Zoë Waage (1983)

Hidden away in the basement of Bislett Bad, this place is a treasure when it comes to pizzas. Every fast food joint in the city has pizza on the menu, but Cin Cin is something else. I don’t think I’ve ever had a thinner, crunchier pizza in this country.

You wouldn’t believe it judging by the look of this place, not to mention the many vacant tables, but they won 1st place in last years Norwegian Pizza Championship for their Parma pizza. Maybe the lack of customers has something to do with the construction site outside, but once this place gets its outdoor section up and running, it won’t be a secret for much longer. In addition to pizza, we Norwegians loves us some sun – so think of this place as a remote beach in Thailand, and go before it’s too late.

“Lompa” is actually my neighbor, and every time I’m here I wonder why I don’t come here more often. For a beer, a coffee, some snacks or even a full dinner. I guess that’s the curse of being a spotter: I constantly feel like I have to go somewhere I’ve never been before, so I end up neglecting my good old friend that is Olympen.

The food is traditional Norwegian, with a touch of Sweden, and even though they have a decent wine selection, it’s really the beer you should go for. Over 200 bottled beers, around 8 on tap, including one from Schouskjelleren Mikrobryggeri. Just check out the huge beer fridge by the bar!

It can be a bit crowded on Friday and Saturday night, so if you want to have dinner, it could be wise to make a reservation in advance. And if you really want to treat yourself to a delicacy, plan ahead and order the suckling pig (I think you have to order it a week in advance). Sure, Babe is a cutie, but sooo much better on a plate!

Grilling is obviously the thing nowadays (check out the St. Lars article here), and Grilleriet goes all in on that account, with state of the art Josper charcoal grills (If you’re into grills, you’re probably going “oooh” right about now. And you’re probably a guy…). Though the food was great, the most memorable and impressive thing about this place is the room itself.

The spacious open kitchen allows guests to see the magic happen up close, and if you get seated by the kitchen counter, just a few feet away from the grill, I’m sure you can even feel the heat. And then there are the bookshelves. Covering the wall from floor to (high) ceiling, they are quite impressive, though vacant. Rumor has it that they are to be filled with cookbooks, and if you bring them a new addition to their collection, Grilleriet will reward you with a free meal. But don’t leave your wallet at home, it might just be a rumor!

The Opera passage used to be exactly that, a passage, a shortcut from one side of the building to the other, without much happening other than a vegetable shop and a hairdresser. But now it’s filling up with all sorts of exiting new reasons to not just pass trough.

Cantina Cortina is one of them. The cozy little Italian restaurant serves antipasti, small servings of pasta and pizzas. I haven’t tried the pizza (yet), but the antipasti and pasta were simply delicious. Perfect if you’re not in the mood for a big meal, or, if you’re like me, unable to decide on just one thing. So why not have them all?

Even now, a few weeks later, just the thought of the lemon pie I had for dessert still fills my mouth with water…

Never mind the delicious cocktails, the homemade chili rum or the bartenders abilities to compose the exact drink you had in mind when you asked for something not too sweet and not too sour, but very good and maybe pink?

Never mind the ladies in polka dots with impeccable hair and the guys with their sixpences and blue jeans, never mind the funky Art Deco interior, the wobbly surf board resembling tables outside. Never mind the fact that since it’s so tiny, the bar is always crowded, never mind that this only makes you want to stay there even more.

Never mind all that. I want to talk about The Triple C Club. Every first and third Wednesday of the month it’s time for Champagne, Cocktails and Crooning. The concept is as simple as it is magical; take a British crooner, complete with the slick hairdo, the suit and the smooth voice, place him in one of Oslo’s most intimate bars and let him take you back to New York anno 1940.

Richard Bowers sings like he time traveled from the past, he looks like it too. He does a few tunes, and then takes a 20-minute break to allow people to buy more drinks, have a cigarette or go to the toilet. Then he sings some more. Sometimes he brings guest artist, and song request can be made. If it’s your birthday, don’t hesitate to say so, unless you absolutely don’t want a handsome crooner serenading you…