duNord (by invitation), Melbourne CBD by Bureaucrat

Tugging my winter coat tighter around me and with my scarf snugly wrapped around my neck, I braved the cold night and made my journey to duNord.  It seemed a fitting night to find out more about duNord's new winter menu.

The warm golden glow that beckoned within duNord, with its wooden ceiling beams, clusters of flickering candles made me feel like I was walking onto the set of the TV show, Vikings (assuming that the said Vikings would chillax at a civilized, well-kept tavern when they’re not seeking new civilizations or butchering each other).

The friendly staff welcomed me in and we got to meet owner Thomas Kiltorp and Head Chef Matti Fallon (who I thought looked a lot like Matthew Broderick).  They were keen for us to try their new Nordic winter menu that featured Scandinavian cuisine, foraged local produce and heritage bred meats.

To kick things off, we had a cocktail - Rose hip Collins, which is made with vodka, rose hip syrup, apricot liqueur, lime juice and soda.  As I much prefer cocktails, I loved the clean, fruity-floral taste, which went down a treat.

To whet our appetites, we were served these rustic salt and vinegar branches (which were made from rye flour) with foraged plants, cabbage leaves and this moreish dill cream.  The foraged plants were surprisingly tart, with a hint of bitterness, but refreshingly juicy.  While it was pretty to behold, the soft stems of the plants made it a little bit difficult to scoop out the delicious dill cream.

Our entrée was my favourite dish of the night - ocean trout on linseed wafer served with buttermilk.  The delicate acidic taste from the buttermilk complemented the sweet ocean trout.  The raw trout's fresh, meaty texture and the earthy linseed wafer gave a very satisfying Paleo feel to the dish.

We got to try two main dishes.  The first was a very Scandinavian smoked herring w a crunchy oat and pork skin crust.  It was served with potato and foraged puree.  The two purees were very smooth but hearty - they went well with the oily and punchy flavor from the herring.

The next dish got a lot of "oooh!" from the table - the duck and bacon pyttipanna with onion and rosehip.  The vivid discs of purple cabbage hid the pyttipanna, which is a Scandinavian hash that's typically made up of diced potatoes, onion and meat.  It's often served with a fried egg on top, but in this case a poached egg yolk.

The gorgeously golden yolk oozed over the pyttipanna - as someone at the table said it was "yolk porn".  This is a very hearty dish - great for winter as it's packed with lots of protein.  Despite it being duck and pork, the dish wasn't greasy or oily.  The dish was simply seasoned - it tasted of duck and bacon - and it kinda felt like I was eating a breakfast dish.  I couldn't quite taste the rosehip, though.  Having already had the entrée and herring, it was a struggle to finish this off as the pyttipanna was much bigger in size.

Unfortunately I had to leave before I could try dessert.  It was a real shame because I was so intrigued by the beetroot pannacotta on the menu.  However, Chef Matti was kind enough to let me take a quick photo of the pannacotta before it left the kitchen.

Verdict
Food – 7.5*
Service – 8
Ambiance – 8
Price – 7.5*
*Scores are notional as I was a guest of duNord.

Overall
With the focus on Scandinavian cuisine duNord offers a foodie experience that isn't well represented around town.  Coupled with the great décor, you could almost believe you're half way across the world sipping on akvavit and enjoying a Nordic feast!

Address
duNord
367 Little Bourke St
Melbourne 3000
Telephone: 9642 0052