SQ A350 Y to Copenhagen: Bicycles, The Little Mermaid, and Lunch at Noma

[yflyer]

I recalled a scene from Anthony Bourdain's "Parts Unknown" series, where Tony and chef René Redzepi went to a shooting gallery in Tivoli Gardens...



There was the shooting gallery...



I couldn't resist trying my luck at some target practice...even after all that beer.

Memories of hot muggy days (and mosquito filled nights) at SAF shooting ranges during my NS days came flooding back to me...I hoped I wouldn't be a disgrace to my army buddies...



I picked up the rifle, cocked it and fired away...

As it turned out, I didn't do too badly...though not as well as I had hoped...I was probably swaying a little after all that beer...

I examined the target board, which was presented to me as a souvenir...



"That's terrible!" I remarked to the friendly staff member manning the gallery.

"It's quite good, actually!" he replied, and gave me a few tokens to redeem a small prize...

[yflyer]

The next couple of days went by in a blur as work picked up pace at the conference and exhibition I was attending at the Bella Centre.



There was actually a hotel right next to the conference centre, the futuristic looking AC Hotel Bella Sky by Marriott...



Many of the conference delegates were actually staying at that hotel. It was very convenient as far as attending the conference was concerned, but there wasn't a whole lot to do in the immediate vicinity, so in retrospect many who stayed there said they would have preferred to stay elsewhere, perhaps in the city for example. So I was quite happy to be at the Moxy, which was just a 10 minute bus ride to the Bella Centre.

As for the work event itself, it was great to be at an in-person event, which felt almost normal, with no mask mandates in force. Throughout the conference, I think I must have spotted at most 3 people wearing masks the whole time. It was nice to see things returning to normal, with the normal rhythms of business returning to the world.



That said, COVID was still very much around. After the event, when I returned home, I learned that 3 of the people I was in contact with at the event had come down with COVID, although thankfully these were relatively mild cases.

While the work days were busy, things usually wound down by the end of each day, and it wasn't a case of all work and no play. At the end of the day, the vibe in the conference and exhibition hall turned more light and social, with drinks and even some entertainment put up by both organisers and exhibitors.

Some of the conference exhibitors definitely had larger marketing / entertainment budgets than others.

Google had a live band and singer perform after hours -- their booth was a busy one...



They also had a couple of bartenders on duty, mixing cocktails for guests...



Now that's the way to make an impression at a trade show!



The event organisers also did their part to ensure that the social aspect of business was not forgetten, by organising a bar takeover of several night spots in Copenhagen, accessible to all event attendees.



I didn't join as I had other business commitments that evening, but I am sure it must have been a memorable night out for everyone who attended!

[yflyer]

On one of the evenings, my colleagues and I headed to a bar in Vesterbro, part of the so-called Meatpacking District. When we arrived at the address, we were at first a little lost, as we tried to find the place.

According to Google Maps, we were right there, but where was it?



Turns out it was right under our noses...



This was "Duck and Cover", one of the top bars in Copenhagen...



This was a small bar, but the bartender and cocktails were second to none...



This was a world class mixologist at work...



The cocktails were delicious, with many made with local spirits, such as Snaps...



...and Akvavit...



...I asked about these spirits, and was offered tasting portions of these unfamiliar spirits to try.

A great place to savour top notch cocktails in a refined, understated setting...

[yflyer]

After that, my colleagues and I asked for recommendations for dinner, and we were directed to Halifax Burger Restaurant, just a short walk away...



Once again, the cuisine didn't disappoint...



These were enormous, meaty, burgers, offered with a range of sides and toppings...



The burgers at Halifax were very satisfying, and hit the spot after a night of cocktails at Duck and Cover.

[yflyer]

On the 2nd last day of my trip, I checked out of the Moxy and checked into the Marriott Copenhagen.



With my conference over, and work all done, this marked the start of the personal segment of my trip, and what better way to do this than to move into a hotel in the city.

Boy was I glad I stayed at the Moxy first, then the Marriott Copenhagen. While the Moxy was fine, the Marriott Copenhagen was just at another level.

The Marriott was located in the centre of the city, along the picturesque waterfront close to Copenhagen harbour.



The hotel public areas were beautiful...




...with full length glass windows that enabled visitors to take in waterfront views...



There was direct access to the waterfront from the hotel lobby...



...with a beautiful pedestrian and bicycle promenade steps away.



