ILUKA — Restaurant in Copenhagen Municipality

I very rarely leave negative reviews, but this whole restaurant with the price tag left such a bad taste in my mouth. The decor here is gorgeous, the brass bar is beautifully accented, the service from the chef and the kitchen was overall very pleasant, but we had no idea how to tell them that the food was lacking in so many ways. We were on a waitlist to eat, came as soon as they opened so that we could snag a seat at the bar. Upon doing so there seemed to be an in depth discussion with the chef and waiter about whether or not they could accommodate our party of 2, in an empty restaurant. We were given a seat at the bar and told to be done in 1.5 hours. (Website says they keep a couple seats open at the bar for walkins) We had such high hopes because the photos and reviews led us to believe we were finally going to have a decent meal in Copenhagen and the executive chef was very very friendly. Our waiter however made us feel unwelcomed and somewhat bothered by us being there. We asked if there was anything gluten free on the menu, or gluten free bread, and the waiter answered with “Denmark doesn’t do that.” A pretty cold thing to say to someone with an allergy who’s about to spend $200 on the most tasteless meal of their life. Also, everything else on the menu was gluten free, so clearly Denmark does do some things. We got the oysters, they were good, but then we had the artichoke and crab which was sour and mushy, but also lacked any flavor whatsoever (unless mayo is your idea of tasty), we had the pike perch which was sooooo tiny but also lacked any flavor. We were really excited for the langoustines but oh man, they were the worst thing we had. They were mushy, they left a horrible taste in our mouth that stayed with us the entire night. Has Denmark heard of garlic or butter? Why were most of our dishes given to us with a side of salt, as to say “we know this is going to need this.” ANY of these dishes could’ve benefited from acidity, some SPICE, anything other than Mayo. Lastly, and most disappointingly we had their flat fish with vegetables. The vegetables were deep fried (and oily) kale and seaweed. I hope you like burping up kale for hours because oh boy, you’re going to. The fish skin was soggy, wet, and bland (a common theme throughout the meal). Can I just say our service from the chef was impeccable, the chef was so friendly it almost feels wrong to say these things about his cuisine, but did anyone taste the mushy langoustines or soggy fish before they decided to serve it? If a dish is given with a side of salt, then why is it not properly salted/flavored in the kitchen before it hits the table? If this meal was $50 I wouldn’t be so offended but after tip we spent over $200 and still had to go get Thai food after. Also we ordered almost one of each dish and split so we could try everything and decide if we wanted to order more, thank god we didn’t do the tasting menu and have to wait around. I think the restaurant could benefit from having at least one more waiter because we also waited with empty cocktails for 3 courses, and we all know being a little bit more buzzed could’ve helped us. Somehow this review has been flagged and deleted by this company which seems...

The fine dining experience is just… not fine.

Service: Upon arrival, the restaurant staff offered to take my coat but then handled it carelessly and left it hanging crookedly on the hanger. The tableware was not replaced after each course. Water bottle did not get refilled when it’s almost empty. At one point, one of the waiting staff can be seen walking around with their arms swinging back and forth looking rather unprofessional.

Food: Pretty dull interpretation of fine dining seafood. Ingredients were fresh. But the dishes just lack consideration and creativity. For some dishes, ingredients were thrown together and yet it felt each one is isolated. For others, ingredients didn’t go that well together and they just felt jarring together almost like having a fight in your mouth. There’s also a disconnect between each course.

Price: I paid for 820DDK (≈178AUD) for the 7 course menu and sparkling water. I definitely feel cheated. Not that I didn’t feel full in the end, but that I didn’t feel fulfilled since I came here for the fine dining experience. For this price point, there are better options in town.

Edit: I was using the term “fine dining” too liberally. I didn’t mean suit-and-tie luxury formal dining restaurants; I meant upscale establishments that uphold higher than average standards of food quality, presentation, and services and charge a premium for it. The restaurant doesn’t think they offer fine dining. Customers who praised it being one of the better fine dining restaurants in the reviews should also be corrected 🙃 Also want to stress that these are merely my own opinions and tastes for finer things are super individual...

AMAZING. Honestly one of the best meals I’ve had in a while. The whole dining experience was perfect. It was easy to make a booking the day before and we felt like we really stumbled on a gem. The restaurant was cozy but spacious. The space is decorated in a minimalist Scandinavian style and furniture from local designer. We could order a la carte or tasting menu (with choice if wine pairing). The restaurant is not pushy at all in ordering tasting menu and was even happy for us to share and have a taste of all the dishes (even though I was the only one who ordered the tasting menu). We were also recommended a nice unique wine to go with our food since we wanted to order a bottle instead.

The tasting menu was 7 courses. Not too heavy (once there’s too much food I tend to stop enjoying) and good small portions. They were unique and exciting. I really appreciated the cold tomato soup and squid mousse as I found them yo be unique. The oysters were also fresh and crisp. And the langoustines were deliciously buttery and warm.

Lastly the price was really wallet friendly. Compared to fine dining in Asia (specifically Singapore and Thailand) the bill at Iluka was a real surprise.

The only feedback I have was a couple brought their young baby to dine at the restaurant. The baby was screaming and the parents weren’t very considerate of the other tables. This is definitely not the baby’s fault but maybe parents shouldn’t bring their children if they are going to impact other people’s dining experience.

Still...