A taste of the Arctic
Is there one taste the eateries in the Narvik region wish to be associated with? If yes, it would be the taste of home Northern Norwegian cuisine combined with the nuances and moods of the Arctic nature that one would find outside the restaurant door.
Hidden between high mountains and deep fjords, where nature is rich in both natural ingredients and unique flavours, the Narvik region has in recent years established itself as a food destination with varied restaurants and some of the region's best wilderness chefs.
When it comes to taste and presentation, this is an exceptionally good starting point for dining experiences and delicacies of the highest Arctic class.
The nature of the plate
The sea, the meadows, the mountains and the marshes. King crab, reindeer, wild sausage and delicious cloud berries. The chefs at the region's finest restaurants are among the most regarded in Arctic cuisine and are known to conjure up the Northern Norwegian nature soul on the plate.
In addition, they have plenty of unique flavours to work with.
Reindeer meet is one taste one is ought to try while in Artic. They say in its taste you will discover the nuances from the winter and autumn time Northern Lights fused with the midnight sun's coastal landscape. The result is a unique Arctic-taste experience of mountains, moss, glaciers and lichen.
Stockfish, unsalted cod fish is hanged out on timber racks on the foreshore so cold, winter air and wind can dry it. Despite of its long expiration date, it can also go wrong. The drying process removes much of the water in the fish, so stockfish must be soaked in water for about 7 days. Stockfish has a soft consistency when it is ready to cook and transformed into an arctic flavour adventure. The elements from the wild sea are well preserved, and during nature's own maturation process it is added new characters and nuances.
Food with history
Vegard Stormo, working at Scandic Hotel in Narvik, is dedicated to serving food with good stories that lift and carry the overall experience. Several years ago a Chinese film team was visiting. Specially for them he arranged a dinner on the coast, just outside of Narvik. He had arranged a diver who suddenly raised from the sea with fresh sea creatures, urchins, shells that were seaweed to the soup casserole on fire. Vegard's cooking philosophy is minimizing processing of food and bringing the natural ingredients right into the pot.
In his role as the hotel's food and beverage manager, he contributes to treating good ingredients according to old traditions and presenting them in modern and innovative attire. The calendar is an important guideline, where the tastes and smells in the menu reflect what you always find and see in the mountains and fjords around the hotel. The wild sheep, reindeer and the juicy berries in the autumn, the famous skreimølja (seasonal cod fish served with its liver and roe) in the winter, the halibut in the spring time and the summer's delicious mountain fish.
The overall taste
Hosting people from all over the world is a serious matter for the locals. Therefore the hotels and restaurants in the Narvik region put a lot of pressure on delivering high level of services in the kitchen. By running around the pots and doing their best in the kitchen, they help to enhance the overall experience of the thousands of tourists who visit our wonderful sites each year.