Delicious comfort food at O’s American Breakfast & Barbecue

Last weekend, the cold really started to set in. We braced ourselves, because winter was coming (lame Game of Thrones pun alert!), with cloudy grey skies, a soft drizzle, and the ever-present icy cold wind - the kind that makes its way through all of your layers of clothes. What a dilemma, because there was a big “loppemarked” (flea market) on Ravnsborggade, which lies in central Nørrebro, just north of the lakes. It is home to local brewery Nørrebros Bryghus as well as a long list of antique and vintage stores, which were all going to be open on said Sunday last week, and I had my mind set on stumbling across some great treasures there. So we would just have to brace the weather!

In order to get the boyfriend to come with me, I had to get a bit inventive, because he’s not a fan of shopping, “old crap stores” or cold weather (seems like he didn’t get the memo that he’s Danish!). So I suggested to have a nice breakfast before, with pancakes and bacon - not surprisingly, that totally worked! I had been wanting to try out O’s American Breakfast & Barbecue, and since it’s about a 10 minute walk from Ravnsborggade, that worked out perfectly. I called and managed to book a table, and off we went.

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I had passed by the place many times, but I was quite surprised at how small it actually is inside! One small room, a counter, and an open kitchen, yet somehow they have seats for around 20-25 people in there. That naturally means you sit a bit squeezed and close to other people, but hey - who cares? a) It’s cozy, and b) it’s American! I only wish their furniture was a bit more “diner style” (booths would be awesome!) to carry the ambiance.

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We ordered coffee, juice and a milkshake (leave it to my boyfriend to order a gigantic vanilla milkshake for breakfast!), and those were all reaaaally delicious. O’s offers free refills for brewed coffee, but I’m more of a cappuccino type, so I went with that.

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They have different breakfast plates for 79 DKK, which I think is a very fair price! You get a choice of three items, which you can “mix and match” as you like. I went with French toast, sausage, hash browns, and two over easy eggs on the side, while the boyfriend chose pancakes, bacon (after all, that is what I had promised him!), hash browns, and eggs on the side.

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Again, I would like to stress that I am not American and therefore do not have any authority over the subject, but in my opinion, THIS is what pancakes should be like! They are gigantic, thick, and fluffy, begging to be soaked in syrup. Absolutely delicious! I will sing equal praise on the French toast, which was thin, nicely prepared (not soggy at all) and perfectly seasoned with vanilla and cinnamon.

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I think this is probably one of the very, very few (if not the only) places in Copenhagen where you can get hash browns. Yummy! I’m a fan! The sausage was like I know it from the States, too, so not the kind they usually serve for “continental breakfast” over here in Europe. Bacon and eggs were cooked to perfection as well.

I’d read some reviews on Yelp before that were not happy with the service, but I absolutely can’t understand that. When we were there, the staff was very friendly, sweet and attentive, our beverages and food came super fast and even though we both ordered sides and customizations, nothing got mixed up.

This charming little place has definitely made its way into my “favorite breakfast spots” list, and I already can’t wait to go back and eat more pancakes!

O’s American Breakfast & Barbecue, Øster Farimagsgade 27, 2100 Copenhagen (Østerbro)

 

Around Copenhagen: Spring and snippets

Yes, spring finally made its way to the cold, windy North, and even though I still make the mistake of being overly optimistic about the temperature (even though it looks bright and sunny, it is NEVER warm enough to wear just a shirt and blazer!), the icy winds have turned into breezes, and the wild daffodils and crocuses that started to break through a couple of weeks ago are joined by more and more trees turning green. You can even see the cherry trees blossoming, for example in our own back yard!

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I’ve been out and about a bit recently, both when my mom was visiting and with friends, and I thought I’d share some of my recent discoveries around Copenhagen in terms of food, drink, and a good time.

 

Food: Sukuri Sushi

This place recently opened up around where I live (Sluseholmen), replacing the sushi chain restaurant WabiWabi. The news of WabiWabi closing was quite sad, because I did enjoy the occasional sushi that was so convenient to pick up from there (not to mention that they make really great sushi!). BUT, my prayers were heard and another sushi shop opened up in its place, with a new chef and team, and a new menu. Needless to say, that had to be tested. And I’m more than happy to report that Sukuri more than matches WabiWabi in terms of selection and quality. I would even say that they are better! Their menu comprises everything from classic makis, inside-outs, and nigiris, to sashimi, salads, rice paper rolls with salad, chicken etc., and appetizers like soup, chicken teriyaki and spring rolls. Their rainbow rolls and the rice paper rolls are amazing, and their inside-outs offer some great new combinations that I hadn’t tasted before. Prices are definitely in the upper range, but the quality totally makes up for it. Would definitely recommend! You can eat in or order for pick-up.

http://sukurisushi.dk/  -   Facebook page

 

