menu to our collection. Don’t miss!

One of the best fine dining experience ever! Nordic food is often being underrated when it comes to food but just like what the staff said, nordic cuisine has started to establish its own kind of style and quality in the last decade and we were very happy that we didn’t miss out Kontrast in our trip. Food and service, all amazing. Kontrast is the kind of fine dining that doesn’t make you feel stressed, it’s a very pleasant and friendly experience and just highly recommended :)

what a privilege it is to be able to experience food like this!!! impeccable service and food presentation. the snacks were good and courses that came after were excellent. the whole experience 10/10. definitely a reservation worth making :)

Great food and service, but overpriced with a disappointing wine pairing Restaurant Kontrast delivers refined, well-executed dishes — the food was genuinely very good, creative, and beautifully presented. Service was also excellent: attentive, professional, and well-paced. However, having dined at several Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, I have to say this was by far the most expensive, and the value simply doesn’t match the price. We opted for the “Premium Wine Pairing,” which is advertised as the equivalent of one bottle of wine per person. In reality, it was barely one bottle for two at most. The pours were very small, and the wines themselves were nothing special — quite underwhelming for the price. This may be typical in Norway, where alcohol is notoriously expensive and servings are conservative, but even so, the quality and quantity of the wine pairing was a major letdown. In short, the food is excellent and worth trying, but I strongly advise against the premium pairing if you’re expecting a true high-end wine experience.

I'm always hesitant to believe the hype at fancy restaurants like this but we had the most amazing evening here. The food was unforgettable and I was particularly taken with the thoughtful flavors of the NA pairing options. We were there for four hours but it felt like no time we enjoyed ourselves so much. And the service was so professional but also inviting and friendly.

Out of all the michelins, this one takes the cake. Even with one vegetarian menu, we've never had such attentive service and varied dishes. Divine flavours and just an overall calm vibe of the place. They are experts in their art.

Wonderful experience overall. We had our reservation at 18:00. Arrived 15mins early just in case, but the doors are shut untill 18:00. No waiting area, just had to stand outside the door. When the time came we were invited to go in, took off our coats ourselves and was escorted then to a sofa area for the 1st part of the experience. There, we were served some snacks (which all were exquisite, except for the duck which was a bit too salty and strong). Here you get a drink menu where you can order your drinks. After finishing the beautiful snacks, you are moved to the main dining area, where the real deal begins. Will not spoil the main dishes for you in the reviews, but overall they were heavenly. Pairing: I got the juice pairing, as I am not fond of alcohol. All the juices seemed to be made there, making there own mix of infusions, fruit and veggie juices. It is worth a try. Service: was very nice and attentive. However, some waiters were a bit difficult to understand clearly, specially when the name of the ingredient was not familiar to me. Lastly, I went on December and the interior temperature was a bit chilly for just one thin long sleeve. A thin jacket, sweater or thicker sleeves would have been a better choice.

While traveling throughout Norway with my friends, I wanted to cap off the trip with a nice fine dining restaurant in Oslo to really showcase what Scandinavian cuisine had to offer. Fortunately, we were able to make a reservation at Kontrast for dinner and see what a 2-Michelin star place was like in Norway. The interior decor is modern and upscale, giving a great vibe that I would expect from a restaurant of this caliber. The service was top-notch, with friendly service and detailed explanations of the dishes we would eat. One of the dishes that stood out to me during this meal was the duck liver brulee with sunflower seeds, a course that had rich, caramelized meaty flavor that was grounded by the nuttiness of the seeds. Another one that I enjoyed a lot was the grilled langoustine, a succulent piece of seafood with a charred exterior that really showcased the quality of their ingredients. I was also a big fan of the reindeer from Jotunheimen that came with beetroots from Dalen farm. My group originally had tried reindeer meat at a different restaurant earlier in the trip and didn't enjoy it that much since it was too gamey for us. However, this reindeer was much better in quality and filled with a lot of flavor while not being too overwhelming. Finally, the desserts of sea buckthorn with woodruff and blueberry with black koji were a great way to end the meal. The presentation of these dishes were well-executed, and the tartness of the dishes went well with the sweeter counterparts in each. Overall, although Kontrast is on the pricey side I enjoyed the experience and am glad I was able to sample the best of what Norway had to offer!

