What kind of place is it?
Insiders on Copenhagen’s food scene have been whispering in corners for the past few weeks, tapping me on the shoulder, buzzing in my inbox. »Have you heard about Comé? Don’t you dare review it, I want to keep this to myself,« one person bluntly wrote.
And yes, sorry, but I’m reviewing it anyway, because Comé Rice Kitchen is too good to keep a secret. Located in Kødbyen, it’s likely just a matter of time before every Vesterbro hipster with an Omnium bike in their courtyard and a low-paying media job starts spreading the word on their Instagram profiles, and we might as well get ahead of them.
What’s the hype about?
Comé is a sister shop to the Asian grocery store Ume next door, which, besides selling groceries, has impressed by offering freshly cut sashimi of very high quality from a stall at the back of the store.
Now, the fish stall has moved next door, and in addition to raw tuna and sliced scallops in small trays, the standout items at this little takeaway spot are the wide selection of onigiri and a range of freshly fried snacks that steam in trays atop the counter.
The opening has been met with the kind of enthusiasm that foodies usually only show when they stumble upon something particularly ‘authentic.’ This generally just means there wasn’t a PR agency involved in spreading the word...
However, in this case, the excitement is genuinely warranted.
What should I order?
As mentioned, Comé specializes in the Japanese grab-and-go classic onigiri, and I can’t recall encountering any other place that serves (at least such a large selection of) them here at home.
The fist-sized clumps of well-steamed sushi rice are folded into a triangle around various fillings and finally wrapped in a layer of nori. I set out to try all six varieties (35 kroner each, two for 65 kroner is enough for a light lunch).
The classic with tuna and kewpie mayo hit the brain’s reward center perfectly: The salty fish, sweet and sour sauce, and incredibly aromatic rice (a blend of two varieties, hitomebore and haenuki, for the perfect consistency somewhere between sticky and loose) played ping-pong over the taste buds, while the sea-fresh and slightly chewy seaweed wrapper filled the mouth with the distinctive sensation and flavor of deep umami – grilled meat and sea spray!
The most surprising was the even more flavorful and nicely spicy onigiri with miso and green chili, which thoroughly cleared out my sinuses and sent steam clouds into the cool and crisp autumn air.
Okay, pretty cool. What else?
It would be approaching mortal sin territory to leave Comé without tasting the fried chicken: karaage. Large squares of marinated thigh (10 kroner each) were rolled in flour and starch before hitting the fryer.
»Should I order mayo with it?« I asked, but no, I really didn’t need to. “Our chicken is juicy enough on its own,” came the confident reply, and I had to agree with the clerk.
Under the ultra-crispy crust, the tender and slightly ginger-scented meat dripped with juice and flavor. You won’t find a better snack anytime soon. On the other hand, you can skip the chicken breast in seaweed tempura, where soft meat and overly soft dough combined in a peculiar, almost mushy way. I didn’t get that dish.
Why five hearts?
Comé Rice Kitchen is a modest operation, with no tables or chairs, and you must wait patiently in line to order before heading out into the city with your paper bag in tow.
However, I can’t think of many more appetizing things than the selection at the counter of this little place, where the pure taste of quality ingredients is allowed to shine. I’ll gladly eat my lunch sitting on the curb, rain or shine, when the quality is this good.
