By Susan JAMES

Two hundred miles north of the Arctic Circle I wasn’t expecting to find gourmet cuisine. Yes, Oslo has six Michelin-starred restaurants offering sophisticated spins on Nordic food, but I was exploring my Norwegian roots in Tromsø, so far north it seemed like the edge of the known world. Nansen and Amundsen had left from here hoping to reach the North Pole. I didn’t really expect to find much in the way of original food. I was wrong. 

Two Norwegian friends, Harald and Ellen, who knew Tromsø’s hot spots, offered to introduce me to local restaurants that offered adventures in Arctic cooking. Our first stop for dinner was Bardus Bistro (Cora Sandelsgate 4), an intimate restaurant of eccentric angles and private corners. Our table was surrounded by stocked bookshelves that gave me the feeling I was doing the forbidden: eating in the library. Bardus specializes in local meats and fish and my succulent reindeer steak with red lingonberries, green Brussels sprouts and red wine sauce on a bed of creamed Mandel potatoes looked like Christmas on a plate – until I realized I was eating Rudolph. With many apologies to Santa, the steak was delicious.

Lunch the next day was across from the old wooden Tromsø Cathedral in Emma’s Dream Kitchen (Kirkegata 8). The heart of the menu featured traditional cod dishes that are the foundation of northern Norwegian cooking. But Emma’s has added a twist. The semi-dried cod was mixed with tiny shrimp, macaroni and béchamel sauce under a crumb crust, turning it into that ever-popular Tromsø specialty: mac and cheese fish pie. Served with tiny roast potatoes, shredded fresh carrots and a topping of minced bacon, this was authentic northern cuisine taken up a notch.

Down the Størgata, Tromsø’s main shopping street, was Mack Brewery (Muségata 1). Founded in 1877 it’s the world’s northern-most brewery and one of Norway’s oldest. Attached to the brewery itself is the pub or Ølhallen where on cold winter days the local population hangs out. Fishermen resting their boats and farmers in from the countryside and now visitors from around the world lounge over a pint at the long bar or talk politics at tiny tables. We sampled the Isbyørn or Polar Bear pilsner and I was a convert. The brewery offers public tours explaining the mysteries of beer brewing, each tank of percolating power painted with the face of a musician whose music was playing when the beer began its maturation process. Ringo Starr, Johnny Cash and Patti LuPone all gazed down at me from their signature tanks.

We ate our final night’s dinner at Mathallen (Grønnegata 58/60), a restaurant and delicatessen that prides itself on locally sourced, seasonal produce cooked in traditional ways but with a modern take. Sitting after-hours at a long wooden table on the delicatessen side was like being seated at chef’s table. On the menu was a starter of whole new potatoes in a cream sauce served with Arctic fish roe, a side of crisp shoestring potatoes and a sprinkling of delicate edible flowers. 

After a presentation of Norway’s signature clipfish, a semi-dried cod served with fresh pea shoots, tarragon, onion and capers, we arrived at the main course, a filet of north Norwegian lamb in red wine. The final flourish was a dessert of forest strawberries and clotted cream. There was no doubt my Norwegian roots had been stirred by Tromsø’s culinary creativity. And there was still time left for one last Isbjørn.

For further information, visit: www.innovationnorway.no,  www.visitnorway.com or www.northernnorway.com.

  susan james