I dined here soon after the restaurant was elevated to two Michelin Stars. It certainly is a two star restaurant but I wasn't blown away. Main complaint as a solo diner is that it seemed my servings were being paced with larger, slower tables around me. Moving as fast as I possibly could, this was nearly a 3.5 hour excursion--too long for me. Second is that the sourdough bread, while paired with aesthetically pleasing butter, really didn't have the same freshness or taste as Savage or Arakataka. N/A drink pairing was cool but during such a long dinner it started to feel overwhelmingly juicy/sugary. Highlight dish for me was the special mushroom. A nice blend of high-end Scandinavian tastes here but I found Savage to be more exciting and better paced (2.5 hours compared to 3.25).

Born in Skåne Mikael Svensson began his career in Oslo before stints with 3* Spaniards Quique Dacosta and Martin Berasategui, a focus on "organic and ethically sourced Ingredients from within Norway" seeing Restaurant Kontrast show off local producers and the Animals they raise. Stating "the end result is never better than the quality of the Product you start with," a fact frequently overlooked in today's low-cost and convenience driven market, it is through temperatures and textures frequently found in juxtaposition that Svensson builds layered bites tied together through the use of acid, fermentation and Herbs. A fifteen-course tasting that begins in the lounge, cement floors and exposed ceilings creating an industrial feel that magnifies noise from other tables, opening bites consist of bold flavors such as Scallops with bitter Vegetables and Shrimp with Horseradish before moving on to a delicate Donut followed by a Pork Blood Croustade topped in Vinegar-splashed Cheese. Going down the street for a Sunchoke and Tim Wendelboe Coffee before taking a seat in front of the open kitchen, just five Chefs running three seatings simultaneously, a vibrant White Wine from Hungary proved adept to handling first Turnips and Sea Snails with Caviar then poignant Crab Curry imbued with Garum atop Carrots and Sour Cream. Refusing to outsource Sauces, Mikael's XO a three-year process made on-site, Crucifers spung to life before Wild Halibut and Chicken with Mushrooms, Soy and a complex reduction featuring Yellow Wine with Sweet Corn. Slowing as the room filled up, lengthy waits between courses seeing the final four items take longer than the first eight, aged Lamb brought plenty of flavor to match Cherries plus Coffee before frozen Kraftkar Bleu Cheese and Sunflower Seed Ice Cream shocked the palate in preparation for elegantly arranged Plums followed by Mignardises.

Well. The whole experience is not there. Food choices are not that creative and subtle. One of the dish including one super thin fried onion that I found way too strong which completely destroy the whole thing. Well when I asked the chef to come and talk about it, he didn't even want to come over. Drinks are ok, but just ok. Atmosphere is not really well designed and managed so it looks like a normal restaurant which doesn't justify this price. So one of the worse food experience in Oslo. Not recommend at all. You are wasting money, and more importantly, time.

We ate here in July of 2022 on a trip across Scandinavia. It was one of our favorite Michelin rated restaurants on the trip. The venue is a bit non-descript and industrial, which lets the food and staff shine. Each dish was a unique spin on traditional Norwegian food. We did the 10 course menu and it was a lot of food. The wine pairing was fantastic and the sommelier from France was on point. We would definitely visit again.

My first ever Michelin-starred restaurant experience. I was here earlier this month and everything was amazing! I came here with a group of people and we ate in the chambre for the 10-course dinner/wine meny. I was impressed by the staff, as they were highly professional, passionate, and very serious about their art. I look forward to coming here again.

Restaurant: 5 * Where did I hear about the restaurant: Media / Friends * Booking: Phone ( Book way ahead ) * Location: Oslo east (Vulcan) * Exterior: New building, clean look * Interior: Simple and rustic * Type of restaurant: Scandinavian gastro bistro The food: 5+ * Appearance: Perfect * Texture: Perfect * Spices: Balanced * Complexity: To the core * Taste: Perfect taste Wine / Drinks: 4 * Wine selection: Good selection * Beer / Drinks: Very good * Coffee / Other : ok * Wine price: mid range Atmosphere: 5 * The restaurant: Open kitchen and a really nice atmosphere. * Waitor / Waitress: Perfect Price: 4,5 * Price level: Good, The meny and the wine package has a good price. * Value: Good value Summary: Average score 4,9 (Almost perfect) I had high hopes for this place and chef Mikael, and I must say I was in no way disappointed, we were warm welcomed at the restaurant and seated next to the kitchen (5 people) we ordered the full menu and the wine package (changed the main course red wine) but when we started we kept the wine choice and added our win because the wine package where perfect to the meny. All the courses where perfect, my favourite was the smoked lamb that day and it was one of the best meals I have ever had!! There were no disappointment's that evening. Kontrast is one of Oslo's best restaurants right now (if not the best) looking forward to my next visit. Best experience of the day was the lamb (and the wine package) Negative on this restaurant is hard to find.. if one thing it might be the petit four at the end ( average)

