Oslo, Norway

Katla

The Nordics • Eat & drink • Katla in Oslo, Norway

What’s the restaurant in a nutshell?

Named after Katla, the extremely temperamental volcano in southern Iceland, lauded Icelandic chef Atli Mar Yngvason has created a restaurant unlike any other in Oslo. With gangster rap playing in the loudspeakers and the unmistakable smell of burning coals spreading through the space, Katla’s bustling open kitchen is placed at the very heart in the restaurant to make sure guests are fully integrated in the spirited and eclectic dining experience on offer.

What are the signature dishes?

In the main dining area, guests are served an 8-course set menu while drop-ins are seated at the bar, where an à la carte menu is available. Nordic ingredients are infused with vivacious flavours from Asia and Latin America before being cooked over open flames in wood-fired grills. The ever-changing menu features dishes such as pimiento de padrón, takoyaki and lightly seared mackerel, tossed with sour cream and chives, and served with pickled onion and pita bread. It truly is a mash-up of flavours, but no one does it as well as Yngvason.

Drinks, anyone?

Katla’s wine list is designed to match the spice and concentration of flavours from the kitchen and centres around grower champagne, juicy reds and fresh whites. But the real stars on the drinks menu are the signature spicy margaritas, which are designed to also go with the meal.

What’s the neighbourhood like?

Sentrum, which is Norwegian for ‘centre’, is the heart of Oslo and where most of the city’s major attractions are located. The neighbourhood’s main street, Karl Johans gate, connects Oslo’s downtown train station to the Royal Palace, one of the city’s most recognizable sights. The Bjørvika harbour area, with the city’s Instagram-friendly landmarks the Oslo Opera House, the Munch museum and the spectacular Barcode project, are also in the Sentrum area.