As Copenhagen’s Noma Departs, a Welcome Arrival | The New York Times
Kristel Poole
By Jason Tesauro, October 7, 2016
Ever since René Redzepi announced that he’d be closing what’s been possibly the most celebrated restaurant in the world, the only thing harder to find at Noma than out-of-season vegetables are reservations. Fortunately, there’s a workaround. Just a summer plum’s toss from Noma’s back door, Mr. Redzepi has opened 108, a stylishly casual alternative that’s a third of the price, yet far more than half as good. Prep cooks run ingredients back and forth between the two kitchens, but a Noma alumnus, Kristian Baumann, is firmly at the helm.
Chef stalkers will find Noma staffers starting their mornings at 108, where an adjacent venue called the Corner doubles as a top-flight coffee shop with tea and pastries by day and a modern enoteca with beer and snacks by night. “It’s a friendly vibe,” Mr. Baumann said. “I wanted people to relax and have fun with family or a group of friends.”
Although 108 officially opened on July 27, it began as a 13-week pop-up at Noma while Mr. Redzepi and company were off cooking in Australia. The kitchen is already in practiced rhythm, and the first dish, like many on the menu, had the hallmarks of Noma’s creative...