Name me five famous things to come from Denmark. It's a tricky one. I'm going to have to hurry you.
I could only manage four: Peter Schmeichel, Hans Christian Andersen, bacon and Carlsberg. However, Noma, Copenhagen's rapidly up and coming new restaurant, may soon be able to complete the famous five.
Only three years old, it has already won a Michelin star and is tipped for two. A new twist to the rating system means that if restaurant wins a red star in the guide, it is considered suitable for promotion. It's essentially like having one and a half stars, though everyone I know in the hospitality industry considers this rather superfluous.
That aside, Noma is full every night of the week and is developing a fantastic reputation within Copenhagen and, increasingly, across Europe.
It is located in one of the most picturesque parts of the city - Christianhavn, a man-made island full of colourfully painted old houses, canals and, of course, bicycles. Equally beautiful is the restaurant's interior; spacious and quite austere, but with warming elements in the form of wooden floorboards, animal hides and soft candlelight.
In the name of research, I opted for the tasting menu. Things started well, with a moreish selection of crisps; not only potato, but roasted chicken and fish skins. Next came "klipfisk", a warm variation on salt cod brandade, with a truffle broth and toast. This was lovely, very homely and perfect for a cold Scandinavian evening.
The beef tartare with a tarragon emulsion and wood sorrel was the standout dish: very simple, perfectly balanced and with beautiful texture. An assiette of carrot with yoghurt and praline was picture-perfect, but I prefer my root vegetables a little more cooked.
Similarly, in other dishes, some leek and beetroot struck me as undercooked, so reducing their natural sweetness and flavour.
When it came to dessert, my particular highlight was a homemade muesli with sheep's milk yoghurt sorbet. If all muesli was this good, you'd see Tony the Tiger slumped on a park bench with a can of Special Brew.
Accompanying wines were among the best I have had by the glass, served in parallel with a menu. The wine list was biased towards grapes from cooler climates, especially Austria and Germany; their crisp, aromatic wines are perfect partners for the food here.
I particularly liked the dessert wine, Anthos, made from late-harvested nebbiolo grapes. It was sweet, yet delicate and fragrant, without any of that cloying syrupy aftertaste. Thumbs-up to the young sommelier, whose knowledgeable introduction of the wines and knowledge of them greatly improved my appreciation of them, and equally to the rest of the floor staff, who were all enthusiastic and attentive.
The damage: not too bad. The seven-course set menu will set you back 685dk (approx £65). With accompanying wines, you can expect that to double. Not cheap, but far better than many other places charging the same amount.
The aim of this restaurant is to showcase Nordic cooking, solely using produce that is regionally available. They do this brilliantly, serving food that is clean and modern, but with respect to its heritage. It is refreshing to dine in a restaurant that has a sense of purpose, that takes pride in this purpose, and finds innovation where others have previously seen only limitation. Before Noma, contemporary fine dining there would be predominantly a Danish interpretation of French cooking - imagine Peter Schmeichel doing the Can Can. The name, if you were wondering, doesn't mean anything. The food does.
· Noma, Strandgade 93, 1401 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Tel: +45 3296 3297; www.noma.dk. The first Noma cookbook is due out this month
· Our roving chef has worked the Michelin-starred kitchens of Europe
