Stefanie Y.
Yelp
We kicked off our visit to Denmark with a visit to Restaurant Domestic. It was our first time experiencing the beauty and attention to detail that seems to pervade all New Nordic restaurants, and Restaurant Domestic was at the pinnacle of its game, setting an almost impossibly high bar for the rest of our trip.
The restaurant was tucked away in a secluded courtyard and decor was clean and minimal, with rustic accents. The sommelier was outstanding, recommending a wonderful red wine for the meal. Service was friendly and attentive but definitely on the slower side; I felt like the kitchen was coordinating so all diners received their dishes around the same time, therefore, we could only move as quickly as the slowest table in the room.
That being said, it was some of the most mind-boggling three hours of my life. The meal started off with a number of delicious bites, or "snacks", then moved into the eight-course menu. With each dish that arrived at the table, our eyes were first treated to the visual beauty of the food, then we savored the wonderful combination of textures and flavors of the fresh ingredients expertly prepared. Restaurant Domestic also did not skimp on ingredients - we enjoyed a lobster dish, a fish dish, a pork dish, and a beef dish, each prepared in a way that seemed to elevate the already-lovely natural flavors of the subject. Honestly, there was no highlight because everything was so delicious - I've posted some pictures to help convey the experience.
We heard from the very knowledgeable waitstaff that the garlic used in one of the dishes had been slow roasted at low heat in the oven for sixty days (!), and we learned about the natural fauna found in the fields and along the sand dunes of Denmark that then made its way into our dishes. We found out that apparently young pinecones are edible (and that they taste quite good!). There is an incredible amount of prep that goes into each dish, from the oils that clearly have been infused for months to the the aged meats. Restaurant Domestic certainly celebrates the unexpected and unusual, serving local ingredients that you will be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the world.
Like basically everything else in Denmark, Restaurant Domestic is not cheap. In fact, it's a downright splurge, ~$150 for the eight-course meal, not including wine. That being said, its prices are much lower for more substantial different when compared to cohorts in Copenhagen, and perhaps because the restaurant located outside of the competitive Copenhagen food scene, the menu seemed a bit more free and fun. We loved our time in Aarhus, from the more homey, old-world atmosphere to the incredible art museum to the delicious food, and I would highly recommend taking an overnight trip out to experience it for yourself.