Oslo; a guide to urban life in rural Norway.
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
A Guide entry by Morpheus(Tuborg beer)
During a period of roughly 20 years I have had the joyful oppurtunity to study life in the norwegian capital. The last five I have been looking into the different night clubs, discoteques and have also seen more of the restaurant activity. But before I go any further a few general facts about the place should be noted. Oslo is the largest city in norway, populated by about 550000 citizens. The last thirty years the population has accellerated dramatically due partially by immigration, but also the facts that people are leaving the countryside and are seeking into the big cities. Oslo is a city that streches its boundries far beyond the populated areas and is therefore, in geografical size, larger than many big cities in elsewhere Europe. Oslo had in the year 2000 its 1000 years anniversary. Oslo has not always been the capital of Norway; the city of Bergen(Bjørgvin) held that position during the early middle age. But around the year 1299bc, the King of Norway moved his main seat to Oslo. In the year 1624 a great fire ruined most of Oslo since most of the buildings were built out of wood. The current head of state; Christian IV of Denmark, rebuilt the city and renamed it after himself; Christiania. It took 301 years until the city could once more go by its proper name.
Akershus fortress; the very symbol of Oslo itself, had last year stood unconquered 700 years,not counting the five years of German occupation during WW2. The fortress experienced many changes in both size and architecture, but for the last 300 years it has more or less been in status quo. The city is self consists of several parts such as Oslo indre øst, Frogner, Ullevål and Briskeby. But the main part of the city is the center of the city, witch is devided into two parts; the old city, located to the east of Akershus fortress, and the erea surrounding the City hall, Karl Johans gate (the main shopping street in Oslo, located almost at the exact centre of the city), The Parliament and the Royal Castle. It is that one can find the major clubs, disqoteques and restaurants of the city.
Going out in Oslo:
The restaurants:
In Oslo you have a variety of places to eat and almost no matter how unusual your taste may be, you will most probably find what you are looking for in Oslo. The number of restaurants is high and rises above 1000. Therefore I am here going to evaluate and reccomend only four different places that each represent one area of cuisine.
Terra, Stortingsgate 9 (lies next to the Parliament towards the sea.): Terra is the first restaurant I am going to evaluate since it represents traditional european cuisine. As I walk in the restaurant I am greeted by the maitre`d who then calls upon a waiter who leads me to my table. I got a good one. The waiter leaves with the promise that he will return after a while to take my order. The menu is big and holds many different alternatives in the different sections; apetisers, fish, bird and meat. A small point distracted for having a rather slim menu for vegetarians. Luckily I am not a vegetarian, so I order for apetiser grilled coam shell, lamb medalions for the main course and for dessert a cherry cheese cake. To drink I order spring water to the shells, and a bottle of spanish red wine for the lamb and a double espresso to dessert.
The shells taste like heaven and serve the function for what they were made; to my mouth water for yet another delightful dish. I am not dissapointed by what comes next, the lamb medalions. They have just the right crisp outside, and just the right red on the inside. The cream marinated potatoes next to the lamb serve to complete the meal. Top score yet again. The cherry marinated cheese cake tasted just like it should, but it would not have hurt if the slice was a little bigger.
All in all; Terra is a great place to eat, and it even has a bar that you can sit in if you arrive a little early, or simply wants to relax with a good Cognac after dinner. The problem with Terra, and generally other restaurants like it, is that you have to have a good deal of money to be able to visit more than once a year, but then again at this level that is only to be recconed with.
Djengis Khan: (next to Eldorado kino in Storgata) This restaurant represent the far east cuisine, but since this can be devided into so many different sections, I chose Mongolian cuisine, since this is something that one really should experience.
As I walk in the restaurant I am surprised at how low the ceiling is, but I am told that this is the way it is supposed to be. The waiter leads me to a booth and tells me to tell the chef what I want, then points at a section of the restaurant were the there is a chef standing behind a bar cooking something I can not see. I approach him and he points at boxes with different types of meat; chicken, veal, beef and lamb. It appears it is a all you can eat restaurant, witch suites me fine, I am hungry. I choose the beef(all the meat is cut up in strips), and the chef starts frying the meat on a big rectangular frying pan(about 1m long and 1/2m wide)and tells me to pick out my vegetables(plenty of different sorts) and it wait until its ready. It takes about 7 minutes and the meat is ready. I choose a sauce(there are many different marked with "strong", "medium", "mild" and "bbq". As I sit down to eat I remember to order something to drink. I am having a half a litre draft beer, perfect for strong food like this. The food tastes great. First I feared the place would have some sort of fast food thing going, but to my joy the meat was not bad in any way, the sauce had a rich flavor and the vegetables were fresh. The whole thing tasted like nothing before in my life, definetely something to recommend to those who wants enough food, that does not taste like mcDonald`s, to a more than reasonable prize. The place also has a very intimite atmosphere, and offers polite and helpful waiters.
