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Weekend grub: Norwegian restaurant Bryggen offers continental hi-tea

Weekend grub: Norwegian restaurant Bryggen offers continental hi-tea

The owner has been running a restaurant by the same name in Norway for the last 20 years
Updated 18 Mar, 2016

What’s a fitting option to eat out when you’ve skipped lunch for some odd reason, are starving enough to gulp down an elephant and have planned to catch up with friends or loved ones?

Many restaurants don’t offer lunch after a particular hour and serve dinner before the evening sets in. There are places that offer food all day long but are few and far between.

This where hi-tea comes in. Whoever came up with the idea needs to be awarded a medal. The best part about hi-tea is it offers an assortment – as a platter or buffet – of starters/salads/soups, light main courses and desserts, and you top it all off with tea, green tea or coffee.

They do say that variety is the spice of life
They do say that variety is the spice of life

Lahore has several options to choose from for a delectable, hearty hi-tea. A relatively new addition to the ever-burgeoning food business is Bryggen that claims to offer Norwegian cuisine. However, their hi-tea spread is continental in order to “cater to a wider range of customers, who aren’t very experimental with food”, according to Manager Richard Munir.

Where to go

Bryggen is located in an old white building on main M.M. Alam Road, right before the massive Khaadi outlet, if you’re coming from Hussain Chowk.

As soon as you step inside, you’re welcomed by staff wearing what looks like the traditional Norwegian dress, bunad. The interior boasts an old European feel with wooden floors and walls, slightly dim lights and elegant black chairs.

The interior is laid-back yet lavish in its own way
The interior is laid-back yet lavish in its own way

Owned by Chaudhry Basit, who doubles as the executive chef, Bryggen was launched in September last year, and recently started offering hi-tea in December. Manager Munir told us Mr Basit has been running a restaurant by the same name in Norway for 20 years.

When to go

The hi-tea, which costs Rs 775+tax, is offered between 3:30 pm and 6 pm. It's advisable to visit Bryggen early to relish the food while it's fresh. If the weather permits, you can grab a seat in the quaint outdoor setting but it's usually reserved for BBQ.

The outdoor seating is quaint; sadly, as summer time approaches, we know we won't be able to sit there
The outdoor seating is quaint; sadly, as summer time approaches, we know we won't be able to sit there

What to eat

We're first served chilled mint margarita as a welcome drink to cleanse our palates.

For starters, we had the capsicum, spicy chicken, sweet corn and apple cabbage salads from an impressive selection of eight fresh salads. The salad selection is updated every three to four days.

The salad bar at Bryggen
The salad bar at Bryggen

The creamy mushroom soup with bits of mushroom was our favourite part of the entire meal. The consistency of the fresh soup was just right, and the mushroom and cream flavours complemented each other well. Other soups on offer included the hot and sour soup, which was nothing to write home about.

The mushroom soup hit all the right notes
The mushroom soup hit all the right notes

Next up, we had small portions of herb rice topped with sweet and sour fish, buffalo chicken wings, chicken in chilli sauce and fried fish.

The rice were soft and fresh (evident from the aroma of the herbs); the fish was doused in a sweet and sour gravy with the right amount of flavours neither overpowering the other; the wings tasted great, but were smothered in a buffalo sauce that was surprisingly sweet to the taste. Buffalo wings are usually very spicy, but Byrrgen's version is sweetened by the surprising addition of ketchup in the sauce - an improvisation of the chef, we were told.

The chicken was worth the try with cubes cooked to perfection in a gravy of red and green chillies; the fried fish thankfully wasn’t oily or too dry and its crust had just the right crunch. The tartar sauce though was slightly runny and tasted different, which again we were told was the result of the chefs’ addition of eggs and gherkin pickle instead of the usual cucumber and carrot.

From L-R: chicken in chilli sauce and fried fish
From L-R: chicken in chilli sauce and fried fish

The pepper steak was quite the disappointment: It was served dry and the sauce bland. The chowmein was at best average. They also have a live pasta station, but not being fans of this Italian offering, we gave it a miss, and instead had second helpings of the food we first sampled.

Their dessert corner was quite colourful: a non-edible tree-like structure sat in the top-mid of the table surrounded by fruit truffle, chocolate fudge pastry, chocolate mousse, strawberry mousse, cream of rice, tea cake and fruit jelly. Like the salad bar, the contents of the desserts table also also changes every few days.

The chocolate mousse was delectable, the truffle light and fruity, the strawberry mousse in little glass cups soft and fluffy.

Though Bryggen lacked in presentation, these little cups of mousse were cute
Though Bryggen lacked in presentation, these little cups of mousse were cute

Overall, it was a fulfilling, economical hi-tea buffet. However, the food presentation was lacking and Bryggen really needs to up its game with tough competition in the hi-tea department on Lahore's 'mini food street’.

Comments

Siri Mar 18, 2016 01:56pm
This is more continental than genuine Norwegian food!
Recommend
Hassan Mar 18, 2016 05:02pm
Restaurant by the rich, for the rich.......
Recommend
Syed Ali Mar 18, 2016 10:38pm
I really don't see any Norvegian dish. A very misleading article.
Recommend
Ahmed Mar 18, 2016 11:42pm
Norwegian food faaaaaarr away
Recommend
Khan Mar 18, 2016 11:44pm
@Hassan This is the reality of capitalism. No one will invest in a business unless it can make money, and the people who have money to spend on restaurants are the wealthy. No need to get upset over it.
Recommend
Parvez Mar 18, 2016 11:46pm
Pictures look good.........but Norwegian food ..... that's innovative.
Recommend
Civilwatch Mar 19, 2016 02:09am
This is not Norwegian food. Restaurant owners trying to sell anything with a fancy theme. Useless!
Recommend
S* Mar 19, 2016 07:26am
Food. Food and food Will change the mood.. Sad or happy Depending upon the price :(
Recommend
LS Mar 19, 2016 09:12am
Norwegian food? What has Pasta, Pasta Salad, Coleslaw, Fried Fish and Mousse got to with being Norwegian?
Recommend
LS Mar 19, 2016 09:14am
Cucumber and carrot in Tartar Sauce? IT IS Pickled KIRBY OR GHERKIN!!
Recommend
Mk Mar 19, 2016 10:57am
Had the unfortunate experience of going there with a whole bunch of people, we ate a bit and then went across the road. The theme inside is not European nor comfortable, it's a terrible attemp at whatever was attempted. The food tastes terrible, ingredients were stale, just plain out bad, as is the service quality. 1/10 (the one point is for location) and easily the saddest excuse of a restaurant in Lahore.
Recommend