It seems that Laurent has fallen in love with not only noma but now the whole city of the Danish capital Copenhagen. He has been visiting a lot lately and been to almost all the best restaurants in town!
Laurent is amazing – or what Laurent can do in terms of fine dining out and all over the world almost. I’m envious, no question about that. Anyway it’s always a great pleasure to share a fine meal with Laurent. Not that I do this very often, in fact when visiting Kïïn Kïïn on 22nd of June, we hadn’t done that since over a year ago at Geranium and noma – the most decadent day of my life. It was such a pleasure to see Laurent again and I had really been looking forward to sharing dinner at Kïïn Kïïn. When we arrived Laurent was already waiting in the lounge – just like the first time I met him in Paris at Pierre Gagnaire.
Roasted cashews, lime salted lotus chips, tapioca and malt
Pork satay with peanut dip
Fish cakes with snake beans
We got so many different and lovely, salty snacks and other appetizers with the very good Charpentier champagne. It’s quite funny, first time I visited Kïïn Kïïn I found that the fish cakes were the least interesting of the street food snacks, and now I just love them above all. They were hot, slightly spicy, full of taste and dipping them in the sourish lime relish the flavour all together was just perfect.
Kïïn Kïïn presents one of the best wine lists in town and so we decided to take advantage of that and to go for a couple of bottles rather than the wine menu. Somehow we very quickly got tuned into a nice bottle of champagne for some reason. Personally, I think it was the feeling of again to share a nice dinner and the possibility of making this happen. We emphasized the celebration of it with some bubbles. Laurent knew this André Beaufort and it was fantastic, complex and comprised a marvelous balance and crisp as well. I was surprised how nicely the champagne fit with the food even tough it couldn’t really match the spicy galanga soup.
Kïïn Kïïn soup with galanga
I loved the food we got this evening. There were so many flavours and such variety, top quality products of course. It was like an adventure with distinct tastes and textures. It’s for sure my favourite Kïïn Kïïn dinner ever.
Dim sum steamed with fjord shrimps, shrimps bread and home made shrimp crisps with tapioca and dried shrimps
Frozen red coconut curry with langoustine
Salad with spicy marinade and orchids
For the scallops and the free range chicken we had a Albert Boxper Grand Cru Riesling, which was excellent and sophisticated.
Scallops with lemon grass and tamarind
Poached egg with oyster sauce and water spinach
Free range chicken with pees and asparagus
For the desserts Henrik kindly served us a glass of 2005 Domain Cauhapé Juracon, Symphonie de Novembre, which was quite funny as Laurent had got the very same type of dessert wine, same producer, at our Pierre Gagnaire lunch last year.
Passion fruit, coconut soup with mango and pickled ginger
After the dinner it was great to stroll down the stairs again and back to the lounge to sit and digest the food and chat about the meal and what had happened since we last met.
At Kïïn Kïïn you get a well-designed experience that is executed very well. It’s the relaxed and cool-cosy atmosphere, the loung-music, the very good food and charming service. Kïïn Kïïn is one of those few places that makes me feel good and never wanna leave. And that’s really an accomplishment.
Thank you all for a fantastic evening!
Other reviews of Kiin Kiin:
My first visit
JC’s Upscalator
Andy Hayler
Yes, I’m using WordPress. 🙂
Currently it seems like WordPress is the top blogging platform available right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re using on your blog?
Thanks, had a lucky night like yours at Geranium – the bright evenings in DK 🙂
There are a couple other Kiin Kiin reviews than mine, I have added links to these at the bottom of my post.
Wow – this looks impressive. I haven’t read many favorable reviews of Kiin Kiin but I really like the interpretation of Thai food in these pictures.
Yup, 2005! 🙂
Hey Kasper
It was great that you informed me of the hacking!
Anyways, I had written the vintage if I would remember, which I don’t unfortunatey. I am trying to find out though, ’cause it annoys me that I don’t know it.
Thanks!
Good to see the blog up’n’running & a pleasant read as always, Trine!
Out of curiosity — would you happen to remember the vintage of the Albert Boxler Grand Cru Sommerberg?
I tasted the 2003 vintage about a year ago and didn’t find it that interesting, difficult vintage or not…
Kasper
Very interesting point, JC, and you know I think you’re right. Comparing the pics from our visit these dishes look more simple and with less (what I would assume would be) Thai products. However, I don’t think that the difference is all due to Danish/Nordic new trends, I think that the modern fabrication (e.g. iced red curry instead of a soup or a sauce).
I (certainly) understand why you have an attachment to KK! 😉
Thanks!
By my limited perception, many the regular courses seem to have become less Thai and more Danish. Everything looks a little more sophisticated than last year. One of the things I love about Kïïn Kïïn was how different it is from noma, Geranium, et al., but I’m a little worried that the difference is becoming somewhat obfuscated, street food snacks notwithstanding. (BTW, I’m glad the lotus chips are still around, and the miniature lettuce wraps look great. 😉 ) Ultimately, good food is good food, regardless of nationality, but I am a little worried that KK is starting to seem more like a Danish/New Nordic restaurant that happens to use some Southeast Asian ingredients, rather than a distinctly Thai restaurant that borrows from haute European cuisines.
But I’m going solely on my own (again, limited) perception, without fully knowing Chef Henrik’s intention. I don’t mean to sound too critical, especially since I’m mostly talking about the image of the restaurant as I perceive it, and not about the quality of the food, which is far more important. I do intend to eat there again the next time I’m in Copenhagen, and I’m sure I’ll have a wonderful time.
I appreciate the review, and I love the photos! It’s nice to still be able to occasionally keep track of the restaurant’s evolution through your blog. I don’t mean to sound too sentimental, but after last year’s visit, I have a bit of at attachment to KK.
Thank you, “Gastronaut”!
One could also argue that I have failed in describing the flavours and the tastes. But I fully understand what you say, in fact that’s how I felt about Schloss Berg. There was something about the earlier dishes, the colours didn’t match well and didn’t tempt me. They look better when you see them live, though ;). However, dishes that are seducing and fulfilling all your senses are always the most rewarding.
Thanks for a lovely review.
The photos -or should I say the dishes – look better than in you last review from KK, but I still think from all the top restaurants I know, some only from your reviews – I find KK the least tempting.
The dishes simply dont speak to me. I dont get this sensation of Gee…I want to have that dish, (like in I want to dance with that girl) – you know – they simply look like something I could have presented myself.
Off course you may argue that I will be missing out on some lovely flavours and stunning tastes – and I am sure they are all there – and that again makes me wonder/consider if for me the presentations is maybe to big a part of a dinner.
Good to see you beat the hacker btw.