Iris – Norway

INTRO

This week I visited Iris, the floating restaurant in a fjord in western Norway by Anika Madsen. I’ll start off by saying that this was the best meal I’ve ever had. What went viral due to its ‘made for IG’ aesthetics, is backed up by a conscious and mesmerising menu, taking guests on a journey through Noway’s finest ingredients.

FOOD

I came skeptical due to the social media hype. I’ve been to a few of these ‘destination’ restaurants and they often leave you with style over substance. Not at Iris. Anika has created an edible story about locality and sustainability, discussing the challenges of the global food system. Yes, there is irony in traveling across continents to experience this, but the menu and its sourced ingredients follows this ethos.

Every single dish is thought through and blends to create innovative flavours and textures. Most items are sourced in western Norway, with one dish comprising of items found within 500 meters of the restaurant. The menu abstains from ingredients derived from mass farming or sea trawling, instead opting for wild game and traditionally caught seafood using sustainable methods. My favourite dish overall was one of the ‘snacks’ – grilled cod cheek, pepper glaze, wild garlic served in a kelp taco.

The wine pairings matched perfectly. Every single drink complimented each dish without any clash or fighting of flavours, and the sommelier was more than happy to top up our favourites.

SERVICE

Impeccable. Welcoming. Professional. I’ve been to a three Michelin restaurants in the past month and none have come close to the experience at Iris. From Anika and her husband’s warm welcome at their island boathouse (you stop here before heading to the main restaurant). To the boat drivers telling us stories of the fjord and local mountains. To the waitstaff anticipating every need while bringing a casual yet competent vibe. We spent 6hrs total, interacted with 15+ people and there’s nothing I can fault.

LOCATION

This is obviously the draw. The restaurant is located in an art installation floating in the middle of a fjord across from a collection of snowcapped mountains. It’s two hours from Bergen and you need to spend at least one night in the nearby village of Rosendal as there’s only two ferries per day. Once there, they take you in a fully electric speedboat between the various locations around the fjord. The main restaurant itself is incredibly beautiful. It feels like a Bond lair (in a good way), with immersive digital art used throughout the experience. Every space is designed impeccably with warm Scandinavian fixtures against the stark modernist structure.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It’s the best gastronomic experience I’ve ever had and I’ve been to 20+ Michelin starred places. My partner and I paid £795 for the two of us (incl the drink pairing) so it’s not cheap but also not crazy. Given that this covered 16 courses across multiple islands, 12 drink pours (and top ups), 5 different eating spaces, and the multiple boat trips included, we felt this was incredibly well priced. They’re definitely on course to receive their first Michelin this year so we feel very lucky to have experienced it before it gains even more traction. And no, we didn’t die lol