Eating Whale in Longyearbyen, the Northernmost City in the World

I came to Longyearbyen to see polar bears (I'll be editing a vlog soon, so feel free to check it out when it's ready 😂). The island doesn't have many dining options, so I decided to try this restaurant that serves special meats, including whale and seal. I basically ordered all the special meats, both starters and mains. Hahaha! Here's the breakdown of the dishes and their prices (in Norwegian krone and GBP): ✨ Starter✨ 🐳 Whale Nest 165 kr / 12 GBP The whale meat was marinated and surprisingly palatable. There was no unpleasant odor. The "nest" at the bottom was made of Parmesan cheese. 🦭 Arctic Smoked Trio 220 kr / 17 GBP The starters were quite light. Each person got a small portion of a cold platter, accompanied by homemade pickles. It was refreshing and left me wanting more. The seal was the darkest piece, purely smoked. It was neither fishy nor gamey and was actually my favorite part (though some of my friends didn't like it). The middle piece was reindeer meat, which had a slight lamb-like flavor. Since I'm not a big fan of lamb, this was just okay for me. The bottom piece was whale, which was surprisingly good for a starter. 😄 ✨ Main Course✨ The vegetables on the side were all raw, which was interesting. I felt like I was eating meat and salad at the same time. The mashed potatoes were great, except for the celery root puree next to the whale dish, which I didn't like. 😥 🫎 Reindeer Steak 455 kr / 34 GBP The reindeer steak was thick and had a slightly more gamey flavor than lamb. I recommend cutting it into small pieces to make it easier to eat. Otherwise, it feels like the reindeer is jumping around in your mouth, trying to find its way out. 😄 🐳 Whale Steak 395 kr / 30 GBP The whale steak was... very, very gamey. 😃 As soon as you take a bite, there's a strong oily flavor, and it feels like the whale is swimming up to greet you and then just stays there. I suggest cutting it into very small pieces! We divided one piece into four and each took a bite. I only ate half of my portion. The whale meat is tough and requires a lot of chewing, which is when the flavor really spreads. I think it's worth trying if you've never had it before, but it's definitely not my favorite taste. 😂 🐟 Glazed Atlantic Salmon 425 kr / 32 GBP The Norwegian salmon was delicious, as expected. I love salmon, so I ordered it without hesitation. Just be aware that it's glazed with maple syrup, so it has a slightly sweet taste. 🥩 Dry-Aged Entrecôte 445 kr / 33 GBP Stick to the beef! This steak was amazing, and we were all fighting over it. 😂 We ordered it medium-rare, but it came out quite rare, almost too raw to cut. However, once you took a bite, it was absolutely delicious. 💰 Average Cost per Person: 663 kr / 50 GBP ❣️ Booking is highly recommended during the peak season. 📍 Vinterhagen Restaurant & Peisen Bar SJ, Longyearbyen 9170, Norway #OffbeatTravel #NorwayTravel #LifeInNorway #Norway #SvalbardArchipelago