All in all; a place I can recommend, and everybody can afford it!<>
Peppe`s Pizza:
This is the American representative on my list, and a popular one it is. Peppe`s Pizza is one of, if not the largest pan pizza chain in Norway. Since its start in 1970 it has only grew more and more popular and for many it is a natural meeting place.
After I have walked in I wait about five minutes until a waiter greets me and takes me to a booth, this particular Peppes is located one block from Terra, in the direction towards the Royal Castle. On my waiters left breast there is a sign witch tells me that her name is Hanne. I tell Hanne that she can come back after a few minutes to take my order. Peppes menu is rich with not only twenty or so different pan pizzas, but also five different meals that vary from garlic marinated chicken with kurry, to garlic baguette with tomatoes. To briefly summarize; at Peppes it is all about garlic. When Hanne returns, I tell her that I want a "stars and stripes" or in other words pan pizza with pepperoni and ham slices. To drink I choose a big coke,following the true spirit of America.
Hanne brings my pizza after twenty minutes of waiting. It smells marvellous, and me teeth literally run in water. The pizza tastes like it should, rich with garlic, pizza saus, a thick and juicy bottom and lots of cheese. I finish it, satisfied, and order dessert; "Oreos dream". This is slices of brownies with two cubes of icecream. It is, without competition, class or standard, the best dessert I know about.
All in all, Peppe`s Pizza is what it is always been, and that is a good thing. One thing to critisize, though, is the relatively high price on the pizzas. But if you ask me; it is worth every penny.
Clubs and discoteques:
In Oslo the nightlife buzzing mainly during four days a week. Thursday, friday, saturday and sunday. On thurdays, many clubs lower their age limit to 18 years(thus also only selling beer and wine). This results in a great activity among the younger people in the city and mainstream places like Snorre and Jackson is filled up with energetic youth. During the rest of the weekend, the city does not have too many alternatives for those of us who are older than 20 years.
But for us that are, there are some places I would recommend:
XO (Karl Johans Gate, on the lower side of Grand Cafè); this is a place that has set its mind on having the best interior design, the best bartenders and the best music. It is a cafè during the day and it also serves as a restaurant. Unfortunately I have not had the pleasure of tasting their menu. At night the music is at a comfortable level, the place is almost always full, and the bartenders have individuality. The place has a 24-year age limit, but if you are dressed ok, and come a bit early on, you will probably will get in. XO is a place for those who wants a place were you can stand out of the general public, and the place lives up to its name (XO; as in Cognac XO). As a P.S. one can mention that XO has 16 different sorts of XO cognac in the bar.
So What!; this is Oslo alternative club number one. The place has two floors, first floor does not have cover charge, and has an age limit of 18, while the cellar floor has a wardrobe, often cover charge and has an age limit of 20. In the lower part of the club there is often held conserts, and genres such as heavy metal, indie rock, punk and indie pop dominate the scene. Sometimes the So What! has consept nights, examples of this is Gotham Nights (Goth) and Eurotrash night.
So What! is a club for those who had enough of rosy commersial Britney-Spears-Backstreet-Boys culture and that seeks something else.
Jackson(Karl Johans gate); this is the best mainstream alternative in Oslo. Jackson has four different floors, each with its own consept. In the first floor you have roulette, bar and karaoke, the second is bar and loud music disco, the third floor is filled with tables and chairs and there is also a bar, the fourth floor open later than the other three and is a red room with a pool table, tables and chairs and a well equipped bar.
The bartenders at Jackson mostly consists of pretty looking girls with no idea what so ever about drinkmixing, but there are exceptions. The selection of spirits in the four different bars are not that great, but they will do as long as the generally idea is to get drunk.
All in all, Jackson is a place for those who do not want to stand out of the crowd, but who still loves a good party. It is a typical mainstream place, though with an edge since there is four floors.
General warning: The nightlife in Oslo is pretty good, but as in the rest of Norway also here is everything expensive; especially the drinks. Norway has almost 70% taxes on alcohol so it is easy to get yourself broke.
And to finish off...
Oslo is a nice city that fits most people, it is not too big, but neither too small. Generally one can say that a negative thing about the whole city is the image of seeming very messy. But for some, this is simply charming. One should definetely visit Oslo in the summer and try sitting outside a cafè drinking an ice-cold beer. Key words for Oslo are on the negative side; messy, expensive and cold in the winter.