Drinks: SkyBar at Tivoli Hotel

When my mom was visiting, we decided to go for some pre-dinner cocktails at the SkyBar on the 12th floor of the Tivoli Hotel in downtown Copenhagen. Technically, the bar and lounge are part of  the sushi restaurant (Sticks’n’Sushi, also a great place to enjoy some delicious sushi), but you can easily just go to sit in the lounge or on one of the giant swings (yes, swings!) in the bar area, with a view over the Copenhagen canal. Their cocktails are brilliantly mixed, putting a Japanese twist on classics. They are fruity, sweet, zingy and plain delicious. Definitely always worth a visit when you’re looking to impress visitors, as you’ll be able to enjoy a 360° view over downtown Copenhagen. They also have an outside terrace for warm summer nights.

http://www.tivolihotel.com/  -  Sticks’n’Sushi & SkyBar

 

Food: The Laundromat Café

The Laundromat Café is a chain of cozy cafés around Copenhagen (and one in Reykjavic, actually!). Contrary to what the name suggests, you can’t do your laundry there, but you CAN have an amazing brunch there, or just enjoy a coffee and a sandwich. Their brunch concept is plate-based instead of a buffet, but they will serve you a great choice (fruit, pancakes, sausages, eggs, muesli, yogurt, bacon, …) and you definitely will not leave hungry. They also make great juices and their Chai Latte is one of the best ones I’ve tasted. You can’t make reservations, so be there a bit early if you want to go for weekend brunch!

Their locations are on Gammel Kongevej (Frederiksberg), Elmegade (Nørrebro) and Århusgade (Østerbro).

http://www.thelaundromatcafe.com/

 

Perfect sunny family weekend in Essen

Last weekend, I visited my sisters in Essen in the Ruhrgebiet in Germany. The weather forecast was on my side already, promising sun and warm temperatures - much, much needed, since Denmark does not seem to grasp the concept of spring… We do get sun, too, but it’s really tricky, because it’s still super cold and windy, so even though it’s April, I’m still wearing my winter coat. I did give my beloved trench a try, but soon regretted it and switched back. But it can only be a matter of weeks now until it gets warmer…

Anyway, in Essen, the weather was beautiful all weekend! I arrived late on Friday, and one of my sisters had to work, so we didn’t really do anything big Friday night. We used Saturday to catch up on some sleep and started with a big homemade brunch, before we headed out to the city to get some shopping done! My parents came out to Essen as well, so we had a lovely family “reunion”, enjoying some coffee in the sun before heading back home for a sort of “pot luck” early dinner - we basically bought and prepared all kinds of food, everything we were in the mood for, and not necessarily with a concept - awesome!

Coffee and wine - perfect spring combo!

Saturday night, it was time for some cocktails, and we chose Neon Café & Bar (http://www.facebook.com/neonessen), where they have a happy hour arrangement and make killer cocktails. Plus, the super cute server brought us free shots with cassis flavor. Definitely recommended!

Cheers!

Cheers!

On Sunday, we went to Unperfekthaus for brunch. This house is awesome, it’s relatively central in Essen, a huge, 5-story building with a large café/ restaurant area on the ground floor, and the top floors are occupied by artists’ studios, music practice rooms, community areas, etc. It’s very hippie-like, and a super laid-back atmosphere. You basically pay a time-fee, based on how long you stay (they write down your arrival and departure times) and are free to help yourself to drinks the entire time (i.e. coffee, tea, and soft drinks). To this, you can add various amounts of food, e.g. just one plate, or the full buffet. We chose to pay 12,50 EUR for the brunch buffet, and we were not disappointed! Starting with standard breakfast items (bread, fresh rolls, yoghurt, fruit, cereal, jams, cold cuts, cheese etc.) to more brunch-like stuff (baked beans, eggs, bacon, sausages) all the way to full-on meals, such as gnocchi in a creamy sauce with herbs, soups, lasagna, potato salad, etc. Of course there were also cake, muffins and pudding for dessert! So basically, we spent the first 2 hours of our stay trying to stuff ourselves with as many of the yummy dishes as possible. Let me tell you now, it’s completely impossible to try everything - even if your choice is limited, e.g. by being a vegetarian like my sister! Afterwards, we strolled through the different floors, peeking into the studios (part of the deal is that the artists let visitors walk through their studios), all the way up to the roof top terrace, where we sat in deckchairs and enjoyed the sun for another 2 hours or so. All in all, a brilliant day, and I can only warmly recommend the Unperfekthaus (http://www.unperfekthaus.de)

Unperfekthaus, Essen

Breakfast of champions!

Funny table for sale at Unperfekthaus

Funny table for sale at Unperfekthaus

Enjoying the good life - roof top tanning!

Enjoying the good life - roof top tanning!