Norway: A day trip to Hidra and lunch at Isbua

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

Norway: Day trip to Hidra and lunch at Isbua

On a sunny Sunday in late August, April and I went on a day trip to Hidra, where we had lunch at Isbua in Kirkehamn. Isbua is a well-known restaurant in the area that I’ve wanted to try for a long time, and we couldn’t have picked a better day to go. The sun was shining, the air was warm, and we got a table right by the water. We ordered a mix of dishes to share: moules frites, fried shrimp, and the most delicious scallops served with pumpkin purée. Everything tasted wonderfully fresh, like it had just been pulled straight from the sea.

Hidra is famous for its seafood, and that’s also what you’ll find on the menu at Isbua. The restaurant is housed in an old icehouse, which was originally built to store large blocks of ice. Before modern refrigeration, the ice was packed around freshly caught fish to keep it cold until the catch was shipped onward. Outside, the terrace stretches out toward the water with a small dock just below.

To get to Hidra, you take the ferry from Kvellandstrand to Launes. The crossing only takes about seven minutes, it’s free of charge, and the ferry runs frequently around the clock. From Launes it’s just a short drive to Kirkehamn, where Isbua sits right by the water.

Isbua, Reinferdalsveien 35, 4432 Hidrasund, Norge

September 9, 2025 0 comments

Recipe: Baked Figs with Goat Cheese, Honey, and Pistachios

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

Fresh figs stuffed with creamy goat cheese and topped with pistachios look beautiful and taste even better. I still can’t decide whether they’re more of an appetizer, dessert, or snack, but honestly, it doesn’t matter. They’re delicious anytime.

Tips

Use fresh goat cheese (the one without rind).

You can prepare the figs ahead by filling them with cheese and storing them in the fridge. Just wait to bake them until right before serving.

I usually make them in the air fryer, since it’s quick and the result is excellent, but you can also bake them in a regular oven. Place the stuffed figs in an ovenproof dish and bake at 400°F (convection) for 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is soft and the figs are heated through but still firm and holding their shape. Enjoy them right away while they’re warm and creamy.

Recipe: Baked Figs with Goat Cheese, Honey, and Pistachios

Servings

figs

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

6 fresh figs
1 small log of fresh goat cheese (about 2.5 oz/75 g)
2 tablespoons unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons liquid honey
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Rinse the figs gently and pat dry. If you like, trim off the little stem on top to make a cleaner cut.
Slice a cross into each fig, but not too deep, otherwise they’ll spread out and lose their shape. Press lightly at the base so they open just enough.
Fill each fig with about 1 heaping teaspoon of goat cheese. If one opens a bit too much, gently press it back together so the cheese stays in place.
Arrange the figs in the air fryer and bake at 350°F for 4–6 minutes, until the cheese softens and the figs are warm but still firm and holding their shape.
Remove from the basket or oven dish, drizzle with honey, sprinkle with pistachios and black pepper, and serve immediately.

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09/17/2025 11:02 pm GMT

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09/17/2025 11:01 pm GMT

September 5, 2025 0 comments

Flekkefjord: Skolekjeks – A Local Specialty

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

Skolekjeks is very much a Flekkefjord thing. Outside the town, most people have never even heard of them, but in Flekkefjord they’re almost impossible to avoid. The round, flat breads/cakes/cookies/biscuits have been part of the local baking tradition for generations, and you’ll find them at most of the town’s bakeries.

The dough is as old-school as it gets: wheat flour, sugar, butter, kulturmelk (the Norwegian kind of sour milk, similar to kefir), and ammonium carbonate. The result is flat, round cookies with a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Nothing flashy, but maybe that’s exactly why they’re so popular.

There are different ways to eat skolekjeks. Some people like them with butter and cheese, almost like a sweet, flat bun, while others prefer them plain. I like them best without anything, or with just the thinnest layer of butter, always with a cup of coffee on the side.

The name (skolekjeks = school biscuits) suggests they might once have been tucked into schoolbags, but I haven’t been able to confirm that part of the story. These days, they’re more of a cozy coffee-time treat, but still a treat that many Flekkefjæringer (yes, that’s what the locals in Flekkefjord are called) feel a nostalgic connection to.

During my time in Flekkefjord, I never fully fell in love with skolekjeks, but I grew to appreciate them. There’s something charming about the simplicity, and something special about local classics that have survived through generations. Definitely worth trying if you’re visiting Flekkefjord.

The skolekjeks in the photos here are from Tollboden Bakeri (the ones a little darker in color) and from Presterud (the lighter ones).

September 3, 2025 0 comments

Dinner at Broken – Stavanger’s New Seafood Gem

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

April was visiting Norway last weekend, and we had such a lovely time together with great weather and lots of good food. On Friday evening, we had dinner at Broken, a new seafood restaurant in Stavanger. It opened in November 2024 and is located on Langgata, right by Pedersgata, which has become the city’s hotspot for exciting new restaurants.

Behind Broken is Alan Kaye, who both owns and runs the place. Originally from England, he has worked at restaurants in Barcelona, Australia, and Denmark before settling down in Norway. Broken is a small restaurant with seating for about 25 guests, and with the open kitchen, the experience feels both personal and intimate. The night we visited, Alan was cooking himself, assisted only by a single waiter.

We ordered the four-course menu (1250 NOK), which began with snacks: tiny cones, paprika chips, and freshly baked sourdough bread with homemade butter. After that came:

Fresh Ceviche Scallops with fermented tomato “caviar” and lovage snow. A bright and tangy start that hit all the right notes.

