Vikings 维京人

Article By  Ali & Angel 

Ying Yue international, Jin Ye Road and Zhang Ba 3 Road intersection,Gaoxin District
高新区锦业路与丈八三路十字盈樾国际大堂西临
(029) 8102 7431
8:00am – 10:30pm

Average Price per Person /人均消费: 50 RMB

PROS: The desserts

CONS: A little difficult to find

When hearing the name ‘Vikings’ we were automatically given the impression of a dimly lit, smoky mead hall with open fires, roasting hogs and shield maidens. Needless to say, we were a little apprehensive about having to defend our honour from drunken warriors, but as we arrived at the venue our fears were put to rest by the floor-to-ceiling glass walls and wide open spaces within.

1Vikings has the good fortune of having an owner with years of restaurant experience from managing one of Xi’an’s most popular restaurants, Leban, and a pastry chef who has worked at the famous Burg Al Arab in Dubai.
The first thing we noticed as we entered was the amazing smell of meaty goodness coming from the open kitchen, a sign of good things to come. The restaurant itself is set up more like a deli or bakery, with a counter displaying a variety of freshly baked breads, desserts and fresh fruit, adding to the image of an eatery that prides itself on freshly made dishes. The décor is what has become known as classically Scandinavian, with modern minimalist furniture, muted colours and lots of wood, broken up by the green of the many plants. It gives you an overall feeling of cleanliness and healthy living.

2The menu is designed to look like a lifestyle magazine, a small touch that we particularly enjoyed. They offer an assortment of dishes, from salads to sandwiches made on their freshly baked bread to light pastas and curries. After browsing their large range of freshly squeezed juices and tea and soda mixes, we settled on a Weiss bier and an IPA from their somewhat limited but well-chosen beer selection. The staff, who spoke very good English, recommended that we try their signature sandwich, the Copenhagen, a grilled cheese, ham and mustard on whole wheat which was designed for them by the chef at the Danish embassy in Canada. We also decided on the Nordic Meatballs with mashed potatoes and gravy, the green pesto pasta with cherry tomatoes and pine nuts and potato wedges seasoned with herbs. The food was light and delicately flavoured but filling and left us with just enough space to try one of their beautiful desserts. We opted for the decadent chocolate and caramel slice, which was a layer of creamy chocolate mousse on top of a layer of caramel and sea salt, on a base of chocolate puffed rice and it was by far the highlight of the meal and we would recommend this restaurant based on the strength of that dessert alone.

Vikings is the ideal place for a relaxed breakfast or a lunch date with friends and we thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to hang out and unwind in the uncluttered yet welcoming atmosphere they’ve created.

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Ali and Angel aren’t vikings but they’re more than happy to pillage a dessert tray. You can reach them at reviews@xianease.com