Part of the waterway was cordoned off for swimmers...



...who braved the cold weather and even colder water for a dip...



I headed back into the lobby and went up to my room.

[yflyer]

My room at the Marriott Copenhagen was on a high floor overlooking the water...



This was a spacious room with 2 queen beds...



The view out the window was just wonderful...



The decor in the room wasn't the most modern or striking, but after a week in the stylish but tiny Moxy, the spaciousness of the room just won me over.



Ironically, now that work was all done, I now had a proper writing desk and work chair...



Wardrobe, with iron and ironing board, as well as mini safe.



The bathroom had a slightly dated design, but was clean, well maintained and spacious.



Toiletries from Acca Kappa and Pecksniff's...



Combined shower and tub.



The executive rooms had bathrooms with separate shower stall and tub, and as Marriott Platinum, I was offered an upgrade to an exec room on check-in, however the upgraded room faced the city, and I declined that in favour of a regular room that faced the waterfront.

Overall, I was happy with my room, and glad to be spending my final night in Copenhagen here.

[yflyer]

It was now almost 9am on Friday morning. I had a big day ahead of me. This was, in fact the day I had been waiting for, for a long time. I would be having lunch at Noma today.

But first, a small breakfast at the Marriott's Executive Lounge, and then a city run to whet my appetite for what was to come...

[yflyer]

I headed to the Executive Lounge, which was located on the ground floor of the hotel.



This was not a large lounge, but it was very pleasantly decorated, with a comfortable seating area at the entrance...



...and a stylish dining area, which served breakfast as well as hors d'eouvres in the evening...



The breakfast selection was pretty decent...

Pastries and cereal...



Bread...



Cold cuts, cheese and salad...



Herring!



A huge selection of fresh fruit...

[yflyer]

Hot selections, including bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs and soft boiled eggs...



The soft boiled eggs looked particularly inviting...



Milk (including soy milk) and juices...



Coffee and tea...



...and ginger juice shots!



What on earth was orang utan coffee?



I had to exercise a lot of restraint, and stick to a small breakfast, in order to reserve space for lunch later...

[yflyer]

There was one thing left to do before lunch...

I headed out for a long morning run...



I headed out along the waterfront...



Looking back towards the Marriott, I spied a wooden slide...what was that used for, I wondered?



I continued along the waterfront...



...with its wide promenade...



I passed boats which had been converted to restaurants/bars...



DKK 60 for a hot pie...



I ran past Nyhavn...



...and the Admiral Hotel...



...passing some beautiful sailing ships (and an antique Citreon...) along the way...





Across the water, Copenhagen's stunning new Opera House...

[yflyer]

I continued past Amaliehaven and Amalienborg...



I got lucky and passed by just as the changing of the guard was taking place...



The halfway point of my run was Kastellet...



...where I did a loop around the Pentagon shaped rampart, before turning round and heading back the way I came to the Marriott.

The actual route run is in red, starting at the Marriott Copenhagen at the bottom left, with Kastellet as the half-way point, before heading back to the Marriott, for a total distance of 10km.

[yflyer]

Back at the Marriott, I took a quick shower before getting dressed and hopping into a taxi to bring me to lunch.

On the way there, we passed Christiana, a more-or-less self-governing commune in Christianshavn, not far from Noma's current location.



And then I was there, at the entrance of Noma, for what would be one of the most incredible dining experiences of my life...

[yflyer]

The taxi dropped me off at the entrance of Noma, in an idyllic spot by the water, not far from Christiana.



It was just a few minutes drive from the city centre, but somehow it felt like it was hundreds of miles away from the relative hustle and bustle of the old city.

I was warmly greeted by Noma host, Ali, and his colleague, a young lady who held a list of the day's guests.



Ali was a celebrity in his own right. An immigrant from Gambia, the cheerful and warm Ali began as a dishwasher in Noma when it first opened, but over the years had become such an integral part of the Noma team that he was promoted to co owner of Noma in 2017.



At the entrance, he greeted guests as they arrived, with some repeat guests embraced as old friends. Note the bikes parked out front -- like anywhere else in Copenhagen, some diners arrived here riding their bikes.



I was shown into a greenhouse while we waited to be seated...



I stepped inside...



Some other guests were already seated inside...the air of anticipation and excitement among guests was quite palpable...



I was offered a glass of fruit tea or fruit beer...



