I didn’t have my camera with me last week and the way it was raining and blowing, I don’t think I would have dared to take it out of the hotel room anyways. But I promised you a couple of words about my going out on my own to a 3 courses treat and so here it is. 🙂 Having ventured outside in the kind of weather you wouldn’t expose your dog to (except for Sam, who actually enjoys it!), I made my way to the marina, since people said it was where it all happened. I found them all lined up- restaurants, bars, the lot of it. Neither of them looked very appealing and I thought to myself, is it really possible that the provinces are so lacking in style? And then I spotted it, just when the thought of settling had struck me, I saw the cute wooden house on the top of the hill and went up with my life at stake, since the stairs were very slippery. 😉

It was too early for food and the waiter suggested I’d have a glass at their bar- “down these stairs, up the stairs in the other white house”. Sure thing, I thought. I found a table by the fireplace, bought a glass of white wine and felt my spirits lifting. 😉

The wait was so worth it, I can’t even begin to tell you! As a first course, I got a Jerusalem artichoke soup with crisps and fish. Yum! I had just got a new wire (my braces) and my cheek was all grazed by it and I’d managed to bite myself on the sore, too. So soup was right up my alley!

The waiter was attentive and nice, even though it was a very busy night. The helping waiters however were young guys and I couldn’t help but notice how uneasy they were speaking to a woman, they almost couldn’t tell me where the bath was without blushing. It might have been that my eating alone was awkward to them, or that braces when you’re 37 is a bit off, but still. If you’re going to work with people, you can’t suffer from anxiety. (or you can, but you’re not going to do a very good work!  haha – I also suffer from anxiety, therefore I allow myself to make a joke about it! ;-))

Back to the food, though. The main course was deer and the meat was so tender, you could almost swallow it without chewing (again, I was in pain because of the braces, I could barely open my mouth wide enough to put a fork in it!). I was in heaven! I heard somebody complained about the fish being too salty and so I congratulated myself for having been so inspired as to order deer.

For dessert I got this pretty spice-infused cake with lemon sorbet,  and a granité made of cloudberries and raspberries. It was just fantastic! While taking small bites and hoping it would last forever, I applauded myself for having been in Norway long enough to even appreciate cloudberries. You see, I couldn’t even eat them before, let alone enjoy them. What about you? Have you tasted them? They’re a delicacy and they’re very sought-after in these parts, especially for Christmas. Do try them, if you get the chance! They grow on you!

Happy and full, I walked back to the hotel and watched some Alias Grace before going to bed. If I ever end up in Haugesund again, at least I know they have good food!

xxx, Alina