Key words for Oslo are on the positive side; charming, tolerant, rich with flavor and warm during summer
During a period of roughly 20 years I have had the joyful oppurtunity to study life in the norwegian capital. The last five I have been looking into the different night clubs, discoteques and have also seen more of the restaurant activity. But before I go any further a few general facts about the place should be noted. Oslo is the largest city in norway, populated by about 550000 citizens. The last thirty years the population has accellerated dramatically due partially by immigration, but also the facts that people are leaving the countryside and are seeking into the big cities. Oslo is a city that streches its boundries far beyond the populated areas and is therefore, in geografical size, larger than many big cities in elsewhere Europe. Oslo had in the year 2000 its 1000 years anniversary. Oslo has not always been the capital of Norway; the city of Bergen(Bjørgvin) held that position during the early middle age. But around the year 1299bc, the King of Norway moved his main seat to Oslo. In the year 1624 a great fire ruined most of Oslo since most of the buildings were built out of wood. The current head of state; Christian IV of Denmark, rebuilt the city and renamed it after himself; Christiania. It took 301 years until the city could once more go by its proper name.
Akershus fortress; the very symbol of Oslo itself, had last year stood unconquered 700 years,not counting the five years of German occupation during WW2. The fortress experienced many changes in both size and architecture, but for the last 300 years it has more or less been in status quo. The city is self consists of several parts such as Oslo indre øst, Frogner, Ullevål and Briskeby. But the main part of the city is the center of the city, witch is devided into two parts; the old city, located to the east of Akershus fortress, and the erea surrounding the City hall, Karl Johans gate (the main shopping street in Oslo, located almost at the exact centre of the city), The Parliament and the Royal Castle. It is that one can find the major clubs, disqoteques and restaurants of the city.
Going out in Oslo:
The restaurants:
In Oslo you have a variety of places to eat and almost no matter how unusual your taste may be, you will most probably find what you are looking for in Oslo. The number of restaurants is high and rises above 1000. Therefore I am here going to evaluate and reccomend only four different places that each represent one area of cuisine.
Terra, Stortingsgate 9 (lies next to the Parliament towards the sea.): Terra is the first restaurant I am going to evaluate since it represents traditional european cuisine. As I walk in the restaurant I am greeted by the maitre`d who then calls upon a waiter who leads me to my table. I got a good one. The waiter leaves with the promise that he will return after a while to take my order. The menu is big and holds many different alternatives in the different sections; apetisers, fish, bird and meat. A small point distracted for having a rather slim menu for vegetarians. Luckily I am not a vegetarian, so I order for apetiser grilled coam shell, lamb medalions for the main course and for dessert a cherry cheese cake. To drink I order spring water to the shells, and a bottle of spanish red wine for the lamb and a double espresso to dessert.
The shells taste like heaven and serve the function for what they were made; to my mouth water for yet another delightful dish. I am not dissapointed by what comes next, the lamb medalions. They have just the right crisp outside, and just the right red on the inside. The cream marinated potatoes next to the lamb serve to complete the meal. Top score yet again. The cherry marinated cheese cake tasted just like it should, but it would not have hurt if the slice was a little bigger.
All in all; Terra is a great place to eat, and it even has a bar that you can sit in if you arrive a little early, or simply wants to relax with a good Cognac after dinner. The problem with Terra, and generally other restaurants like it, is that you have to have a good deal of money to be able to visit more than once a year, but then again at this level that is only to be recconed with.
Djengis Khan: (next to Eldorado kino in Storgata) This restaurant represent the far east cuisine, but since this can be devided into so many different sections, I chose Mongolian cuisine, since this is something that one really should experience.
As I walk in the restaurant I am surprised at how low the ceiling is, but I am told that this is the way it is supposed to be. The waiter leads me to a booth and tells me to tell the chef what I want, then points at a section of the restaurant were the there is a chef standing behind a bar cooking something I can not see. I approach him and he points at boxes with different types of meat; chicken, veal, beef and lamb. It appears it is a all you can eat restaurant, witch suites me fine, I am hungry. I choose the beef(all the meat is cut up in strips), and the chef starts frying the meat on a big rectangular frying pan(about 1m long and 1/2m wide)and tells me to pick out my vegetables(plenty of different sorts) and it wait until its ready. It takes about 7 minutes and the meat is ready. I choose a sauce(there are many different marked with "strong", "medium", "mild" and "bbq". As I sit down to eat I remember to order something to drink. I am having a half a litre draft beer, perfect for strong food like this. The food tastes great. First I feared the place would have some sort of fast food thing going, but to my joy the meat was not bad in any way, the sauce had a rich flavor and the vegetables were fresh. The whole thing tasted like nothing before in my life, definetely something to recommend to those who wants enough food, that does not taste like mcDonald`s, to a more than reasonable prize. The place also has a very intimite atmosphere, and offers polite and helpful waiters.
