REVIEW
ØRKENOY
BY BEN MILLER PHOTOS BY KARINA MAK
>>NEIGHBORHOOD Humboldt Park >>PRICES $$ >>DISHES TO TRY Salt Beef Smørrebrød, Fish Cakes
6
bite | winter 2021
Chicago winters are cold and hard. The sky darkens, the wind howls, and every trip outside becomes a tiring battle against the elements. However, even the most grueling Chicago January can hardly compete with what nature throws at Scandinavia. Nearing the Arctic Circle, temperatures regularly dip beyond midwestern extremes, and sunlight arrives for just a few hours each day. The environment is barely conducive to life, let alone enjoyable cuisine. But Ørkenoy, a self-described “brewery, kitchen and synergetic haunt” in Humboldt Park, takes a different view of the Nordic north. With a specific winter seasonal menu, Ørkenoy embraces the cold and produces surprisingly energetic fare to distract from seasonal doldrums. Unfortunately, pandemic realities make Ørkenoy’s much-praised space inside the Kimball Arts Center inaccessible. Ordering delivery online does not offer the same panache, and was in fact somewhat cumbersome, mostly because it requires using two different outside sites to order and track food. When difficulty arose though, the restaurant’s staff was extremely helpful in sorting out technical issues. The heart of Ørkenoy’s menu, winter or otherwise, lies in smørrebrød, a form of open-face sandwich originating in Denmark. All are served atop a piece of dark and chewy rye bread, whose seeds and crust remained remarkably intact after the trip to Hyde Park. The highlight of Ørkenoy’s smørrebrød selection is the Salt Beef, cured for seven days and topped with mustard, swiss, and homemade pickles. Though the brisket itself is rather mild and sweet, the mustard and especially the pickles impart a briny tang that gradually enfuses the meat. The pickles, a staple of wintertime Scandinavian food because of their longevity, are somewhat sweeter than a typical dill Vlasic, packing a punch of late-hitting heat that creates a pleasing and not overwhelming contrast with the rye and beef. Ørkenoy’s shareables similarly couple straightforward concepts with inventive sauces and twists. The Caraway Knots are joyfully aromatic, especially when briefly reheated in a warm oven. Their crisp exterior and soft doughy core both pair effectively with the malted mustard and airy Garlic Cream Cheese dips they are served with. The Fish Cakes, which mold fresh cod into a familiar crab cake form, also thrive after a brief stovetop reheat. Though somewhat breading-heavy, the cakes maintain a dark crunch and a moderate tartness even without added horseradish. They are also served with a creamy and satisfying lemon tarragon sauce, whose strong anise flavor evokes the fun of Christmastime baking. Undoubtedly, Ørkenoy’s food would be even more enjoyable dining in-person. But perhaps because it was designed with bleak wintertime isolation in mind, its menu does not suffer too much for lack of context and charm. Hearty and filling, but never forsaking an energizing touch, Ørkenoy provides ideal instruction in how to survive these cold and lonely months from a cuisine that knows it best.