Arakataka

Arakataka

 

Still going strong

 

It’s been nearly two decades since Arakataka first started offering affordable gourmet dining and they’re still at it.  Prices have crept up slightly the past few years, but the set menu is still one of Oslo’s best deals if you’re looking for modern Nordic cuisine. The restaurant is elegantly furnished in dark wood, with an open kitchen and a separate area with bar seating that stays open late––meaning you don’t have to settle for a döner kebab if you need a midnight snack.

The cooking is Nordic and fresh, but with a slightly mellow note that matches the interior. A dish of scallops is refreshing and feminine, with the salty seafood balanced by tart green tomatoes and aromatic bergamot. A cabbage terrine hits all the right bass notes, with a caramelized cream sauce, pickled gooseberries and truffles. Delicious. Pepper crab with a black bean sauce is savory yet sweet, straying from the purely Nordic theme. The highlight of the meal is, as usual, the house classic spaghetti with bleak roe. The pasta is perfectly cooked, the buttery sauce is finely balanced and the generous mound of Nordic caviar adds heaps of unctuous luxury.

Service is attentive, and the recommended bottle of Jura Savagnin was a good compromise for our wide range of dishes.

Published January 2020