Restaurant Smak AS

a month ago

The food was amazing and very interesting. As a vegetarian I didn't know what to expect but I was happily surprised with all the dishes :) But the best part was actually the staff. In these types of restaurants it sometimes gets very stiff bur here it was lighthearted and the staff was making jokes and laughed together with the visitors. It felt like you got to know them a bit and you were very good taken care of

4 weeks ago

Helmed by chef Aspen Ramnested and his wife Eva-Linda, Restaurant Smak is widely regarded as one of Tromsø’s finest dining destinations — if not the finest. It sits slightly outside the city center, about a 15-minute bus ride away, and the discreet entrance is easy to miss; another diner and I spent a good ten minutes locating the front door. Guests are first welcomed into a relaxed antechamber styled like a living room, where the opening courses are served. The evening began with five small dishes: ・Prawns from Lyngen — prawns topped with orange roe, encased in a delicate crisp shell. ・Halibut, smoke, Norwegian pastry — smoked halibut wrapped in a crisp roll, presented on a stone. ・Organic salmon, smoke, pickled vegetables — fresh smoked salmon in a light, crunchy casing. ・Lamb, parsley, cabbage — thin slices of lamb wrapped around cabbage and parsley, beautifully balanced. ・Mushrooms from Tromsø — a single mushroom perched atop pastry, understated and earthy. After these, we were escorted into the main dining room, where the meal continued at a relaxed pace. A note for visitors: in Norway, wine pairing typically means a full glass per course, which is considerably more alcohol than in many other countries. Due to my low tolerance, I opted out of the pairing. Eva-Linda was very understanding and instead recommended a single glass of white wine that complemented the meal well. The subsequent courses included: ・Prawns, raw, smoke, dill — prawns submerged in a light sauce with green oil, refreshing and clean. ・Lobster soup and fennel — four slices of lobster in a thick, savory broth. ・Halibut, truffle, cabbage — fresh halibut in a creamy truffle sauce. ・Milk bread and smoked butter — fragrant, freshly baked bread, just slightly oily on the palate. ・Pan-fried fish, shiitake, celeriac — pan-fried to a golden finish, well complemented with the shiitake mushrooms. ・Herb sorbet — bright and refreshing, a palate reset before the main dish. ・Reindeer, lingonberries, beetroot — three slices of reindeer steak with lingonberry sauce; the most robust flavors of the night, though served in restrained portions. ・Nidelven Blå from Gangstad Ysteri, and cloudberries from Troms — an elegant transition from savory to sweet. ・Dill, yoghurt, caramel — a light crisp cracker on smooth yoghurt, a contrast of textures. ・Prunes and caramel — ice cream melting over a warm base. The meal concluded back in the first room with the Petit Four — four small bites to close the evening. Guests were also offered a choice of tea or coffee, including caffeine-free options. Dinner unfolded leisurely from approximately 18:00 to 23:30, finishing just in time to catch the next-to-last bus back into Tromsø. Service was exceptionally warm and attentive — remarkably so for a fine-dining setting. Eva-Linda and the staff made a point of making guests feel genuinely welcome, and Aspen personally checked in multiple times to ask for impressions. All staff spoke fluent English. The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable, and the décor elegant without feeling formal or intimidating. Pricing sits at the higher end by Tromsø standards, with the set menu at 2250 NOK, alcohol-free champagne at 135 NOK, white wine at 320 NOK, and tea at 88 NOK, for a total of 2793 NOK (wine pairing would raise this significantly). Online reservations are available for international guests via a smooth, user-friendly system. Booking opens eight weeks in advance on Mondays and requires a 1000 NOK deposit. Advance booking is essential; the restaurant was fully booked on the night of my visit. Overall, a refined yet intimate and deeply enjoyable dining experience. A must-visit in Tromsø, provided the budget allows.

3 months ago

We chose to walk from Tromsø centre to Smak (30 minutes) and whilst we found it a little tricky to locate, walking in we felt welcome immediately. We started at 6.30p with a cocktail and some small bites in the lounge area. Watching the food being prepared right in front of us was a joy - and a glimpse at the attention to detail we could expect. Once through to the dining room we started the first of many courses (18 in total!) that focused on locally sourced and produced ingredients (many foraged that morning by our wonderful hostess). We chose the standard wine pairing and were not disappointed as each wine was carefully explained and matched to specific dishes. One of the highlights for me was the carrot and ginger soup (with crunchy textures, sweetness, smokiness and perfectly creamed carrot and ginger soup). So much flavour in such a small bowl of happiness. Watching the lamb being cooked over charcoal was almost as much a treat as the dish itself! The scallop was caramelised perfectly and the careful application of truffles to our fish course was well balanced. Desserts included a selection of chocolates and petit fours along with coffee and tea back in the lounge. All throughout the evening our hostess and sommelier engaged with us offering insights into the wines and dishes whilst conversing casually (in English) about anything and everything. Who cares about plates? Smak does. The plates were all beautifully matched to the dishes we ate - with many created by a local potter. Each one was unique and captured some aspect of this wonderful location. This is a restaurant where you must reserve your place (we did so almost 2 months in advance). If you are a foodie and have 5 hours to enjoy 18 courses of lovingly created dishes then you need to visit!