Lorry is a west Oslo institution, a place where the cultural elite, politicians and journalists have been coming for years. In fact, some of them even have their photos on the wall. Inside it’s a bit of a treasure trove, dark with random hidden corners and lots of kitsch, including a stuffed bear when you walk in the door.

But for most Oslo folks it’s Christmas when your thoughts turn to Lorry – it’s one of the most traditional places to go for Christmas parties or celebrations, “julebord” as it’s called in Norwegian. Every Friday and Saturday in the run up to December 24th is full of people tucking into Norwegian Christmas food; pork ribs, sheep’s head, rotten fish and other delicacies. These dishes don’t sound very appealing to foreigners but it’s such a local experience that you just have to try if you are in town around December.

They serve seconds on all the main courses from the Christmas menu, so pace yourself. Norwegians say that drinking akevitt (a potato-based, clear liquor that literally translates as the water of life) helps digestion and while I doubt that medically, it certainly gets the party going!

Another part of the tradition also seems to be that the waiters are as gruff as possible, just so you are warned!