Great Danes

Just the name conjures thoughts of a far away destination. Kopenhagen Blue Danish Bakery & Café, 51st and Memorial in the Fontana Shopping Center, is a small, quaint eatery that features traditional Danish breakfasts and lunches.

Owner Esther Delacerda and her sister Deborah, the chef, have brought cuisine from their homeland to Tulsa. Delacerda said that their father went to school in the states, and eventually they made Tulsa their home. Deborah attended culinary school in Denmark, and now, with her sister's efforts, they have worked together for about one year in this business. Delacerda said they prepare "authentic Danish food from scratch each day, using no preservatives and using organic ingredients where we can." All the dishes are either her sister's creations or family recipes.

Kopenhagen Blue is open for both breakfast and lunch. A few of the breakfast dishes, Delacerda said, are the Caviar Benedict ($7) and The Benedict ($6). Caviar Benedict is toasted brioche with poached eggs, Hollandaise and red caviar; The Benedict also begins with toasted brioche with poached eggs and Hollandaise but, rather than caviar, ham is used. (Brioche is a French bread known for its rich, sweet flavor and pastry-esque, flaky texture).

A popular lunch selection includes the Danish Chicken sandwich ($7): chicken salad with mushrooms and white asparagus served on a croissant, which differs from its American counterpart because of the ingredients: mushrooms, asparagus and crème fraiche. (Crème fraiche is a thinner version of sour cream; noted for its tanginess because of its bacteria cultures; the high fat content makes it a thick sauce for a variety of dishes.)

From Sweden is the Shrimp sandwich, which contains lettuce, sliced eggs and freshwater shrimp from Greenland, which she claims have a fresher taste than the saltwater variety. This sandwich is served on honey wheat or sweet rye bread.

She said that there is a strong French influence on Danish foods, and the breakfast menu attests to that: croissants, French Crepes and pastries: cherry, apricot, cheese, almond and raspberry. She said making fresh meals each day is common in Denmark, compared to the States: "In Denmark the grocery stores are one-eighth the size of what (Americans) are used to, and you can't buy processed foods."

That Danish influence of freshness is reflected in the fare at Kopenhagen Blue. A friend and I had lunch here recently. It was a cool, rainy day and only a few tables were available. Three were occupied, and the others had yet to be bussed.

The atmosphere is simple--only a few decorations adored the walls. The service was very slow; it was a number of minutes before someone came to our table to greet us.

We were eventually presented with a menu and our drink order was taken: Hot Earl Grey tea for me and water for my friend. The lunch menu's selections include sandwiches, soups and salads.

A tuna vegetable salad with crunchy potato sticks was served on marbled rye bread. My friend enjoyed this simple, yet different tuna salad. The tuna was quite fresh, and the julienne uncooked potato sticks added an interesting dimension to this otherwise common sandwich. And of course, Crème fraiche was the base sauce.

My Danish Chicken sandwich was served on a light, buttery homemade croissant. This sandwich was memorable because of the tender chicken pieces and the firm mushrooms; shredded Parmesan cheese added a mild tang. A nutty back flavor was evident with each bite. The Lobster Bisque had an elegant, rich taste; it was creamy and speckled with black pepper.

Delacerda said her bakery and café are very similar in style to what one would find in Denmark where soups, salads, sandwiches and pastries are main fare. Breakfasts at Kopenhagen include Danish pastries and cakes, as well as menu items such as Danish Breakfast, a basket of their fresh breads served with a choice of cheeses, homemade butter and jam. Also, the French Crepes are very popular. These are filled with warm fruit compote and vanilla cream.

Delacerda invites all to come and "catch a café atmosphere" at Kopenhagen Blue.

Kopenhagen Blue Danish Bakery & Café

5076 S. 79th E. Ave.

408-1562

Hours:

Mon.-Fri. 8:30am-2pm

Rating:

Atmosphere ***

Food ***

Service **