Gimi Restaurant og Bar
- Gard Karlsen
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Stavanger has taken a few hits on the restaurant front lately — too many closures, not enough openings. Which makes it all the more satisfying when something genuinely exciting shows up. Gimi Restaurant and bar is that something.
Tucked in alongside Matmagasinet and Hermetikken, the old canning laboratory building is quietly becoming quite the little restaurant hub. Gimi is the newest addition, helmed by Fredrik and Daniel van Opdorp — both veterans of Oslo's acclaimed Hot Shop. With that kind of pedigree, expectations were understandably high walking in on a Friday evening.
The space is Nordic and minimalist, with natural light coming in through several windows, a beautiful cocktail bar, regular table seating, and a coveted counter facing the open kitchen. Capacity sits at around 30, and we landed a table near the kitchen — close enough to watch the action, which was half the fun. The atmosphere was lively without being overwhelming: good conversation levels, guests in high spirits, and a soundtrack that veered into Ramones territory (occasionally a touch loud, but honestly, acceptable).
The wine list is impressive, and no surprise — it benefits from the involvement of Chris from Matmagasinet next door. We went for a Gebrüder Mathis Tuniberg Spätburgunder and it was exceptional. The evening's one small gripe: Gimi poured for us throughout rather than leaving the bottle at the table. A personal preference, but I like having the bottle within reach.
Cocktails are equally well-handled — a well-crafted one landed early in the evening, courtesy of the bar. My only suggestion would be to have the cocktail menu on the table from the moment you sit down rather than having to ask.
We started with bone marrow with grilled lemon, anchovy and sourdough bread from Molinå in downtown Stavanger. This was a strong opener as the squeeze of charred lemon and the salty hit of anchovy were great contrasts to the rich, fatty bone marrow. And it is never wrong with a good sourdough bread from Molinå.
The beef tartare came with egg cream, Wrångebäck cheese & rösti. The combination of egg cream, aged Swedish cheese and crispy rösti was clever and satisfying. The tartare itself could have used a little more seasoning and punch, but it was a solid course by any measure.
Don't let the simplicity of the chicken skewer dish (or negima) fool you. This was the dish of the night possibly the dish of many nights. Impossibly juicy chicken, a gorgeous glaze, and a proper char from the grill that lingered in every bite. The leek was as good as the chicken. We ordered it twice in fact and can only recommend others not to miss this dish!
The Uer (ocean perch) came served with sauce vierge and was a delicately cooked fish, but it was the sauce vierge and accompaniments that really shone here as this was bright, herby, and acidic in all the right ways.
The meal ended with a small glass of Chartreuse — which, as it happened, brought back warm memories of a recent visit to Lyon. A fitting full stop to a very good evening.
Gimi is exactly what Stavanger needed: a neighbourhood spot for a glass of wine, a well-made cocktail, and a few excellent small plates shared across the table. The menu is on the short side, but what's there is considered and well-executed. We'll be back — probably for another round of those skewers.
Highlights
Negima chicken skewers — order twice
Great wine list
Serious cocktail bar
Lively, warm atmosphere
Great kitchen-facing counter seats
Watch out for
Menu is on the short side
Ask for the cocktail menu early
Bottle left at table? Not guaranteed
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