Kolonialen Bislett

On a rainy day in urban Bislett, a window seat at busy Kolonialen is a great place to sit and ponder the neighborhood’s graffiti while watching the dog walkers stroll by. This is a classic bistro; checkered floor tiles and shelves full of knickknacks. Just make no mistake, don’t drop by without a reservation, Kolonialen is often packed with a mix of well-dressed locals and business diners.

A busy but friendly English-speaking Frenchman greets us and offers a glass of Chablis before leaving us with our menus. We're tempted by oysters and go for Tsarskayas with yuzu; briny and sweet. The fish part of the fish and chips is nicely flaky, but the batter has turned soggy and chewy. The beef tartare is a more dependable classic, served with small globules of egg yolk emulsion, sunchoke chips and crisp green asparagus for contrast. The real winner, however, is the mackerel accompanied by smoky aubergines and supreme grilled tomatoes in a tableau of warming, Mediterranean summer flavors.  We ask our sommelier for advice on a bottle that would pair with our various dishes and end up with a luscious Beaujolais Thillardon Chénas Chassignol. It does a decent job of standing up to our lamb course; the pleasantly rose colored filet comes with sweet plums, bitter lentils and cabbage. Seasonal rhubarb, tart and snappy, served with an airy cream and sweet meringue, round out our meal.

The food at Kolonialen matches the inoffensive middle of the road rock n’ roll on the sound system. Tom Petty or The Eagles won't challenge you, but the beat is familiar and you know the lyrics.

Published January 2020