Even the journey to the “Koks” restaurant is an adventure. Since there is no road connection to Ilimanaq, the settlement on the west coast of Greenland can only be reached by boat. But the water taxi has to make its way through the labyrinth of icebergs from Ilulissat, where there is a runway for propeller planes, a different route each time. During the slalom ride, the blocks of ice from the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, which is calving into the sea, constantly hit the hull of the boat.
The “Koks” is located in a typical Greenlandic village with a red wooden church, a trading and missionary post from the early Danish colonial period. Just 55 people live here, 300 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. There are no cars in Ilimanaq. In summer, the unused snowmobiles park next to the colorful houses, and the chained sled dogs doze in the sun.
Two of the most historic buildings in the entire country are located at the harbor. They were built in the 17th century by Poul Egede, the son of the famous missionary Hans Egede. Poul, with his good knowledge of the language, was also the one who, in 1750, created the first Greenlandic dictionary and later the first grammar, as well as translating the Bible into Greenlandic.
The Danish association Realdania By & Byg began completely renovating the wooden houses in 2014. The old merchant’s shop now serves as the reception for the Ilimanaq Lodge, and the upper floor is the “Egede” restaurant. The “Koks” moved into the neighboring house, which dates back to 1751 and calls itself “the most remote restaurant in the world.”
Distilling taste to the essentials
It is a branch of the “Koks” from the Faroe Islands, which closed due to new building plans and where Poul Andrias Ziska earned his second Michelin star in 2019.
The move in 2022 to a still remote region also changed the processing and ingredients for the dishes. But the initially apparent lack of fruit and vegetables in the far north has actually encouraged the creativity and courage of the kitchen team, as shown, for example, by the dish “Sea cucumber with reindeer tongue and fermented leek”.
Ingredients from fjord and mountain
The 18 courses of the tasting menu focus primarily on seafood, from halibut to snow crab, razor clams and seaweed to whale fat. The preparation uses old preservation techniques such as drying, fermenting, smoking and salting, which give even familiar ingredients a new flavor twist.
Dining takes place in the small rooms at tables for up to six people, including upstairs in the attic in the former guest room of the Egede estate. The wine list is served digitally via tablet and lists unexpected treasures on almost 30 pages, even a white wine from the Catalan Priorat.
Guests notice the effort that goes into each course in the kitchen by the time it takes: an evening at “Koks” can last up to six hours, sometimes served on glass plates, sometimes prepared on ceramic blocks to create aesthetic works of art.
The sensual experiences on the palate and tongue are unique, as are the discoveries on this culinary expedition into unexpected taste variations from the fjord and mountains, such as “whale fat with beetroot and currant leaf”, the last course shortly before midnight.
But you have to like fish. “We do not offer vegan or vegetarian menus, and unfortunately we cannot accommodate requests for a fish and shellfish-free menu,” it says hidden on the homepage. Only well-heeled tourists can be found in the “Koks” – and almost never locals.
Info: The third season of “Kok” in Ilimanaq lasts until September 7, 2024. The “Tasting Menu” costs 3200 Danish kroner (430 euros), 1800 Danish kroner (240 euros) for the seven-course wine accompaniment
Sources: “Coke”, “Visit Greenland”
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