25. April 2015: Restaurant Onda Sea

The Restaurant Onda Sea was recommended in one of my favourite books – “Where the Chefs Eat“. And I must say, once again, I was not disappointed. You have to pre-book the 7 course menu (995 NOK) which is not exactly on the cheap side but absolutely worth booking. The late lunch started with “Swedish caviar from Kalix with brioche and crème fraîche” and while at first I thought this was going to be rather boring I must admit that it was actually delicious. Especially the combination of the crème fraîche with the caviar and the shallots was lovely!

Next in line was the “king crab naturel with mayonnaise and garlic dip”. The garlic was intense but the crab was actually yummy. The combination with the garlic dip made it truly mouth-watering though!

The portions are rather large – the third this afternoon was a “lobster soup with Cognac” which actually contained quite a couple of more elements in the soup. There were shrimp as well as vegetables which enriched the soup in a very lovely way.

The first main course was “halibut with asparagus and chives- caviar beurre blanc”. The halibut was smooth and juicy but did not have much taste by itself. The beurre blanc with chives was super unhealthy but superb in taste!

The “veal entrecôte with morel sauce” was surprisingly lovely. Why I say surprisingly? Well, from a place which is specialized on sea food you would not necessarily expect that they are able to handle meat. However, the veal was tender and almost disembling when having a bite! The vegetables which were served with it were luscious!

The last course before the actual dessert were “Norwegian cheeses with nut bread and marmalade”. Unfortunately, I do not remember the names of the cheeses but I must admit that’s not much of a loss. While I appreciate the fact that there is cheese served as part of the menu, I must admit I was a bit disappointed with regards to the “surprise effect” of the cheeses served!

The “coconut pannacotta with berries and sorbet” was a great ending to a marvelous lunch! The service is dedicated, friendly, and does a good job! More importantly, they are also very tolerant as we were a group which was pretty loud and laughing a lot (the wine was probably supporting that) and we were never asked to turn it down or the like!

The read wine, “Barbera d’Alba “Ruvei”, Marchesi di Barolo” (595 NOK) is obviously quite pricey but also tasty. The dessert wine which we were offered was good but way too sweet (Moscato d’Asti, 1DL, 89 NOK). Else, the prices are okay with 45 NOK for water (Farris Bla), respectively 76 NOK for the larger bottle (0,7L, Imsdal Perle).

The place is very nice from outside, has a perfect location so you are basically sitting in the harbour “on” the sea and you have sight of the city castle and the like. The place is not only nice inside but also lovely from the outside!

The service really does a good job and is very attentive and helpful in all circumstances. I can absolutely recommend you to go to the Restaurant Onda Sea and enjoy the 7-course degustation menu! Worth trying! And important booking in advance!

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Contact Details:

Restaurant Onda Sea

Stranden 30

0250 Oslo (NO)

Tel.: +47 45 50 20 00

E-Mail: post@onda.no

Homepage: http://www.onda.no

About the Author: Sven

I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org. Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City.