Amstrup & Vigen (Dyvig Badehotel)

‘We are Denmark’s most beautiful seaside hotel’ is the confident statement written on the doors of Dyvig Badehotel. There is indeed something to it, because with a location right on Dyvig Bay, the rebuilt seaside hotel is undeniably good. The thoroughly old‑fashioned hotel exudes a bygone era. In the restaurant overlooking the water, chandeliers hang from the ceiling, the tables are covered with thick white linens, and the walls are adorned with paintings of maritime motifs. Here one feels at ease. Gastronomically, the focus is also on classic good taste, and ingredients such as caviar, langoustine and foie gras naturally belong on the menu. The evening menu begins with sublime oscietra caviar, langoustine tartare and watercress ice cream, whose sweetness and pronounced bitterness, however, overshadow the fine caviar, which is best enjoyed on its own. We are served steamed red‑tongue fillet dressed in a vivid green parsley sauce, caviar and tiny pickled onions, whose sweetness and texture complement the chlorophyll‑flavored plating and the buttery‑soft fish. The wine choice hits the mark with a cheeky natural white from Domaine Gauby, whose salty minerality and light oxidation perfectly match the nutty notes of the caviar. The unrivaled wine list includes almost every conceivable top producer and a wide selection of spectacular glass wines at modest prices. The only catch is that you must decide on everything before the dinner begins. It feels odd to sit with a mouth full of afternoon cake and have to choose all the glasses you will want later. And it’s disappointing when the promised premier cru Burgundy suddenly turns out to be a municipal wine—without the staff even noticing the mistake! In a place where wine holds such a central role, being served a mediocre Burgundy with the main course is a let‑down. At this level, such details should be under control, but the service is Dyvig’s Achilles’ heel: friendly yet completely lacking knowledge of what is being served. Most questions are answered with “I don’t know,” without any follow‑up. Still, this cannot spoil the pleasure of the pan‑seared monkfish tail with a crisp exterior, glossy interior, intense truffle cream sauce and pickled artichokes that add a wonderful acidic spark to the dish, hitting the pleasure centre straight on. Ramey’s Burgundy‑inspired Chardonnay, with barrel vanilla and firm acidity, steers the serving home perfectly. Bravo. The kitchen is at its strongest when it follows a simple, ingredient‑driven line, and it lacks that rigor in the main course, where a flavor‑poor pigeon breast swims in a watery red‑wine sauce, beetroot, cabbage and morels that are under‑cooked and have a texture as if they were softened too much. Mid‑season! This is followed by a platter of fine Arla Unika cheeses, unfortunately served a little cold. Dyvig has enormous potential that is not fully realized, but could easily be achieved with a few effective adjustments.