A trip to Copenhagen sounded like the perfect weekend trip. AND what could make a weekend trip to Copenhagen better, dinner at the infamous Noma.
What I quickly learned when searching to try to get a reservation, is that it is not that easy to get one, and planning a June trip in February was not sufficient enough time. When reservation spots open to the new “season menu” they are booked within seconds. I had missed my moment for that. But what it was enough time for was to get on the waitlist. Maybe it was my positive outlook onlife or pure delusion but with the simple act of signing up for a waitlist I was still hopeful. I was satisfied with this bit of hope. Well that bit of positivty just makes me laugh now. The waitlist would be the least of my problems; the June trip I was planning for in February was in February of 2020. Within a few weeks the world shut down.
As we all know how this story played out, the June trip was quickly canceled and Noma closed with the world. My dreams of going to Noma were postponed for the indefinite future. I left Noma there, and really didn’t think about it again (I had other things to worry about) until October of 2021.
Pause for an almost two year break…
Now, It was Sunday, October 3rd, 2021 when Noma came back into my life. I had been receiving emails about having “early access” to reservations, but not really giving it too much thought or interest. Life was in a different place, travel was still limited, and as ashamed as I am to admit I was not as dedicated to my food travel as I was pre-covid.
Then the moment came, scrolling through emails in bed, that final skim you do right before sleep. That one that ultimately gives you anxiety and unintentionally prevents sleep, so really a counterintuative presleep step. While doing that scroll I saw that the reservation for the “ocean season” at Noma was open and decided to click the link to just see what availability there was. It was really just a curious click more than a hopeful one and lacking intent. I then saw there was one spot open, March 3rd 5:30 pm. I kept clicking and added 4 people to the reservation and started to feel a bit of tingling excitement.
Was I about to make a reservation at Noma?!
Then I got to the confirmation page which included the part for payment. It was not a deposit, it was a pay in full section and the amount needed for four people was $1,750. I had a moment of hesitation here. Yes, thankfully this amount made me pause.
Anyone who knows me, knows I’m pretty good with budgeting. I have my priorities of what I will spend money on and believe in a balanced life of budgeting. Actually I believe in a balanced life of everything really; for example, one of my life theories I live by is wine one night can be balanced by green juice and water the next. Amount of wine does not matter…maybe balances to the extremes is how I live. I will save money in certains ways to spend on the things I love. And a true lover of mine is food; yes lover is correct.
But this felt like a lot and potentially out of my budget; as hard as that was to accept. Also to add to the, should I be spending this money feeling, I work for a travel company so during Covid I was put on Kurzerbeit, which is basically reduced hours and pay, and travel wasn’t back to normal yet. I didn’t have full job security fully again. I also had additional costs with my Denver condo/mortgage, so it didn’t feel like the responsible move to book this. This is balanced budgeting, sometimes you have to say no.
I closed the reservation page and put my phone and had a moment and thought, I am proud of you Kelsey, you are budgeting. It took maybe 10 seconds for me to say, yeah right?! Its a non-negotiable, you have to go to Noma.
I quickly picked up my phone again and clicked confirm and happily put $1,750 on my credit card for a reservation on a date that was random and without any guests I had talked to first. I knew this was my moment and I wouldn’t or couldn’t miss it. I can eat cereal for the next two months, extreme balance budgeting here.
I should also state that you can cancel for a small fee, so it wasn’t as much of a commitment and/or risk as I am making it sound. But in that moment alone in the dark in my bed, with only my thoughts and guidance, wow did it seem like a huge life decision. Like a life crossroads in my food journey, left or right. To go to Noma or not to go?!
In my moment of adrenaline and slight panic, I texted my sister “Ahh I just got a reservation at noma for March 3rd.” That was all it took, the trip to Copenhagen was planned. And I have all of this to thank for signing up for the waitlist. Lesson learned, always sign up for the waitlist, you have nothing to lose. And this was “kind-of” budgeting in the sense that it allowed me four months to save for the wine pairing fee.
My night at noma was one of the best nights of my life.
I know that sounds like an exaggeration, but it really was. A group of people I love, having great conversation, laughs, food, and wine that goes on for hours is just pure perfection for me. I am someone who can really appreciate moments, so I might have a few of these “best nights of my life” but still I stand by my statement. To be fair, and set good expectations for anyone going to Noma, there could be a few factors that played a key role in this being the “best.” This was one of the first trips post Covid and with some of my most favoite people in life and also my favorite to dine with. Whatever it was in the sauce to make up that evening, it was amazing.
You walk into the restaurant and walk through the kitchen to our table and all the chefs stop and greet you and say hello. Sure they do it to everyone, but wow, I felt special. I was enjoying it all. All the little preciences moments where you stop to feel present. That make up an evening and when pieced together and create an unforgetable night.
We were wined and dined for a little over five hours. The focus of the meal being “ocean” which meant having seafood for every course. We had a crab seasfood soup that was served in the shell of the crab, scallops, a seafood eclair, salt that was actually just dried seaweed, a beautiful oyster, fish, desert that was wrapped in seaweed, and much much more. A seafood meal that was a masterpiece based on creativity and simple flavor of the ocean being front and center. The photos below will help you to see the beauty.
To add to our night, and again what potentially added to the factors to make the night the best, our server was from Denver and we quickly bonded with her. As the meal continued on and the wine was poured, we quickly became the fun table and the group you wished you were dining with; in my opinion. We finished the night in the bar with some whiskey drinks and then a private tour of the facility.
Actually if I am being honest we really finished the night with a detour home to McDonalds. Before your eyes roll back and you think how is that possible after this epic expensive meal…we had been there for seven hours. The portions were perfect and it was really nice to have a tasting menu that I could finish and not feel disgusting with. So again, I think it all was perfect and this made the best finish to the best night ever.
As I mentioned, I am a true believer in living a balanced life and I think this night proves my point; I am a girl who can start the night with Noma and finish with Mcdonalds.
