Traditional Norwegian Restaurants and Food

Norwegian cuisine is in its traditional form largely based on the raw materials readily available in a country dominated by mountains, wilderness and the sea.

Restaurants in Bergen:

Holbergstuen

Beyer'en

Bryggen Tracteursted

Fløien Folkerestaurant

Lyststedet Bellevue

Bryggeloftet

Finnegaards Stuene

Typical Norwegian Food:

Klippfisk/Tørrfisk

Typical Fish Dishes:

Torsk - Cod: poached, simply served with boiled potatoes and melted butter. Carrots,fried bacon, roe and cod liver may also accompany the fish.

Lutefisk - lyed fish: a traditional preparation made of stockfish (dried cod or ling) that has been steeped in lye. The dish most likely came about as an accident; stockfish became covered in ashes after a fire, then the rain caused lye from the ashes to seep into the fish. Poverty will have prevented people from throwing it away, and after watering it out the lyed fish was found edible.

Preparation and accompaniment is as for fresh cod, although beer and aquavit is served on the side.

Stekt fisk - braised fish: almost all fish is braised, but as a rule the larger specimen tend to be poached and the smaller braised. The fish is filleted, dusted with flour, salt and pepper and braised in butter. Potatoes are served on the side, and the butter from the pan used as a sauce.

Fatty fish like herring and brisling are given the same treatment. Popular accompaniments are sliced and fresh-pickled cucumbers and sour cream.

Sursild - pickled herring: a variety of pickle-sauces are used, ranging from simple vinegar- sugar based sauces to tomato, mustard and sherry based sauces. Pickled herring is served as an horse d'ouvre or on rye bread as a lunch buffet