Does this place have a Michelin star yet? It's better than some places I've been to that had one. Simply amazing. You can see/taste the Nordic heritage but still modern and incredibly creative. Each course was inventive, delicious, and beautiful. Icing on the cake is the beautiful decor and great service.

A perfect New Nordic dinner. Coming on the heels of other wonderful Danish & Norwegian new restaurants, Kontrast strives for greatness & achieves It throughout. Perfectly timed service. Great wine recs. Caring staff & full flavored dishes. Owner Chef & entire staff collaborate like a well oiled machine & guests feel satisfied & privileged

High end dining. New Norwegian / Nordic style. I have to mention Kontrasts amazing non-alcoholic drinking menu right away. They make custom drinks for each dish. Cold brewed teas, fruit extracts... The drinks outclass the winepairings, which are excellent also. Recommend a try, even if you love wine, which I do. Fantastic service. Exciting food. Set chefs menus. Inform the kitchen about allergies and wait to see what they prepare. The restaurant is a "reservation only" business. This means the atmosphere is calm, professional, no traffic in the doorway, never a lack of staff and you feel welcome and "invited" upon arrival. Quite nice. They register your visa info upon reservation, to avoid last minute cancellations. I recommend this venue to food lovers, for celebrations (they have a chambre separe) and for romantic occasions. Business, especially foreign visitors. The atmosphere encourages conversation. The dinners here quickly take hours. I recommend a short stroll halfway through the meal to stretch the legs. Akerselva is right next to the restaurant.

This is an extraordinary place. We treated ourselves to the full tasting menu for our honeymoon and it was a meal to remember. Each course was locally sourced, thoughtfully prepared, and artistically served. In one of our courses we tried the world's best cheese. Staff, hostess, and sommelier were knowledgeable, courteous, and dignified, which added to the entire dining experience. Wine pairings were exquisite--excellent complements to each course. We will never forget our spectacular meal here and wish we could return to Norway to relive it!

Well worth the acclaim. Incredible food, service. One knock is that they could have been a tad more generous with the wine pairing pour but otherwise an incredible experience.

Super high end tasting menu restaurant with wine pairings. This means great mini-bites, not a meal. Choose the 6 or 10 course. Good for special occasions. Food was great, almost too pretty to eat.

Had an amazing night experiencing the 10 course menu with wine. Thought I knew wine but was surprised at some of the hidden gems that worked perfectly with the food. Each Dish was unique and embodied the essence of Local Norwegian style. The Restaurant was also very communicative and easily accommodated one of our parties request due to dietary restrictions. Overall a fabulous night.

I might be the black sheep here but I've been to many Michelin star restaurants, and this one is beyond disappointing. They rest their laurels on their stars and that is clear. The food was fair at best, the service was miserable and it was clear the server had no intention of helping their customers enjoy the food journey that normally comes with this type of restaurant. No one cared enough to tell us what we were eating or why they paired certain wines with the dish. When we asked these questions, the pretentiousness was evident. Often we were left without water to choke down some of the courses and they were not generous with the wine pours for our wine pairing. The one thing that did keep us intrigued was the two lone attractive diners who ended up joining together in one table to enjoy the rest of the courses. (Scandal! The very friendly woman was married and not to the very friendly guy that joined her) At the end of it all, there was not a server to be seen and we had to find someone to bring us the bill. We paid the bill in disgust and then walked to the front to gather our checked belongings. After waiting for 5 minutes, I went behind the curtain to get our coats and we gladly left this pitiful excuse for a fine dining restaurant to enjoy drinks and more food (we were still hungry) at the outdoor market place. Save yourself a couple of hundred dollars and go elsewhere.