Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Denmark
Right: Pondus is owned and run by René and Louise Mammen. The couple is also behind Restaurant Substans, one of three Michelin-star restaurants in Aarhus.
Restaurant of the Month, Denmark
Organic, no-frills Nordic bistro in the heart of Aarhus With a relaxed atmosphere, organic food and affordable prices, Pondus bistro has become the everyday alternative to its popular Michelin-star sister establishment, Restaurant Substans.
and focus on the things we like, while our guests can kick back and bring the whole family along for an affordable Sunday dinner with lots of good food and wine.”
By Signe Hansen | Photos: Pondus
When Pondus was established in 2013, Aarhus was the home of a number of Nordic gourmet restaurants and French bistros. But when it came to places to enjoy Nordic food in the same relaxed settings as the French, the market was scarce. Consequently, René and Louise Mammen, the owners of Restaurant Substans, decided to create Pondus – a Nordic bistro. “We wanted to create a down-to-earth establishment of the kind that we would like to go to after work ourselves, a place where you can just relax, kick back and forget about everything but the food,” explains chef René Mammen. The couple, however, did not found Pondus only to provide a more relaxed and affordable alternative to their successful gourmet restaurant, which is one of just three Michelin-star restaurants in 106 | Issue 99 | April 2017
Aarhus, but also to test the feasibility of running an organic quality restaurant in the city. It turned out to be very feasible indeed; today, Pondus has been awarded the Silver Label (and Substans the Gold Label) for organically sourced produce. The silver label testifies that between 60 and 90 per cent of the food and wine on the menu is organic. Furthermore, the ingredients in the restaurant’s cuisine change daily, allowing the chefs to take advantage of the best local produce according to season. “The garnish changes every day according to what we find and what we like. That’s the kind of freedom you have when you’re running a place like this,” says Mammen and rounds off: “It’s as relaxed and downto-earth as it gets, and that means that we have space to play around with the menu
Facts: The Pondus menu consists of an à la carte menu as well as a daily set threecourse menu with or without wine (285/595DKK). Pondus is located at Åboulevarden 51, Aarhus. The bistro is open every day 5.30-11pm.
For more information, please visit: www.restaurantpondus.dk