Surf & Turf in Kirkenes

Kirkenes, a brrrrr-cold town in far-northeastern Norway just miles from the Russian border, is a starting point for many cruises. My son Scott and I were there toward the end of March 2015. The weather was a dry cold, and we walked around on the well-maintained streets and sidewalks through the lightly falling snow. 

Kirkenes was an important port during World War II and was occupied by the Germans. We saw many bunkers, some in use as either wine cellars or playhouses for children. 

The town has nice hotels and a small shopping center, but finding an inexpensive place to eat was difficult. By blind luck, we found a place called Surf & Turf Restaurant As (Dr Wessels gate 2, 9900 Kirkenes, Norway; phone +47 464 45 245). It was jam-packed with locals, so we decided to give it a try. 

It had all kinds of tasty food, including wonderful fish soup, whale meat ($36), reindeer meat, sandwiches and warm bread. The menu was written in Norwegian, so I just pointed at others in the room and said, “I’ll have that too.”

We sat near a large fireplace, and I had fish chowder with large chunks of fish filling my large bowl, along with potatoes and veggies on the side. It was simply delicious and, at $12 for the meal, a very fine value compared to the prices in the luxury hotels in the area.

The price didn’t include beer, but the locally made ale was delicious. Surf & Turf had great food at low cost!

We stayed close to town at the Scandic Hotel (Kongensgate 1-3, 9915, Kirkenes, Norway; phone +47 78 99 59 00, fax 99 59 01, www.scandichotels.com) for $78 nightly. Clean rooms! 

An airport bus meets every plane and for about $9 will take you to the front door of any of various hotels in Kirkenes.

JIM DELMONTE

Honolulu, HI