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Gourministeriet Favourites – My First Cookbook
Jes and I had been looking forward to a dinner outing at Brasseriet Helsingborg by Oceanhamnen – the place looked wonderful, but sadly the experience didn’t live up to our expectations.
For several weeks I had been talking about our evening at Brasseriet Helsingborg – the atmosphere, the view of the harbour, the brasserie and bistro classics on the menu – everything pointed to a lovely experience. We arrived with high expectations, but sadly left a little disappointed.
It was the location that drew us in first: Brasseriet is beautifully positioned in Oceanhamnen in Helsingborg, with large windows and a view of the water. Their website and the reviews promise brasserie dishes in relaxed, elegant surroundings – and that was exactly what we were looking forward to.
We were greeted politely, the service was correct and the design of the rooms impressive. There was a good buzz around us – other guests seemed happy, wine was being poured, and we felt at ease. This is where the place really plays to its strengths. The seating is comfortable – it’s pleasant, elegant without being stiff – and the location adds something quite special.
From Helsingborg city centre we took a short walk across the bridge to Oceanhamnen, which put us in the right mood before the meal. The view of the harbour helped the evening get off to a calm, unhurried start.
And then we come to the part that unfortunately didn’t match the setting: the food. We had been looking forward to classic brasserie and bistro dishes with flavour and finesse.
The girls had fish and chips and köttbullar (Swedish meatballs) – sensible choices, but both dishes were entirely ordinary and held no surprises.
I ordered the mushroom toast with grilled goat’s cheese – but the bread was completely soggy, the salad limp, and the plate lacked both clarity and edge.
Jes chose scallops as a starter – but they were more boiled than seared, the leek was grainy, and the dish as a whole lacked flavour and finesse.
For my main I chose Arctic char – the fish was nicely cooked, but the sauce with pointed cabbage and chanterelles was watery and dull, and the plating did nothing to lift it – the lemon half on top felt like a half-hearted gesture.
Jes had a steak with two sauces and chips – the sauces tasted ready-made and the steak lacked character.
All in all, we were left feeling that the quality was too low for the price level – we had hoped for a little more “wow”, and it never came.
The menu offers classics such as kalvköttbullar (veal meatballs) with mashed potato and cream sauce, a burger with bacon and cheddar, moules frites with white wine and cream, and steak tartare. There are also snacks such as parmesan fries with aioli, vitlöksbröd (garlic bread) with truffle aioli, and a number of classic starters and mains.
The idea is a good one – but unfortunately the individual dishes we had were too ordinary in both presentation and flavour.
The service was friendly, but the food let the experience down. The prices weren’t unreasonable in themselves, but the value for money was low.
Brasseriet offers a classic à la carte of favourites, along with a lunch menu and event menus. Expect brasserie style and bistro classics.
Selection:
Snacks: Parmesan fries, vitlöksbröd (garlic bread)
Starters: Toast with goat’s cheese and mushrooms, scallops, steak tartare
Mains: Arctic char with chanterelles and pointed cabbage, steak with sauce and chips, burger, moules frites
Children’s menu: Köttbullar (Swedish meatballs), fish & chips
Wine & drinks: A classic wine list, though nothing stood out on this particular evening
Our choices:
Starters: Mushroom toast with grilled goat’s cheese, scallops
Mains: Arctic char with pointed cabbage and chanterelles, steak with two sauces and chips
Children’s menu: Fish & chips and köttbullar
At a glance:
Location: Beautiful spot in Oceanhamnen in Helsingborg
What we ate: Toast with goat’s cheese, scallops, Arctic char with mushrooms, steak with sauce and chips, plus children’s dishes
Highlights: Atmosphere and interior
Price and value: Mid-range prices – low value for money
Atmosphere and service: Friendly service and a beautiful interior – but the food let it down
Redaregatan 50, 252 25
Helsingborg, Sweden
brasseriethelsingborg.se
Phone: +46 42 442 55 00
