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by BS

The Endless Road Trip: Copenhagen, the Prettiest Food in the World

So, I could tell you guys all about my recent trip to Denmark, and all of the ways that Copenhagen totally deserves its status as the darling of the local-foraged-organic food movement. But really, there’s no need to say anything about the food here, because all you have to do is look at it. Seriously—how the hell do they get all of their food to look so goddamn beautiful???

As previously mentioned on ES, these people know how to make a freaking sandwich for serious. These avant garde smørrebrød (how cool are øs?) are from Aamans sandwich shop, which actually just opened a branch in NYC. Left: smoked salmon with flower-pickled carrots(!),smoked cream cheese, shallots and watercress. Right: New potatoes with tarragon emulsion, chives, radish, and crisp potato chip strands.

They taste even better in the park! Venison pate with juniper and schnapps, plus apple/celery salad and “bacon-nut crunch.” Sirloin with horseradish, remoulade and crispy onions.

If you thought Danish people aare all fancy foodies, you may be surprised to know they loooooove hot dogs. Artisan, gourmet hot dogs, obviously, with helpful signs that graphically explain that they come served in standard buns, weird fransk buns that have the ketchup or mayo stuffed inside, or on a plate.

We went plate. Can’t resist more crispy onions.

Endless Road Trip: Have a Little Heart

So I’ve talked a lot about how good Portland is at street food and sandwiches, but here’s another thing that makes this city amazing. On a recent Wednesday evening, I walked into Portland’s best-reviewed, most-hyped restaurant—Le Pigeon—sans reservations, looking like my normal grubby, travelling-for-weeks, t-shirt and jeans self…and asked if I could get a meal. Not only did they seat me immediately at the small bar space overlooking the open kitchen, but they didn’t seem to be the slightest bit put out by it. This may be the New Yorker in me—just assuming that I’m going to be treated snobbishly everywhere—but it’s so great when you go to a restaurant that could get away with being jerks, but aren’t.

OK, on to the food. I started with the smoked rabbit pie and hot mustard ice cream because…well, because I have a crazy addiction, and that dish sounded downright batty. But Le Pigeon had my number on this one. I asked for crazy, and I got even crazier. When the server returned with my dish, she set the rabbit pie and savory ice cream down in front of me, and casually mentioned that the artfully presented sauce-like substance spread across the side of the plate was in fact a remoulade of rabbit heart. Well done. Love how she just threw that in at the end there…oh yeah, and there’s some rabbit heart on your plate.