Kellie Erm samples a taste of Scandi summer at Oslo Hackney
Oslo Hackney has launched its new summer menu, a selection of Nordic inspired pub grub and I’m visiting to try it.
The Hackney hotspot has long been a staple bar, live music venue, and a club that every Hackney-ite has been to at least once – whether late at night or to simply enjoy their classic Sunday Roast.
The Venue
A few steps from the Hackney Central station, a big neon sign lights up at the top of the industrial venue – OSLO. Once you enter, you see exposed brickwork and large window arches, a clear homage to the heritage of the building, a redeveloped rail station.
The décor is minimalist, a clear influence from our Nordic friends and has a large outside terrace on the street side.
The Food
As a fellow Scandinavian, I’m intrigued to try British food with a Norwegian twist. The menu consists of classic pub food, with a few American signatures thrown in, i.e. mac n cheese and chicken wings.
We share the pølse, a chargrilled Norwegian sausage on potato tortas with pickled red cabbage. The sausage with hints of smoke goes well with the subtle sweetness of the cabbage.
However, the abundance of American French´s mustard completely overpowers the dish, so I would suggest they switch over to sweeter mustard, more often seen in Scandinavia.
My visit to Oslo Hackney fits in well with the football World Cup, where the game is being shown on a big screen, and we feel it befitting to go for burgers. I have the Oslo burger, a tender beef burger with crispy bacon, swiss cheese and Oslo’s special house sauce. My guests gets the New Orleans burger with buttermilk fried chicken, garlic mayo and the same red cabbage from the starter, which perhaps was a little too present.
The Wordrobe Verdict
Oslo Hackney is a great place to go for a couple of drinks and a quick bite especially in the summer, as it’s located next to the station and has a big terrace. I’m glad to see Scandinavia being represented in more menus; however, I did not feel an overly present Nordic vibe, as the menu displayed influences from Thailand, Spain, and France, as well as classic dishes from the United States.
I’m definitely excited to try more of the dishes, and this will mostly likely be my pitstop when the homesickness kicks in.
Make it happen
Where: 1A Amhurst Rd, London E8 1LL
Bookings: Visit oslohackney.com or phone 020 3553 4831 to make a reservation
