Log on Food

Way out in Western Jutland where the brisk wind blows, in the middle of the heath surrounded by rough nature a beautiful inn is situated. Henne Kirkeby Kro it’s called (not to be mistaken for Henne Kro further down the road). For years Henne Kirkeby Kro has been known as a gourmet inn, but in 2008 new winds swept over the heath and a new owner with amazingly deep pockets took over. The inn was renovated for a substantial amount of money – 75 mio. DKK rumours say.

The inn is beautiful and the attention to detail is astonishing. We were seated in a dining room adjacent to the kitchen. The room was bright and airy. One wall was substituted by windows, allowing the soft summer sunshine to flow into the room, another wall was coated with wood and had subtle lighting build into it. At the far end of the room was the kitchen. A glass door and a window gave us the opportunity to sneak peak into the kitchen. Though we could tell the chefs were talking to each other, no sound made its way into the dining room.

Dining room

Kitchen

Our lunch started off with salted cod.

Salted cod, dayold bread, chives

The salted cod lay on little pieces of crunchy bread. The chives came both in foam and chopped little pieces. Nice balance between flavours and textures.

Black lobster and suede

Sweet, succulent lobster, salty foam with hints of sea, crunchy fresh vegetables. Tasty, indeed.

Highrib of beef, green herbs and juniper sauce

The beef was perfectly cooked, tender, juicy and flavourful. The fresh herbs from the garden provided a tiny bit of bite. The sauce was just amazing. I had no idea that juniper could taste so good. It was rich, salty and powerful. A very simple course, with strong clean flavours.

Sorbets

There were 4 different sorbets: sea buckthorn/carrot, pear, soured whole milk and parsley. For me, this was by far the weakest course. The sea buckthorn/carrot combination has been seen quite a few times and it has become an expression of the new Nordic cuisine. The pear and the soured whole milk taste fine, but was nothing special. The parsley on the other hand was more special than fine tasting. I didn’t dislike the dessert, but I regretted not having asked to substitute the dessert for cheese.

Petit fours

The petit fours that accompanied the garden fresh herbal tea were much more exciting than the actual dessert. There were three different kinds. Almond tuille with freshly grated black truffle, candyfloss with rosehip and rosehip marshmallows. I especially found the almond/truffle combination quite intriguing. Maybe it’s just because I am sucker for truffles? The rosehip taste and scent reminded me of childhood summerdays where I used to pick the pink rosehip leaves put them in water and make “perfume”.

The service was impeccable, friendly and warm. We were offered refills on our wine, which in my experience is rare when ordering wine by the glass.

At the end of our meal we asked if it would be possible to see the garden. Our waiter showed us around and encouraged us to take a walk on the premises. We were told that a small apple plantation was on its way and that the goal of the garden was to be selfsufficient in terms of vegetables, herbs and flowers.

The garden

The garden II

The inn

Henne Kirkeby Kro is truly an exclusive, consistent place on the heath in Western Jutland. A gourmet temple in a rugged landscape. On their website they state the inn is worth the journey. I agree.

Visited: June 2011

Estimated price: 450 DKK

Henne Kirkeby Kro