Suddenly I realized what it looked and felt like: An airport! More specifically: Any airport or even: the any airport. What is aimed at with the white walls, stainless steel, smooth wood and glass look is utopia in its original sense: non-place. And Apotek mostly manages to bring you there – as does its appropriate clientele, which seemed to consist mostly of Western tourists …and even those larger groups who were dining together seemed to consist of benevolent strangers rather than intimate friends.
The sense of being nowhere is emphasized, even taken to its final conclusion, with the fast-foodish service system – during a full three – course meal you will be attended by at least five different waiters or waitresses, all of whom keep running around in patterns that must be organized by a central computer of some sort, none of whom stays with you long enough to actually acknowledge your existence. You will walk out and feel as if this did not happen … if it were not for the food.
And utopian food is great. The ultimate any-airport might be Kastrup airport in Copenhagen, and accordingly what is served in restaurant Apotek is Scandinavian fusion at its best. The chef brings together French, Indian and Japanese influences, served elaborately in a style that brings to mind Danish smorrebrod at its best.
The hors d,oeuvres were fine, even if the history student who accompanied me felt let down by the salad that came with his lobster bites. The espresso cup lobster soup was in its place, as was a fine sushi-inspired piece of grilled fish on rice …every single bit of raw material was fresh and left on its own, without oppressive spice intrusions. Clean. Neat.
The duck I had for main course was served deliciously bloody, as was the close to raw tuna steak my companion had. The wines chosen for us by the waiter served well – white and red Italian wines, the first sparkling, sprinkling, joyful, the second serious like a mediocre cello player.
As we stood up the head waiter did ask us if we were satisfied, we did answer yes, we were telling the truth and that was that; he paced away, through the automatic sliding door to the kitchen; the door grinned and said: ,,This is not an accidental nowhere, but a deliberate one, this is your future, please come again.,,
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