Torched king fish tartare with salt-baked yellow beetroot, pickled plums, reduced cabernet sauvignon vinegar, and Jerusalem artichoke purée. An intense dish with a lot going on, yet everything came together beautifully.

For the main course, we had poached halibut with barigoule sauce, glazed Jerusalem artichoke, and fermented chanterelles. The fish was cooked to perfection, right on that fine line between raw and done. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever had halibut this good.

Dessert was a pistachio soufflé with coconut and dark chocolate ganache, and it was so good that we both scraped our bowls clean to get every last bite.

April called the meal an explosion of flavors, and I couldn’t agree more. Broken is yet another example of how far modern Norwegian cuisine has come over the past decade. According to the restaurant, they have no plans of expanding, wanting to keep the intimate and relaxed atmosphere, but with the level of food they’re serving, it’s hard to imagine Broken will remain a hidden gem for long. The standard is impressively high, and it’s fascinating to see how a small restaurant in Stavanger can deliver food this refined. If you get the chance, I highly recommend trying Broken while you can still get a table.

Broken, Langgata 9, 4013 Stavanger

August 31, 2025 0 comments

NYC: Dookki – A new Tteokkbokki spot in Koreatown

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

New York: Dookki - Tteokkbokki i Koreatown — *Disclaimer: My meal at Dookki was complimentary, but as always, the opinions are my own.*

I love tteokbokki, so when I was invited to check out Dookki’s new spot in Koreatown, of course I said yes. Dookki is a Korean chain specializing in tteokbokki, those wonderfully chewy rice cakes served in a glossy, spicy red sauce.

In Korea, the Dookki restaurants are run as AYCE. You get a pot of broth at your table and then help yourself from a long lineup of toppings: different kinds of tteok, noodles, fish cakes, vegetables, even tempura. At Dookki in New York City, the setup is more like fast food. You either pick from preset combinations or build your own by checking off the toppings you want on the order sheet.

I went for the build-your-own and chose fish balls, fish cake, mushrooms, bok choy, rice cakes, egg, noodles…well, everything! There was so much going on in the bowl that the tteok (rice cakes) were almost hidden underneath it all. I chose the original Dookki spicy sauce, which turned out milder than I expected, so next time I’ll probably try Tteokmo, their extra spicy version.

Tteokbokki is true comfort food to me. I just love those chewy rice cakes, and I never get tired of them. I can eat them year-round, no matter the mood. While I still prefer eating tteokbokki from a tiny tent restaurant in Seoul, Dookki is a solid option when the craving hits in the middle of Manhattan. The portions are big, and one order is easily enough for two or even three people to share, which makes it a really cheap meal if you’re with friends.

You’ll find Dookki inside Food Gallery 32, which has quickly become one of my favorite Koreatown food spots. The food hall is always bustling, and has a great selection of stalls serving all kinds of Korean fast food and desserts.

By the way, “Dookki” means “two meals” in Korean. The name comes from the original concept in Korea, where you’d start with tteokbokki and then, when just a little sauce was left in the pot, add rice to make bokkeumbap (fried rice) to finish the meal. Maybe not the luckiest brand name in English, but I guess Dookki so well-known in Korea that they kept it, even for the New York City branch:)

My Guide to Korean Restaurants in New York City

Dookki, Food Gallery 32, 11 W 32nd St fl 2, New York, NY 10001, United States

August 20, 2025 0 comments

New York City: The Bar at Loews Regency

by Mitzie Mee - Sanne

NYC: The Bar at Loews Regency New York — *My visit to Loews Regency was by invitation, but all opinions and Citrus Fizz enthusiasm are entirely my own*

A couple of weeks ago, Steve and I stopped by the bar at Loews Regency on Park Avenue. I had been invited to try their non-alcoholic cocktails, but due to a misunderstanding, we ended up with the version that contained alcohol. No complaints though, I’ve since tried both, and they’re equally good.

The bar is tucked into the lobby of the elegant hotel, which has been an Upper East Side fixture for more than 60 years. In the summer, things are a little quieter than usual. The bartender told us that many of the regulars spend the season in the Hamptons, but for the rest of the year, especially on weekday evenings, it’s much livelier with people dropping in for a drink after work.

We were served a Citrus Fizz, which also comes in a non-alcoholic version. Ours, as mentioned, was the boozy take, with St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, chamomile tea, and fresh lemon juice. It was bright, refreshing, and perfect for a warm summer night.

At The Regency Bar & Grill, the Citrus Fizz is part of Fizz by Loews Hotels, the brand’s new soda-forward program. It’s a playful, modern take on the classic hotel bar experience, with house-made sodas and spritzes that fit right in with today’s shift toward mindful, flavorful drinking.

If you’re in New York City I highly recommend stopping by Loews for a Citrus Fizz and soaking up the classy surroundings. And if you can’t make it in person, here’s the recipe so you can mix one up at home.

Recipe: The Citrus Fizz at Loews Regency New York

Loews Regency, 540 Park Ave, New York, NY 10065, United States

Loews Regency New York

If you’re looking for a place to stay on the Upper East Side, Loews Regency New York is one of those hotels that gets it just right. It’s classy without being over the top, with an understated kind of luxury that feels both elegant and welcoming. A great choice if you want to be close to Central Park and Madison Avenue while staying in a place that feels truly New York.