Höst had been on my radar for quite some time, both as half of a foodie couple, and as a tour guide. I’m always being asked about affordable but authentic options for experiencing New Nordic cuisine in Copenhagen, and I’d already been recommending Höst based on the great things I’d heard from both locals and travellers. It was time to give it a try, and I would not be disappointed.
On arrival, we were led through a series of small dining rooms, then down the stairs. Initially concerned about being seated in a basement, I was met with a cozy, candlelit room with rustic furnishings. The restaurant is far larger than it looks from the outside, but it maintains a sense of intimacy and the setting is romantic.
Höst offers a choice of two 3-course set menus – the Höst Menu (325 DKK) or the Signature Menu (425 DKK) – or you can order various components à la carte. It was a very difficult choice to make, as everything looked incredible. In the end, I chose the Host menu, while my chef-foodie-boyfriend Konstantin went with the Signature – I figured that way we could try a bit of everything! We also went with a homemade juice pairing menu for 125 DKK.
We soon discovered that a 3-course menu at Höst does not mean three courses. Our first surprise was a duo: home baked rye bread rolls, and beetroot macarons with an oyster mayonnaise and burnt hay. Not normally a big fan of beetroot, I was unsure, but the macarons melted in my mouth, and I loved every bite. Next up were our starters – I had a tasty hake dish, with tomatoes, a mussel sauce, and flakes of frozen cheese, while Konstantin had a Norwegian lobster (langoustine) tail with a lobster broth, and a fried chicken foot on the side. I know what you’re thinking, but I tried a bit of everything on that dish, and was again pleasantly surprised. You don’t eat the chicken foot per se, but nibble on the crispy skin, which was full of flavour. Our first juice was apple-cucumber, which even though I dislike cucumbers, I really enjoyed, as it was nice and refreshing.
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| Norwegian lobster tail with crispy chicken foot |
Our next ‘bonus courses’ were doughy, fishy rolls with a cream cheese topped with salmon, and a teeny bowl of warm broth. The broth was delicious, and I loved the fresh lingonberries, but the duck heart hidden within was too much for me – I tried a tiny piece just to be adventurous, but just couldn’t finish it, though the broth and other components were happily lapped up.
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| Duck heart broth with lingonberries |
For my main course: pork belly with broccoli, yellow peas, and a plum glaze. It was succulent, if a bit fatty, but that is the nature of the cut – and I loved the combination of pork and plum. The Signature Menu’s main was beef tenderloin, with trumpet mushrooms, pickled onions, and corn. The flavours were very unusual but enjoyable. The second juice pairing was our favourite – a tangy lemon-thyme concoction, which I could have had three more glasses of.
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| Pork belly with plum glaze |
Then, the pre-dessert, which was one of the highlights of the meal: a sea-buckthorn (a very Danish fruit) purée with a creamy topping and a powder that explodes in your mouth with the effect of Pop Rocks.
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| Pre-dessert |
The Höst dessert was salted caramel ice cream with meringue and a delicious raspberry powder. I wasn’t as much of a fan of the malt paste on the bottom, or the chervil throughout, but overall a nice finish to the meal. The Signature dessert was a birch bark ice cream, which I was unsure of but it was sweet and delicious. It was accompanied by strawberries, chocolate, and truffles. The third juice – raspberry – was not as unique as the first two, but was incredibly good, and perfect to drink with dessert. We finished with coffee and tea, and a final bite: chocolate petits-fours.
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| Salted caramel ice cream with meringue and malt |
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| Birch bark ice cream with strawberry and chocolate |
It was a fantastic meal. The food was an incredible culinary adventure, and the atmosphere, service, and value made it a memorable evening. Not only will I continue to recommend Höst for a true New Nordic experience, I will do so with gusto! And I will be back to Höst.
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