Allow us to introduce you toRestaurant Clou– a bright star on the Danish food scene, that proves the old Kingdom to be morethan Nordic minimalism and Noma alike.
Old concrete buildings inhabited by a slew of dry cleaners, laundromats, upholsters and shoemakers, supermarkets, roads that are mainly used for parking spaces and a big old fashioned gas station halfway down the street.This is how one could describe the street of Borgergade in the center of Copenhagen, a javelin throw away from the historic D’Angleterre hotel.
The undisputed gem of the street is located in number 16. As you lean in towards the tinted windows, you can just barely look into the room inside.When you step in through the main door you immediately get a feeling of warmth and homeliness. The place is Clou – a highly popular restaurant that dazzles diners with its highly creative approach towards cooking.
Clou opened in late 2012 when three small shops merged into a restaurant.Back thenthe two twin brothers – Alexander and Jonathan Berntsen – ran the enterprise together as respectively sommelier and chef. At that point Clou was an integrated restaurant, wine import and wine shop.
When the three-in-one became too big to house all concepts the twins decided to split it up, and Alexander began to operate solely on the wine import and exquisite wine tastings outside the restaurant.
Since then, the beginning of 2014, Jonathan has run Clou with his talented chefs, sommeliers and waiters as an à la carte and set menu restaurant,that dazzles local and international diners with its creative approach towards cooking. As a resultClou has since received three 1-star ratings from Guide Michelin from 2013 onwards.
Clou is a very personal restaurant that desires to make its guests feel at home. To this, the personal touch is important. From personal art on the walls, to grand parents’ silverware on the beautiful setted tables.
The food and wine combinations have been key at restaurant since the beginning. In fact it is what’s most important at Clou. Highly unusually the starting point is the wine, and then chefs match the food.
Even more unusual; in Copenhagen – the cradle of Nordic Cuisine – Clou is a local top restaurant with a kitchen inspired by Southern European Cuisine. In fact you could call itMediterranean.Chef Berntsen is taught in France and techniques used at Clou are mostly of French, Italian and Spanish origin, though the restaurant also takes great pride in using the best of Danish produce in its cooking, being very oriented to the outstanding fresh sea produce of the Danish region.
Amongst pleased food critics Clou is in general described as a restaurant being “classic with an unusual, extraordinarytwist”.
Chef Owner Jonathan Berntsen exclusively offers his excellence to lectures, food festivals, consultancy and exclusive dinner parties.
Images | Thomas Hommelgaard