All in all; a place I can recommend, and everybody can afford it!<>
Peppe`s Pizza:
This is the American representative on my list, and a popular one it is. Peppe`s Pizza is one of, if not the largest pan pizza chain in Norway. Since its start in 1970 it has only grew more and more popular and for many it is a natural meeting place.
After I have walked in I wait about five minutes until a waiter greets me and takes me to a booth, this particular Peppes is located one block from Terra, in the direction towards the Royal Castle. On my waiters left breast there is a sign witch tells me that her name is Hanne. I tell Hanne that she can come back after a few minutes to take my order. Peppes menu is rich with not only twenty or so different pan pizzas, but also five different meals that vary from garlic marinated chicken with kurry, to garlic baguette with tomatoes. To briefly summarize; at Peppes it is all about garlic. When Hanne returns, I tell her that I want a "stars and stripes" or in other words pan pizza with pepperoni and ham slices. To drink I choose a big coke,following the true spirit of America.
Hanne brings my pizza after twenty minutes of waiting. It smells marvellous, and me teeth literally run in water. The pizza tastes like it should, rich with garlic, pizza saus, a thick and juicy bottom and lots of cheese. I finish it, satisfied, and order dessert; "Oreos dream". This is slices of brownies with two cubes of icecream. It is, without competition, class or standard, the best dessert I know about.
All in all, Peppe`s Pizza is what it is always been, and that is a good thing. One thing to critisize, though, is the relatively high price on the pizzas. But if you ask me; it is worth every penny.
Clubs and discoteques:
In Oslo the nightlife buzzing mainly during four days a week. Thursday, friday, saturday and sunday. On thurdays, many clubs lower their age limit to 18 years(thus also only selling beer and wine). This results in a great activity among the younger people in the city and mainstream places like Snorre and Jackson is filled up with energetic youth. During the rest of the weekend, the city does not have too many alternatives for those of us who are older than 20 years.
But for us that are, there are some places I would recommend:
XO (Karl Johans Gate, on the lower side of Grand Cafè); this is a place that has set its mind on having the best interior design, the best bartenders and the best music. It is a cafè during the day and it also serves as a restaurant. Unfortunately I have not had the pleasure of tasting their menu. At night the music is at a comfortable level, the place is almost always full, and the bartenders have individuality. The place has a 24-year age limit, but if you are dressed ok, and come a bit early on, you will probably will get in. XO is a place for those who wants a place were you can stand out of the general public, and the place lives up to its name (XO; as in Cognac XO). As a P.S. one can mention that XO has 16 different sorts of XO cognac in the bar.
So What!; this is Oslo alternative club number one. The place has two floors, first floor does not have cover charge, and has an age limit of 18, while the cellar floor has a wardrobe, often cover charge and has an age limit of 20. In the lower part of the club there is often held conserts, and genres such as heavy metal, indie rock, punk and indie pop dominate the scene. Sometimes the So What! has consept nights, examples of this is Gotham Nights (Goth) and Eurotrash night.
So What! is a club for those who had enough of rosy commersial Britney-Spears-Backstreet-Boys culture and that seeks something else.
Jackson(Karl Johans gate); this is the best mainstream alternative in Oslo. Jackson has four different floors, each with its own consept. In the first floor you have roulette, bar and karaoke, the second is bar and loud music disco, the third floor is filled with tables and chairs and there is also a bar, the fourth floor open later than the other three and is a red room with a pool table, tables and chairs and a well equipped bar.
The bartenders at Jackson mostly consists of pretty looking girls with no idea what so ever about drinkmixing, but there are exceptions. The selection of spirits in the four different bars are not that great, but they will do as long as the generally idea is to get drunk.
All in all, Jackson is a place for those who do not want to stand out of the crowd, but who still loves a good party. It is a typical mainstream place, though with an edge since there is four floors.
General warning: The nightlife in Oslo is pretty good, but as in the rest of Norway also here is everything expensive; especially the drinks. Norway has almost 70% taxes on alcohol so it is easy to get yourself broke.
And to finish off...
Oslo is a nice city that fits most people, it is not too big, but neither too small. Generally one can say that a negative thing about the whole city is the image of seeming very messy. But for some, this is simply charming. One should definetely visit Oslo in the summer and try sitting outside a cafè drinking an ice-cold beer. Key words for Oslo are on the negative side; messy, expensive and cold in the winter.
Key words for Oslo are on the positive side; charming, tolerant, rich with flavor and warm during summer
