You might think an open sandwich is at least one slice of bread short of a real meal.
But a smørrebrød open sandwich, Denmark’s national dish, is both nourishing and substantial. Made with buttered rye bread, topped with cold cuts of fish or meat, and garnished with a wide variety of toppings, just one smørrebrød can sate even a big appetite.
The Danish sandwich is believed to date back to the Middle Ages, when slices of bread were used instead of plates. As the bread absorbed all the juices and flavors of the toppings, it very soon became part of the meal too.
Later, smørrebrøds became popular among farm and factory workers, who used dinner leftovers to make sandwiches for the next day’s lunch at work.
By the end of the 19th century, open sandwiches were a staple in Danish stores and restaurants, and had become the flag-bearer of the nation’s cuisine.
While a much-loved favorite for Danes, in Ukraine smørrebrød is still a rather exotic dish, only served in a few restaurants. But it is now gaining popularity in Ukraine, and is served in restaurants with both Scandinavian and mixed cuisines.
The Kyiv Post found some of the best places to get a smørrebrød in Kyiv.
Smørrebrød
This Scandinavian cafe named after the Danish open sandwich offers 14 kinds of smørrebrød to suit any taste, including ones with fish, seafood, meat, vegetables, cheese and eggs. Served on rye bread, the most interesting options include smørrebrød with herring covered in breadcrumbs, remoulade sauce (mayonnaise-based with cabbage and pickles) and fresh cucumber, smørrebrød with roast beef, pickled sweet pepper, pesto and mustard sauce, and smørrebrød with goat’s cheese, baked tomatoes and anchovies.
For those who want to try different options at one sitting, the restaurant offers a set of three sandwiches. They also provide to-go orders. Apart from that, the Smørrebrød serves all-day breakfasts, hot meat dishes, soups and desserts.
Prices: smørrebrød – Hr 85-185, smørrebrød set – Hr 310-395.
Smørebrød. 4 Horodetskoho St. 8 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Amster Damster
Amster Damster, a restaurant with mixed cuisine, serves some unusual dishes including Hague waffles with savory toppings, croquettes (deep-fried rolls in breadcrumbs) and smørrebrøds. The menu includes three Danish sandwiches: one with marinated sprats and tomatoes, one with fried mushrooms, potato sauce and vegetables, and one with mackerel rillettes (a pâté made of chopped meat or fish cooked in fat). All are made with white ciabatta and are available as to-go orders.
The restaurant also offers a platter of three smørrebrøds, two waffles with salmon and chicken, and a Holland sandwich with herring, pickles and tartar sauce on white bread. Their menu has a wide range of starters, salads, soups, various hot dishes and desserts.
Prices: smørrebrød – Hr 74-97, plate – Hr 374.
Amster Damster. 111/113 Velyka Vasylkivska St. 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Scandinavian cafe Smørrebrød offers 14 kinds of Danish open sandwich to suit any taste, including ones with fish, seafood, meat, vegetables, cheese and eggs. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)
Ibsen
Scandinavian restaurant Ibsen is famous for its rich fish and seafood menu. The venue also offers four kinds of smørrebrød served on house-made black bread. The restaurant sells sandwiches with salmon, anchovies and sprats, with venison, red onion and cheese, with Danish blue cheese, vegetables and pickled plum, and with herring and tomatoes.
Apart from that, Ibsen sells oysters, seafood platters, steak tartar, hot and cold appetizers and various fish and meat entrées. The restaurant has a wide choice of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. All dishes can be ordered to go.
Prices: smørrebrod – Hr 79-164
Ibsen. 16 Mechnykova St. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Ray
This panoramic restaurant located in the Gulliver shopping mall serves Nordic cuisine and makes smørrebrøds for breakfast. The menu, developed by Danish chef Christian Wiegand Clausen, includes two kinds of sandwiches – with bacon, avocado and sour cream, and with ham, cheese, eggs and vegetables. Made with black malt bread, the sandwiches can be ordered to go.
Ray offers various breakfasts, salads, pizzettas, quiches and meat, fish and vegetable entrées. They have a broad selection of desserts including cheesecake, chocolate caramel cake, lemon tart and lime mousse with passion fruit.
Prices: smørrebrød – Hr 89.
Ray. Gulliver shopping mall, 1 Sportyvna Sq. Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. Sat-Sun, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. Breakfast – 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Prynada
Prynada, a restaurant with modern Ukrainian cuisine, has diversified its menu with some foreign dishes, including Danish sandwiches. Served on white bread, Prynada’s smørrebrød comes in two options – with salmon and blue cheese, or with veal, grilled bell pepper, zucchini and eggplant.
The restaurant offers Ukrainian dishes such as borshch, varenyky and deruny (potato pancakes) cooked to both traditional and modern recipes. They also sell a variety of salads, soups, hot dishes with meat, fish and poultry, desserts and hot appetizers. All food is available to go.
Prices: smørrebrød – Hr 139.
Prynada. 24 Heroiv Stalinhradu St. Mon-Fri, 11 a.m. – 1 a.m. Sat-Sun, 11 a.m. – 3 a.m.
