Stavanger has a surprisingly strong restaurant scene for a city of its size, and K2 had been on my radar for a while. The restaurant holds both a Michelin star and a Green Michelin star, reflecting its focus on local ingredients, low waste, and thoughtful Nordic cooking. The evening before an early flight to Amsterdam and onward to New York, I decided to treat myself to dinner there.
Since I was driving, I started with a mocktail that I vaguely remember involving pine needles. It was a bit too sweet for my liking, so I switched to a non alcoholic Radler instead, which worked much better with the food.
Dinner began with three small bites. The first was raw marinated shrimp layered with another type of raw fish and topped with a small piece of apple. Fresh, delicate, and beautifully balanced. Next came a large crab cracker with shellfish emulsion and edible flowers, perfectly crisp and very elegant. The third bite was a crunchy sourdough rye crisp topped with chicken liver cream. The crisp was made from leftover rye bread, which later reappeared as warm sourdough served with butter sprinkled with seaweed salt. A nice nod to the restaurant’s sustainability philosophy.
The first proper course was scallops with fermented rhubarb, gooseberries, and a green, citrusy jus. A lovely plate with just the right amount of acidity to highlight the natural sweetness of the scallops.
Next came the sourdough rye bread along with venison tartare made from Finnish deer and topped with mushrooms. The waiter suggested having the tartare at the same time as the bread, which turned out to be a great idea. The combination of the warm rye bread, butter, and the rich, earthy tartare was excellent.
Then followed Norwegian skrei, pan fried in a cast iron pan so it developed a perfect crust on one side. It was served with a light, foamy butter sauce. Simple, clean flavors, and very well executed.
The vegetarian dish with grilled sunchoke was one of the surprises of the evening. After grilling, the sunchoke had been pan fried and caramelized, and it came with a deeply savory cheese sauce that was so good I was close to licking the plate.
Another unexpected course was pan fried beef liver with onions, partially hidden under a small pile of greens. No need to hide it as far as I’m concerned. I love liver, and this version was beautifully cooked and full of flavor.
The highlight of the evening, though, was the duck. It had been dry aged for three weeks, smoked, and then grilled before being served with beets. It might not have been the most photogenic dish of the night, but the flavor was incredible. The aging, smoking, and grilling created a deep, complex taste that made it one of the best duck dishes I have had in a long time.
Since I had to get up very early the next morning, I asked if dessert and petit fours could be served together. Dessert was Norwegian pancakes with pickled plums and vanilla ice cream, a classic combination that worked really well.
The petit fours included three small bites: a vegan marshmallow topped with cloudberry, a financier with whipped crème fraîche, and K2’s signature Norwegian style canelé made with aquavit and goat’s milk and filled with brunost caramel. I’m usually not a big brunost fan, but here the sweet, caramelized flavor actually worked surprisingly well.
The dinner at K2 was a really enjoyable experience, with creative dishes and a clear passion for great ingredients. The atmosphere was relaxed in that effortless Nordic way, and the staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.
The only downside was the pacing. Even after I mentioned that I had an early flight and asked if things could move a little faster, the dinner still ended up lasting around three and a half hours. For a restaurant of this level, I would have expected a bit more flexibility.
That said, K2 is absolutely worth a visit if you are in Stavanger and curious about modern Nordic cuisine. The food is thoughtful, seasonal, and very, very good.
K2, Pedersgata 69, 4013 Stavanger, Norway
