When partners Christian Lytje and Torben Klitbo launched their first restaurant, Cofoco, seven years ago, options for dining out in Copenhagen were limited, to say the least...
When partners Christian Lytje and Torben Klitbo launched their first restaurant, Cofoco, seven years ago, options for dining out in Copenhagen were limited, to say the least. “You could either go to a Michelin-starred restaurant or a shitty Thai place,” Lytje remembers. “People would only go out to celebrate something, but now Mondays can be as busy as Saturdays. I think we were part of starting that.”
Over the past few years Copenhagen has become one of Europe’s culinary capitals, not only because of high concept places such as Noma and Relae, but also for the growing number of brasserie-style restaurants serving fresh, simple dishes using Nordic ingredients. This straightforward approach is exemplified by the ten distinct restaurants that Lytje and Klitbo now run. While each is a different proposition – Spuntino is an Italian eatery, Les Trois Chochons is a bistro etc – what they all have in common is that they are welcoming, well-designed and modestly-priced. In essence, they all embrace the concept of “hygge,” a deeply ingrained part of Danish life which at its core means striving for a perfectly-pitched atmosphere with an emphasis on warmth, style and companionship. For a visitor to one of Lytje and Klitbo’s restaurants, hygge translates as a relaxed, attractive space that is at once minimalist and cosy, with soft lighting and a bright atmosphere. “We're both from the south of Denmark, which is considered hillbilly country,” Lytje explains. “Our parents still live there, and when we plan a new restaurant we always ask ourselves whether they would feel comfortable. We don't want to exclude anybody.”
Cofoco is situated in the bohemian district of Vesterbro. The L-shaped dining room features original Christian Dell table lamps, and a subdued palette that blends seamlessly with the mid-century Danish design. This attention to detail is echoed by a seasonal menu of small, refined plates suited for anything from a light meal to a more expansive spread. Highlights for us included the beef with leek, truffle, rye bread and lovage mayo, the Danish smoked eel with egg, hazelnut and pear, and the standout young chicken nuggets with pickled cucumbers and the house’s mayonnaise. The wine list features a good selection of natural French and Italian wines.
Situated across town on a rough-and-ready street in the Nørrebro District, Oysters & Grill is a composite of Mediterranean holiday kitsch and New York warehouse charm. Colourful plastic tablecloths, exposed brick, white walls and a young staff in Breton shirts lend the place a trendy, lively buzz. Having opened just last year, it already feels like one of the city’s most well-loved casual dining spots. Easy-to-share platters of oysters, Spanish-grilled prawns, mixed shellfish and Norwegian lobster, as well as soft-shell crab and a variety of steak cuts, makes this a perfect place for a mid-week dinner with champagne.
Seemingly unable to rest, Lytje and Klitbo are now tackling their next culinary challenge. Responding to the lack of high quality and organic food shops in Copenhagen, they have recently launched a butcher’s counter and a frozen food service at Torvehallerne, the city’s newest market in the centre of town, featuring around 80 different stalls. Lytje is excited about all the changes that have taken place of late, telling us that while things have already shifted dramatically in the Danish relationship to food, “If you come back in a few years’ time it will be completely different here again.”
Text by Ananda Pellerin
Ananda and Neil visited Cofoco and Oysters & Grill on Monday August 29 2011, at 6pm and 8pm, respectively. To see the other articles in The Hunger's culinary tour of Copenhagen see here.
Ananda Pellerin is a London-based writer and Neil Wissink is a visual artist also based in London. More from The Hunger here, and contact The Hunger here.
