Tristin Farmer and his team set up shop inside Tivoli at the Japanske Tårn. The Copenhagen weather could not have been better when we visited, summer at its best.
We always try to go to Nimb’s pop-ups, for us an excellent opportunity to try some of the best restaurants in the world. Last time it was Hiša Franko, which you can read about here. This time it was Maison Dali. Honestly, I did not have high expectations. A Dubai restaurant!?
King Crab – Fermented Pineapple – Tarragon – Trout Roe
I could not have been more wrong. The Scot, Tristin Farmer, had been flying under my radar—but not my wife’s. He had worked his way through Andrew Fairlie in Scotland, then moved on to Gordon Ramsay—four years at Claridge’s, then Pétrus, and finally Gordon Ramsey at Hospital Road with its three Michelin stars.
After that, he moved on again and joined the Frantzén Group. He worked at Frantzén in Stockholm, helped to launch Zén in Singapore, and under his leadership, Zén reached three Michelin stars.
Right, that turned into a resumé. Or a foodie fan’s resumé. But I did not know. Now I know. And now you do too. I will be following this talented chef, and if he ever opens a restaurant in Scotland, we will be there.
"Food has to be delicious and make people smile"
Mackerel – Arctic Raspberry – Smoked Apple – Sansho
Tristin is a super humble, down-to-earth chef, the kind you would want to share a dram with in front of the fire and hear all the kitchen stories.
When we were at Tivoli, it was overrun by thousands of teenage girls, all drifting around waiting for their favourite artist to take the stage.
I could not help thinking we were all there to see our own kind of star. Ours just happened to serve quail and caviar. I like Veronica Maggio too, but let us be honest, Tristin probably cooks better.
Smoked Langoustine – Truffle – Juniper – Kinome and a red candle…
We went there with friends on Summer Solstice for a 12-course lunch.
And yes, it made us smile, and the food was delicious. What makes us happy is when there is a “red thread” in the flavours in the dishes. This time literally. A red thread held the menu together, and it continued nicely into the dishes that kept coming out at an excellent pace.
The only odd thing was a single red Christmas candle on the table. It looked like someone had left half the Advent display behind.
Potato Mochi – Cacio e pepe – Black Truffle – Saint Felicien
The starter snack, puffed rice (?) just on the brink of being overpowered by seashell flavours. So simple, and so hard to get it right.
The first dish followed the same path—Mahogany clam with shiso and cucumber, and just the right amount of wasabi for a touch of heat. Perfect. Looking back through the menu and the pictures, this was a phenomenal lunch. My wife loved the potato mochi with truffle. To be fair, it was outstanding.
Fried Quail – Caviar – Nori – Kosho
So was the smoked langoustine. And their take on KFC—the fried quail with caviar, nori, and kinome. Yes, the crispy coating went a bit soft under the caviar. Nitpicking at its finest. But hey, it was FRIED quail. And yes, it brought a smile. And the ending in the sun, Matcha ice cream with pistachio and amazake. What an ending!
Momo – Lemon Verbena – Elderflower – Silver Needle & Tristin Farmer presenting the Ice Cream – Milk – Matcha – Pistachio – Amazake dish.
At the time I did not realise it, but looking back, it was one of the best meals I had had in a long time.
Hats off, Tristin!
Slàinte.
If you happen to be in Copenhagen, and care about food, it is worth booking a table before they close on the 12th of July. After that, you will have to go to Dubai for it, whether that sounds appealing or not.
Yes, if Tristin Farmer opens a restaurant in Scotland, then absolutely.
Yes
If you have been, feel free to share your experience in the comments
