Danish Smorrebrod at Aamann's Deli

After Copenhagenization, another Copenhagen claim to fame is the impeccably fresh and thoughtful Nordic cuisine. The focus of its dishes is an emphasis of the best local produce, detailed preparation, and a generous use of herbs. 

For those who want a little taste-test of Nordic food, it is imperative to have a Smorrebrod lunch.

 

Aamanns

My friend Macy recommended I try Aamann's for their delicious food, but since the Establishment was closed (we were very late for lunch), we ended up at the Take Away location right beside the restaurant. When I told my Danish friend Thomas about it, he said : GOOD CHOICE. So I must have the right set of friends.

Aamann's came to Copenhagen in 2006 when Adam Aamann opened the Michelin-rated restaurant and takeaway. Since then, he his hard work and headstrong menu has garnered him numerous awards, such as an honorary diploma for the Danish Acadeny of Gastronomy for his efforts to elevate the open faced sandwich to a gastronomic art form. Aamann's was also recognized as "Lunch restaurant of the year" by fine dining guide Gudme Raaschou Spiseguide in 2008.

The Takeaway section is tiny, with sorbet green walls and easy going appeal.

Since this is a deli, a lot of items are by the counter for the taking. The cashier will ring you up and you can take your smorrebrod in a to-go box, or for eating in.

The server was only one, but was so pleasant and seeing that 11 hungry asians infiltrated her very relaxed setting. 

She got down to business and took care of our orders instead of having us line up.

The deli section had takeaway portions of sauces, meatballs and other items seen on the restaurant menu, which made me feel better about missing the lunch at the establishment since I could get some of the goodies here anyway.

They had no Diet Coke, or andy mainstream soda, but a lot of bottled sodas which is great to experience since I'm in a new country.

And on display are the numerous rows of smorrebrod, or open-faced sandwich on rye bread. They looked small, and once my family figured out the portions, we knew we would have to order the entire lot.

Having a hard time figuring out the combination on my smorrebrod set. 

I ended up with a quad of different open-faced sandwich.. which was surprisingly filling and could only finish two. It was ok, because everyone seemed to enjoy picking at each others food to compare the flavor profiles.

Our side of the table

My Orangina fix was satiated by La Mortuacienne Orange. Yummy.

We took some items from the chiller and one of them seemed like a chicken salad.

.

I can see the online skepticism, but believe me when I say that this chicken salad had finesse and flavor in all the right levels. It was light on the mayonaise, with chunks of organic chicken and chopped fresh veggies... this was inhaled immediately.

My mom decided to get a tub of pickles, and my first thought was: How the heck can pickles taste better than normal pickles?

Apparently, it is possible. The cucumbers were sliced oh-so thinly, with a tangy sweet brine infused with bay leaf, dill, peppers and apple cider vinegar. It was such a palate cleanser that I was not able to get seconds... since everyone forked their way to the bottom of the tub

I picked up some Lamb Meatballs, which are the same ones served in the Establishment. It was moist, meaty, slightly gamy, and had enough juicy flavor to be able to stand up on its own without any gravy or sauce.

Now for the Smorrebrod

Aamanns constantly changes its menu to keep up with the seasons and reinterprets the Danish open faced sandwiches ones enjoyed by mere shipyard men as their lunch-in-a-box. Nowadays, a culinary resurgence has elevated this working-man's lunch into a Danish lunch staple.

Freerange Chicken Salad with Parsley, Served with celery, chives and crispy ham from Skagen

Best chicken sandwich EVER.

Tartare of Jersey Beef with Egg Creme, Tarragon, Cornichons, Capers, onion and crispy potatoes

I love a good beef tartare and this combination was so succinct with the acidity of the cornichon, the fat from the egg creme and the texture of the crispy potatoes next to the mushiness of the beef.

Smoked Mackerel with pickled green tomatoes, ramson, cabbage crudite and drained yogurt.

This was a messy meal, but the smoked mackerel had a great salty flavor that balanced out the acidity from the cabbage crudite and yogurt. mmm.

Fried Sirloin with homemade crispy onions, "remoulade" of root vegetables and grated horseradish

The crispy onions were AMAZING! and paired well with the tenderness of the fried beef, which was still rare in the middle.

Smoked Halibut, dill pickled cucumber, horseradish, rape seed oil and crispy rye bread crumbs

The herbacous cucumbers was perfect to the clean flavors of the halibut. The rye crumbs I was not a fan of, since the dish was already under a slice of rye.

Freerange Pork from Grambogard, braised with rhubarbs, honey and balsamic vinegar 

served with crispy lettuce, rhubarb and walnuts

All I can say about this one is: WINNER. Could I have some more, please?

ToT nibbling on my fave smorrebrod

I was so satisfied with our "light" lunch that people actualy felt full from the open face sandwiches alone. I wanted to take a box home with me... Danish style. The attention to detail, the fresh ingredients, and the impressive use of herbs has earned Aamann's a listing in the Top 500 Restaurants to Eat at, so we've covered one in Coepnhagen already. 

Even their business cards are meticulous.

Aamanns is a delicious way to get to know Copenhagen and the infamous open faced sandwich aka Smorrebrod. Don't leave Denmark without it.

Aamann's online

ØSTER FARIMAGSGADE 10 

2100 - KØBENHAVN Ø