During our travels to Oslo, we discovered a good-looking borough called Tjuvholmen located near the Oslo docks.
It is pretty obvious as the architecture is so fine, modern, and hard to miss. My husband and I decided to have dinner here at the stunning Tjuvholmen Sjømagasin. Apparently, the restaurant opened in 2009 and its namesake was essentially a representation of the area as well as the term, Tjuvholmen Sjømagasin, which literally means “seafood magazine.”
Tjuvholmen Sjømagasin was quite gracefully adorned with modern furniture and quintessential Scandinavian interiors featuring elegant chandeliers. The restaurant also highlighted an open kitchen where the chef and staff were visible in preparing the meals. Another interesting detail was the raw seafood presented in glass covered refrigerators which shows that their seafood are not pre-cooked, instead they were freshly caught for the day! We decided on having the 3-course fare since we wanted to dive straight into its cuisine.
For the appetizer, we had the trout pastrami with mustard and honey vinaigrette and pickled onion. It was quite sweet and tarty. A quick bite and the texture were in full introduction. The trout consistency was barely noticeable since it was so soft which exclaims its freshness. Of course, the trout essence was there which mixed well with its complimentary ingredients. The appetizer was served with luscious white wine called Sancerre, a French wine Appellation d’origine contrôlée.
The bread basket contained different kinds of delicious bread such as their signature white bread, an option with tomatoes and walnut bread with caramel syrup. It came with two incredibly creamy butters featuring one that was regular whipped and the other with butter and garlic parsley. The entire bread basket was all homemade from their kitchen and so wonderfully amazing. The white one had that classic crunch!
The next dish was the Sjomagasinets which was a soup that contained shellfish, codfish, salmon and trout. This was a classic Norwegian fish soup as this has been in the menu since the restaurant opened. The bottom is a fennel made with spring onion and with tarragon. When it was served, I immediately smelled the pleasant aroma emanating from the dish. It had a remarkable scent which enticed me to just dive right in. If fresh seafood had a perfume… This would be it. It is a fabulously simple yet decadent soup dish. I understand why it has never been removed from the menu since the restaurant opened. I can see how customers can have cravings just for this particular seafood soup. In preparation for the main course, we were served a glass of red Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2013.
The fish of the day was halibut which came with beets, sautéed onion, and potato chips on top. The halibut is quite thick and beefy. The natural flavor is complimented strikingly with the beet, onion, leek, and surrounding sauces. It was clearly a very fresh fish. The outside of the fish seemed seared as it was firm. The chips on top contribute to its crispness and salty flavor. The sauce complimented the fish very well.
For dessert it was recommended for us to have their classic chocolate cake which had Nuggatine and pear ice cream. The dessert was not overly sweet, instead it was more of a unique, dark chocolate creation. The ornaments that came with the cake can be alternated therefore creating a new dessert experience with each bite. The garnishes were the tarty pear ice cream, salty peanuts, and peanut brittle.
We had a dashing time at this stylish restaurant. From the modern and clean decor to the high quality fare, Tjuvholmen Sjømagasin executed a tastefully simple yet highly impactful classic Norwegian experience.
Thanks to Tjuvholmen Sjømagasin | Tjuvholmen allé 14, 0252 Oslo, Norway | +47 23 89 77 77