Sale e Pepe

Ndr. Fasanvej 9, Frederiksberg; open Mon-Sun 17:00-24:00, kitchen closes at 22:00; three-course menu 295kr pp; www.saleepepe.dk

More often than not, the true gems are well hidden, probably to heighten the thrill of discovery. Just like the Italian restaurant Sale e Pepe, which is snuggled into a basement corner on busy Nordre Fasanvej in Frederiksberg. Upon arrival on a Saturday night we quickly realised that this place hardly needs any advertising and in return felt rather honoured to be guiding our foreign readers to the promised land of Italian food. Packed with families and middle-aged couples, the place is hardly the epitome of cool, which is quite relaxing at a time when so-called in-places are mushrooming in this beloved city of ours.

Decorated in true wine-cellar manner, with dark heavy tables, oversized oil paintings promoting the Dionysian lifestyle, the place hides its size well and remains cosy. We were placed at the last empty table and immediately spoilt with a glass of champagne by our charming, truly Italian waiter.  If you ever get tired of being served by incompetent, hormonally confused student personnel, try a place like this where the art of serving the customer is still a profession carried out with pride and skill.

To gain the best possible knowledge of the menu for our readers, unselfishly devoted to the cause we ordered the Antipasto Misto and moaned our way through the tender carpaccio, the velvety salmon, and the zesty tuna with anchovy, while getting oily fingers from placing the shrimp in garlic-white wine sauce on the buttered bread. We could have left it at that and just let the dewy white wine run down our throats and still have felt satisfied.

But having flippantly ordered the four-course menu, we soon found ourselves twirling our forks in a shared plate of fresh tagliatelle in truffle-sauce, only to discover that the main courses were already sizzling on the stove. My partner in crime highly recommends ordering the fish of the day, as the fresh cod melted on the tongue like butter after it was stripped of its extremities, and the fresh herbs were a perfect complement to the salty crust. Personally, I couldn’t resist the filet of veal with forest-mushrooms and was not disappointed. Even wine god Bacchus would have enjoyed the pairing of the juicy steak with the tangy red Sangiovese and once again we applauded our waiter on his excellent skills, celebrating the fact that even those of us who can’t pride ourselves oenophiles can taste the difference between our own supermarket buys and the liquid thrills of a good wine.

After soldiering on for three hours of extensive dining we finally reached the promised land of the desserts and were rewarded with what was presented as being the best tiramisu of the north. Having no breath left to ask if that honourable description is self-awarded or an official stamp, we let the creamy dessert melt into the last remaining cracks and corners of our well rounded bellies before trundling to the next bus stop. A little Sale e Pepe is all it takes to spice up your life.