Noma Game & Forest Menu 2021

Noma’s Game & Forest menu celebrates Denmark’s autumnal bounty. Check out our Noma dinner course-by-course and plate-by-plate if you’re curious about the 18 dishes that were often weird and always wonderful.

Dining at Noma was a dream that came true mere hours after we arrived in Copenhagen.

It’s not every day that we dine at a 3-star Michelin restaurant that’s also the reigning Best Restaurant in the World. It’s also not every day that we eat food like reindeer penis and duck brain cooked by a world-class chef and his many minions.

Update
Noma has announced that it will be closing its restaurant operations at the end of 2024. Consider yourself warned.

Antler Path at Noma — The path to Noma showcases local vegetation and the occasional sunflower.

Our journey to Chef René Redzepi’s restaurant started in 2012 when we launched this website. Little did we know that we’d eventually travel the world for three years before living in Europe.

We also didn’t know that we’d be thrilled at the opportunity to spend more than $1,000 for dinner featuring a range of eclectic meats and Nordic fruits of the forest. We learned some hard lessons in 2020 but we’ll always consider 2021 to be our payback year, culminating with our meal at Noma.

Get all the details about our Noma dinner from start to end.

Our 2021 Game & Forest Dinner At Noma In Photos

Bear Caramel at Noma — Bear caramel was one of many sweet surprises during our dinner at Noma.

Writing about our dinner at Noma is one thing but, as the expression goes, pictures speak louder than words. So, for once, we’ll let our photos tell the story.

Course 1 – Reindeer Brain Custard

Reindeer Brain Custard at Noma in Copenhagen — Served inside a reindeer skull, this reindeer brain custard was topped with pheasant broth and braised seaweed bits. Its rich flavor was reminiscent of marrow.

Course 2 – Hipberry Stuffed With Pollen + Plum

Hipberry Stuffed with Pollen at Noma — Served atop moss, this Hipberry was filled with pollen and tasted like apricot.

Plum at Noma — Not your average plum, this one was dried and filled with herbs.

Course 3 – Pickled Quail Egg + Oregano Salad

Pickled Quail Egg at Noma — This quail egg was gently pickled with seaweed.

Oregano Sandwich at Noma in Copenhagen — Made with Mexican oregano grown onsite and local mushrooms notable for their deep umami flavor, this oregano sandwich was simultaneously smoky, salty and sweet. Its flavor lingered well after our final bites.

Course 4 – Wild Boar Speck And Chestnut Paste + Grilled Mushrooms

Wild Boar Speck and Chestnut Paste at Noma — Quince added the final touch to this wild boar belly fermented in garlic.

Grilled Mushrooms at Noma — These mushrooms were locally foraged and barbecued on the grill.

Course 5 – Apple Salad

Apple Salad at Noma — This apple was filled with apple salad, aromatics and elderberry kombucha broth. We used the spoon to scoop up every perfectly brunoised apple cube as well as the delightful broth.

Course 6 – Yellow Beet Sashimi

Yellow Beet Sashimi at Noma in Copenghagen — Yellow beet sashimi didn’t just cover cloudberries and plum. It was also the most artfully plated course of the meal.

Course 7 – Reindeer Penis Ragout

Reindeer Penis Ragout at Noma — Served on a leaf, this ragout included various bits including reindeer brain and reindeer penis.

Course 8 – Pumpkin In Koji Butter

Pumpkin in Koji Butter at Noma in Copenhagen — Served over a sauce of tomato water and barley butter, this soft pumpkin wrapped inside a pumpkin leaf reminded Daryl of foie gras.

Course 9 – Bear Dumpling

Bear Dumpling at Noma in Copenhagen — This dumpling filled with bear stock and fried in bear stock was ‘beary’ tasty. A crispy duck skin wafer and bear caramel served on a spoon completed the course.

