The hype: True nordic cuisine are few and far between in Singapore. While there’s plenty of fresh seafood to be had here, no one really does it as well as the Nordic countries do, and among them, probably no one does it better than the Norwegians. FiSK (Norwegian for fish) hopes to bring that experience here.
The vibe: Think Nordic design and images of soft woods and clean white walls get conjured in your mind. FiSK delivers on that minimal aesthetic. The end result is a homely space filled with lots of daylight thanks to the many full-length windows, and come nighttime, guests get enveloped in a cosy yellow glow thanks to the warm lighting.
The food: FiSK’s fancy-sounding seafarer-to-chef concept simply means that the fishmonger and kitchen team work closely together under one roof. The people behind FiSK are none other than Snorre Food, one of the leading purveyors of Norwegian and coldwater seafood in Asia, making the restaurant feel like a natural extension of their business.
What you get at this restaurant is (dare we say it) an authentic Nordic treat, thanks in large part to the unbroken supply chain. If you’ve ever been to one of the Nordic countries and had a seafood dish at one of their food halls, you’ll find the flavors at FiSK familiar, where the natural sweetness and freshness of the seafood is allowed to shine with the use of herbs and minimal seasoning in each dish.
The Prawns on Ice ($6/100g) dish is the perfect case in point. The Greenland coldwater prawns are served in a bowl of ice to keep the crustaceans—that have been defrosted at room temperature prior to serving—firm and juicy au naturale. You’re then supposed to peel them with your hands and snack on the naturally sweet (and addictive) prawns.
Another standout dish is the Smorrebrod ($4-10; open-faced rye bread sandwiches originating from Denmark) that can come topped with a range of ingredients such as smoked mackerel, pickled herring, hard-boiled eggs, salmon tartare, trout roe, caviar and pickled onions, among others.
Other worthy eats at FiSK include the salt and sugar brine cured smoked salmon ($10.50-18), raw hand-dived scallops ($26.50), and the hot-smoked Greenland halibut ($70 for two) that comes with two sides. Be sure to end with the uni ice cream ($16), an odd-sounding creation that savoury dessert lovers will adore.
The drinks: The focus at FiSK is obviously the seafood. But don’t shy away from ordering the beers (all $11; the Aegir beers from Norway are interesting) to pair with your foods, or better yet, a cocktail (all $18) made using Aquavit. The infused spirits, more commonly found in Scandinavia, are used expertly by their barman to form concoctions like the refreshing Mountain Stream (Aquavit, homemade lime syrup, buhagen and campari) and the Snapvisor (Aquavit, rosso, buhagen syrup).
Why you’ll be back: You may not dine at the same place all the time, but you’ll certainly need to do your grocery shopping on a regular basis. That’s where the retail side of FiSK comes in. The venue is actually equal parts restaurant and grocer, which is great news for those who wish to stock up on Nordic seafood, produce and dried goods.