I picked the beer...



What an unusual colour...quite refreshing...

Other guests arrived...I moved further inside to an outdoor area, where I could admire the surroundings...



I was introduced to a fellow diner, an attractive young lady with shoulder-length brown hair, "Here is your friend, you will be dining together at the shared table..."

"Hello! My name is yflyer!"

"I'm A," she replied, as we shook hands...

We were part of a shared table for 4 single diners. It was all about the luck of the draw as to who we would be dining with.

As you would expect for a restaurant like Noma, reservations would be booked out months in advance. However, it was possible to waitlist yourself for a given date, or dates. If a spot opened up, you would be notified by email that a seat was now available, and it was up to you to head to the website to grab it, if someone else had not snagged it by then.

I was in Copenhagen for work, but a month earlier, I decided, on a whim, to waitlist myself for lunch on the final day of my trip. Miraculously, 14 days before the date, a seat opened up, and an email from Noma popped up in my inbox. I headed to the website and booked it right away.

A had booked her reservation months prior, and had just flown in from Romania the day before, to dine at Noma.

Our two other guests for the shared table soon arrived. They were S and V, a lovely young couple who were visiting from Australia. They had taken a risk in waitlisting themselves for 2 single diner slots -- and in this case their gamble had paid off!

We were strangers who had just been introduced, but we all immediately hit off. As I said, it was the luck of the draw, as to who you would be dining with at the shared table.

On this day at least, the stars were in alignment and the 4 of us got on very well. My dining companions were well travelled, and shared a common interest and enthusiasm for interesting food and experiences. We had a wonderful lunch together.

Nothing bonds better than sharing an experience, especially one as profound as a meal at Noma. By the end of the meal, it felt like we were old friends.

[yflyer]

Each party of guests was invited into the restaurant separately. Each party waiting at the greenhouse was called and invited to the restaurant. Soon our turn came...

We were invited to walk down the path to the restaurant, then open the door to head inside...



Maybe it was all the anticipation, each step forward felt like a step on a magical journey into another world...

We approached the entrance...



By the door was a table, where the ingredients used for the day's menu were arrayed on display...



This was Noma's Vegetable Season. The new Noma had 3 seasonal menus a year, intended to showcase ingredients in their prime. The previous season was Seafood, and the next season was Game and Forest.

Our menu for the day would mainly be vegetables, although it was not strictly vegetarian, as eggs, cream, butter and other ingredients which "went along" with vegetables were included as well.

We opened the door to head inside, and once inside, we were greeted by a whole team of Noma staff...what a unique welcome!



Our table was in one of several dining areas in the restaurant...



Table settings were simple...



The decor theme, earthy and organic...



Just beyond the dining room was the open kitchen, in a semi-open setting, where René Redzepi and a large team of chef's could be seen busy at work...

[yflyer]

This was a fixed set menu, with many courses planned. You would be given the menu at the end of the meal, but you would not know what the next dish would be until it was actually served at the table...this was a journey, an adventure...

We had a choice of either an alcoholic pairing or a non-alcoholic fruit tea/juice pairing.

I opted for the alcohol pairing, which began with an organic rosé wine from Austria, Strohmeier Lys-Rod nº32...



The first course was served, with each course introduced by a different staff member....



This was a summer salad, a light and beautiful medley of fresh and tasty vegetables and fruit, all in a cold, savoury sauce that had such depth and umami...the interplay of flavours was like nothing I had ever tasted...



Next up, a Chablis...



...to pair with a "waffle" made of cauliflower, and adorned with small flowers, which you picked up and ate with your fingers...the texture of the cauliflower was so light...



Next, another course which you ate with your fingers...this one was a grilled padron pepper...



This was garnished with a piece of rhubarb that you didn't eat, but squeezed, so that the juice would flow over the pepper...



Simply remarkable...



It was time for the next wine, a Greek wine, Sclavos Metagitnion, made on the island of Cephalonia, from the rare Goustolidi grape varietal...



While these wine pairing were served for S and myself, our fellow diners A and V were also enjoying the non-alcoholic juice and fruit tea pairings, which also looked really interesting.



The next dish was a cucumber skin dolma...



This had an intense, deep flavour, with a filling of barley and other ingredients, that somehow invoked the flavour of meat, like bacon or "lap cheong", although there wasn't any pork or Chinese sausage in this dish...