Nordic Noshings in Iceland

     I have dreamt of visiting Iceland ever since I heard about the legendary Blue Lagoon ten years ago.  Recently, I fulfilled that dream.  Iceland is everything that you see in the commercials, jaw droppingly gorgeous and hauntingly desolate.  It reminds me of Hawaii, another volcanic island, except cold.  There are waterfalls galore, smile inducing rainbows, and stunning coast lines.  The weather however, left something to be desired.  The temperature was in the mid 40s, but when compounded with a constant drizzle and relentless winds, it makes even the heartiest tourist want to burrow under the down comforter, emerging only for a beckoning bowl of meat soup, more on this Icelandic comfort dish later.
    Luckily, Icelanders know how to comfort with food.  And what wonderful offerings they have!  Especially if you stay away from the fermented shark and sheep head, no longer consumed by locals but offered to certain misguided if intrepid visitors.  Mornings find such delights as fresh fruits including watermelon and pineapple as tasty as in Hawaii.  How does a nation in the arctic circle manage such tropical produce?  Hot houses! Keep in mind, the entire population of Iceland is a little over 300,000, so they don't need that many green houses.
    Another tasty Icelandic breakfast staple is skyr, an Icelandic yogurt.  It is rich like Greek yogurt but much creamier.  To this, homemade jam is topped and eaten as is or mixed with granola or muesli.  Healthy and filling, fit for any Nordic God.
    Sadly, Iceland pastries are not what Americans are used to.  They are denser, harder, and not as sweet.  And all are served at room temp.  The deceptively appealing cookies were disappointingly dry and brittle.  I did fall in love with a pizza like pastry with the flakiness of a French croissant with pepperoni on top and a sweet marinara.  It made for a tasty and quick breakfast on a couple occasions.  
     There are twice as many sheep in Iceland as they are people.  These ubiquitous farm animals are allowed to roam in the mountains each summer to forage on various wild herbs.  This in turn provides tasty lamb for a delectable soup that is a staple in every Icelandic household.  We had this inviting dish on multiple occasions and each time it was delicious but slightly different.  Some soups are thicker in consistency, like a stew, others are thinner and clearer, but all consisted of tender chunks of braised lamb with root vegetables and aromatic herbs.  One was served in a gleaming copper pot with a hunk of crusty bread.  Not much else is needed.  
    Seafood lovers will be in heaven in Iceland.  They have some of the freshest and most flavorful fish and shellfish you can savor.  I had an Icelandic cod called Blue Ling, a mild and sweet white fish that was superb whether simply seasoned and grilled or lightly breaded and pan fried.  The sea scallops were large as silver dollars and succulent  as were the shrimp, but my favorite was the Icelandic lobster.  Smaller, but more flavorful than lobster from more temperate climes, their flesh had a creamy consistency that melted in your mouth.  I had a lobster soup that made me weep with happiness.
   I may not soon return to this beautiful country but I will remember it fondly.

Skyr, Icelandic Yogurt

Meat Soup with Rye Bread

Fresh Salad

Icelandic Blue Ling

Lamb Shank with root vegetables

Bakery!

They have Ramen!

Jelly Donut and Mocha

    

Osaka Ramen, Denver

     I have been eagerly anticipating the opening of Osaka Ramen ever since Iast summer.  I am a huge fan of chef Jeff Osaka, formerly of the excellent Twelve on Larimer  Street which was sadly shuttered last year.  Although Osaka Ramen is a departure from the continental fare of Twelve, I had no doubt it would excel under chef Osaka's capable stewardship.

     Osaka Ramen is currently in two locations.  One in Cherry Creek and another in RiNo (River North).  I chose the RiNo location for this review.   Parking is a bit of a challenge even on a weekday lunch visit; however, there is complimentary valet.  The restaurant is located below ground level and next to Park Burger, another popular RiNo destination.  The space is long and narrow with an open kitchen and counter seating as well as numerous tables for two.  Large parties may need to call ahead so they can accommodate you.  

     The menu is sectioned into Small Plates, Bento Boxes, and Ramen.  We began with two small plates: the green beans and the tomago gohan.  The green beans were blanched and shocked to retain their vibrant color.  They were then tossed with a shoyu (Japanese for soy sauce) sesame dressing and chilled.  Crisp and well flavored, this was a light and refreshing appetizer.  A generous sprinkling of toasted black and white sesame seeds provided umami goodness.

     The tomago gohan is a patty of rice, lightly battered, and fried to a golden crisp.   It came topped with a coddled egg, daikon kimchi, and slivered scallions.  It was a gorgeous plate and a clever way to use up leftover rice.  I found the rice indeed crispy, however a bit on the large side.  The daikon kimchi was delicious and provided pungency and kick.  The poached egg served as a binder for all the ingredients.  However, the abundant scallion garnish was a bit overwhelming.

     My friend elected to go with a beef Bento box.  A beautifully presented Japanese laquer box held the beef skewers in one section, rice, and a cabbage salad in others.  The beef was thin sliced sirloin, lightly marinated, grilled, then rolled up and skewered.  It was a flavorful cut of meat and toothsome, not overly tough or tender.  The pickled Japanese radishes simultaneously sweet and tart.  Unfortunately, the cabbage salad was lackluster.  

     My spicy miso ramen was lovely to behold and even more satisfying to taste.  The broth was variegated in color, silky and rich in mouthfeel with great depth of flavor.  The spicy ground pork was packed with flavor.  The egg was a disc of poached perfection and further enriched the decadent broth.  The noodles, although not made in house are customized by Sun Noodles for Osaka Ramen, were cooked al diente with a delightful chewiness.  I am excited to finally find a great ramen house in Denver and can't wait to try the four other ramens on the menu.

Front Entrance

Stairs leading to Osaka Ramen

Wall Art

Open Kitchen with Counter Seating

Green Beans

Tomago Gohan

Spicy Miso Ramen

Beef Bento Box