Spiseriet is nestled within the modern concert house of Stavanger, offering a delightful al fresco lunch option in the summer time and dinner indoors with views of the harbor. I’ve always appreciated their menu, which typically features smaller, shareable dishes centered around local ingredients. We visited for an anniversary dinner in August 2024, and it was very quiet when we arrived, a common occurrence when there are no events at the concert house. Sometimes I have an issue with places that gets to noisy - but it is not great if it is very quiet either. I guess I am hard to please.
The interior design is a blend of concrete, glass, and comfortable wooden furniture. The menu, though not extensive, presented several tempting options, including a choice between a 3 or 5-course set menu with wine pairings.
Talking about wine: the wine list is quite extensive, featuring a few aged bottles. However, when I attempted to order a Faustino Gran Reserva 1994, the waiter soon returned to inform us that due to a recent reorganization of the wine cellar, they couldn’t access it. My next choice, a Cavas de Weinert Gran Vino, was also unavailable. While I understand that managing a large wine list is challenging, this felt unprofessional. We eventually settled on a Bordeaux, but it turned out to be a wrong vintage compared to what was listed in the menu.
We decided to order à la carte and started our meal with a ceviche that was a bit creamy, accented with sea buckthorn and a touch of chili. My steak tartare was enjoyable, accompanied by pickled onion, parmesan, and black garlic. Nikki’s main course was a perfectly cooked steak from Nyyyt served with mushrooms from Topp Sopp, onion, and a mushroom hollandaise sauce. I opted for the braised pork jowl, which was absolutely delicious! The meat was tender and served on top of potato purée, garnished with a bit of chimichurri, making it a comforting dish. I concluded the meal with some sweets and an espresso.
While we enjoyed our dinner at Spiseriet, the overall experience was somewhat reduced by the lack of atmosphere and the issues with the wine service. I hope they improve their wine inventory management in the future so that it is possible to enjoy some of the aged wine that is on the menu. Thanks for having us Spiseriet.
Pros:
- a small menu with dishes based on local ingredients
- good wine list
- Modern, light restaurant
Cons:
- needs to have more focus on the wine inventory
- very quiet and lack of atmosphere
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