Exotic Meal at AMASS

One of the meal that I can never forget. At AMASS I experience one of the best dining experience in this Scandinavia tour. You might start to imagine how luxury or how "fine" the food and the interior of the restaurant can get. If you thinking that, you're wrong! AMASS is a very casual place outside of the city, tableware a are simple, you can see where most of the dishes are on the pass. In summer diners would spend time outdoor, on the grass to chit chat and have a drink. 

So time to get into the food, which will give you more understanding about the restaurant, as well as Matthew Orlando's cooking.

Salted Cod marinated in 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze Beer(sour beer), Burnt Lemon, Soured Cream, Crisp Potato.

By marinating in sour beer substitute vinegar to develop the sourness. The beer is not that strong as I expected, instead of alcoholic taste it gives acidic taste. The potato chip is delicious, not the very thin and crisp kind of chips, but crunchy like the texture of a harden caramel. 

Fermented Potatoes Bread

The bread course is not ordinary good, it's crazily, addictively delicious to the MAX! Every person who have been to AMASS agrees with me. The fermented potatoes, gives a sour fermented aroma and taste, it's rustic and is baked in their specialized wood oven outside. 

Instead of butter they use seasonal ramson and chard to make the garlicky condiment, it pairs very well with the fermented potatoes bread. Not the fluffier but the fermented taste work as well as sourdough made from wheat flour. Now I understand why the server told me feel free to ask for more bread because I'm pretty sure everyone would be able to eat more then one of it (or maybe 2..3....5..), for instant I wanted to ask se for take away. (hahahaha) 

Truffle Crisp, Monkfish liver Paste, Black Garlic, Black lime Powder

Black lime, picked, boiled, in dehydrated for 8weeks! Tiny dust of powder is powerful enough, acidity and burnt at the same time..why didn't I thought of the concept of "slow cooking" in the dehydrator? (8weeks...that's a lot of electricity consumed hahaha) 

Truffle mushroom crisp, the truffle come through strongly, don't really have to say more about truffle:) Fermented black garlic balance the truffle taste, concentrated sweetness from the fermentation. The flower gives citrus lightness to the dish. 

Roasted Squid, Pork Fat, Sorrel, Winter cress

The pork fat melts in mouth. In the beginning I have no idea where they included the pork fat into the dish. But after my first bites, wow they literally slice the pork fat and squid the same style so as you dig in it kinds of guides you and tell you that the squid is just as soft and meltingly tender as the melting fat. The bitterness from the cress cuts through the fattiness, as well as the onion, which is sousvide with seaweed powder. Seaweed is a harmonious combination with the squid as if the taste of sea water.

Winter pickles, Chicken skins, Preserved Garlic

Seven layers of chicken skins has been cooked, pressed, packed, the roasted till crisp. The texture is like a lightly toast brioche, soft the inside, crispy in the outside. 

Six different Pickles form last summer gives a taste of Scandinavia's winter. The pickles are very nordic, I'm not sure what exactly are there however I spot elderberries, and was able to taste spices like juniper berries which I assume have been used in pickling.

Fermented Grains, Broth of Monkfish Head, Egg Yolk, Horseradish oil

Fermentation plays a big role in Nordic cuisine. the grains are fermented like Jpanese koji, thus resulting sourness with a subtle hint of sweetness. Grains includes barley, spelt, and rye. The egg yolk is nicely cooked, it's chewy contrasting the texture with the fermented grains. Horseradidsh oil gives the dish a final kick, added spiciness which I think is great with the sour grains.

Monkfish Loin, Citrus, 

Monkfish loin is, no doubt, cooked perfectly. They added tiny pieces from fresh citrons (guessing is lemon) and lemon balm on the fish. They gives citrus taste which is tart but not sour. The herbed "butter" is made from buttermilk, not too creamy at the same time acts as another acidic element, very nice with therapy monkfish. The plum compote adds a little crunch and another refreshment of the dish. All condiments sounds quite acidic but I ensure you this dish is well balanced. 

Forest Chicken cooked with marzipan, Fermented Elderflower, Soft Almonds, Celery

Chef Orlando came and explain the dish by himself. He told me they spent more than a year to pick the best chicken for this dish. Forest chicken is the winner at last, they eat bugs (what chickens normally eat in the nature), thus they come in much stronger, bigger, and with less fats as they're wild animals that run around in the forest. The chefs goes into the wood and catch these babies by themselves, to ensure it comes all natural.

Taste: It has very intense and unique chicken taste. It has been cooked with marzipan to give nuttiness to enhance flavour. The pickled elderflower has a sweet floral taste which gives lightness to the dish. Slices of dried celeriac has been rehydrated and it's still juicy and soft very nice to go with them chicken; raw celery is the clean element of the dish.

Lastly, the cooked almond is there to harmonise the marzipan, it remains a little crunch with amazing nutty sweetness. Everything has transformed a piece of gold from the forest to a gastronomic masterpiece! 

Olive oil bread, herb Ice cream, Bronze Fennel Top, Olive Oil

One of favourite (too much favourite in this meal..) is the pre-dessert course! Since I had olive oil dessert at Mansfred & Vin, I kind of going the reverse way and having savoury dessert. OH MY! Crazily crazily crazily  delicious!!!! The olive oil bread (more like shortcake to me) is moist but crumbly when bite into. The (a Swedish bittersweet herbs) ice cream goes so well with olio. It taste a little like match(just to make it easier for you guys to imagine the taste). The two tiny broze fennel top don't seem important but for some reason it makes such a difference, lighten up the strong olive taste.

It's very hard to explain the flavours, it was simply like miracle happening in my mouth.

Chocolate Ice cream, Bacon Caramel, Beer Mousse

The last dessert comes with a little little disappointment. Overall it's a well delivered dessert but compared to all those surprise and "wow" factors from previous dishes this isn't as exciting. Flavour wise the bacon caramel and beer mousse are both wire weak. I would say it's a good milk chocolate ice cream. 

Matthew Orlando is one of the kindest and most passionate chef, I have loads to learn from him.