Course 10 – Duck Brain

Duck Brain at Noma in Copenhagen — The first duck course was the most controversial of the meal and not because of the spoonable duck brain served in a duck bill. Daryl appreciated all aspects of the dish while Mindi found the fried duck leg’s 16 spice blend to have a strangely unpleasant flavor.

Course 11 – Whole Cooked Wild Duck

Whole Cooked Wild Duck at Noma in Copenhagen — We both agreed that the second duck course was excellent. Aged for four days and barbecued, this wild duck was served with sauce made with mushrooms, truffle and seaweed. The chestnut flatbread was equally impressive.

Course 12 – Mushroom Broth With Sumac

Mushroom Broth with Sumac at Noma in Copenhagen — The last savory course, a broth teeming with mushrooms and berries, was a showstopper thanks to the vivid red sumac that doubled as a spoon. We dipped the sumac into the broth, sucking it again and again until the broth was gone.

Course 13 – Buttermilk And Scoby

Buttermilk and Scoby at Noma — Buttermilk parfait with scobi jelly commenced the dessert phase of our meal.

Course 14 – Saffron Ice Cream With Poppy Seeds

Saffron Ice Cream with Poppy Seeds at Noma in Copenhagen — Dessert got real with this beeswax bowl filled with saffron ice cream and Mexican chocolate. Poppy seeds and licorice provided the final touches.

Course 15 – Reindeer Marrow Caramel

Reindeer Marrow Caramel Dessert at Noma in Copenhagen — Reindeer marrow caramel, plated in a narrow bone along with freeze dried blueberries and colorful flowers, completed our epic meal’s full circle.

Wine -2015 La Reine Chardonnay

Noma Wine with Jura Wine — This bottle of 2015 La Reine Chardonnay from France was the perfect complement to every course though we paired glasses of Christian Tschida’s spicy red Balsamia with the meal’s more robust meat courses.

Noma is located at Refshalevej 96, 1432 København K, Denmark.

Noma FAQs

Is Noma really the best restaurant in the world?

Yes. Noma was awarded the top spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2021. As a past winner, Noma is no longer eligible for the award based on current rules.

What’s the best way to secure a reservation at Noma?

Noma has an online reservation system; however, each season sells out almost immediately. Unless you get lucky and score a reservation, the best option is to add your name to the restaurant’s online waiting list.

How can I get advance notice before Noma reservations open each season?

Head to Noma’s website and subscribe to the Noma newsletter.

How much does dinner at Noma cost?

Noma’s 2023 prices are DKK 3,950 for the set menu, DKK 2,000 for a wine pairing and DKK 1,500 for a juice pairing. These prices currently convert to $590, $300 and $225 respectively. As always, prices and currency conversions are subject to change at any time.

Is tipping necessary at Noma?

No. Tipping is optional in Denmark.

What if I don’t eat meat?

Noma offers a vegetarian menu option as an alternative to its set menu.

What’s the best way to get to Noma?

While most people choose to take a taxi or car service, a more cost-effective and efficient option is to take the 2A public bus. Taking this bus, our total transport time was under 30 minutes each way.

What’s the dress code at Noma?

Noma doesn’t have a dress code. During our meal, most people (including us) were comfortably dressed in a style best described as business casual.

How many courses does dinner at Noma include?

Our Game and Forest dinner featured 18 plates served over 15 courses.

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About The Authors

Daryl & Mindi Hirsch

Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on their website 2foodtrippers. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.

Disclosures

Article Updates
We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.

Funding
We self-funded our dinner at Noma.

Original Publication Date: November 9, 2021

Tasty

Friday 10th of March 2023

With all of the great food in the world they give this hot mess the best restaurant award. Ridiculous!

Suze

Thursday 12th of January 2023

Wish they would close altogether. Most of that food needs a burial sadly

Tuesday 10th of January 2023

No thanks. My doctor told me to cut back on Reindeer penis.

andyk

Monday 9th of January 2023

If I want to throw up I;ll stick my fingers downs my throat, not spend 100$ to achieve it. Only 5% of the dishes look edible.