Krogs Fiskerestaurant

Description:

• Orson Welles claimed that this fish restaurant was the only place north of the Riviera that knew how to make a bouillabaisse. The great actor/director and gourmet/gourmand was just one of the celebrities who has praised this seafood restaurant, one of the oldest in Copenhagen, dating from 1910. Only a short walk from Christiansborg Castle, the restaurant stands in a historic district of 19th-century houses, and its building dates from 1789 when it opened as a fish shop. The canalside plaza, where fishermen moored their boats, is now the site of the restaurant's outdoor terrace. The walls of the high-ceilinged restaurant are covered with gold-plated mirrors and paintings from the 1800s, the work of a Danish artist, Valdemar Andersen.

  The chefs strike a studied balance between modernized traditional dishes and updated haute cuisine classics -- all at celestial prices. With the main courses, "nouvelle" cuisine here is something served at the turn of the 20th century, including a divine plaice meunière with lemon, parsley, and brown butter. The Dover sole is even prepared at the table, and the shellfish selection, served hot or cold, is without equal in Copenhagen. This is a most engaging restaurant, especially if you're over 50 -- the "sweet young things" of Copenhagen dine at trendier joints. Before the waiter arrives with the bill, make sure you've taken your heart medication.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010