The taste of Christmas at Skovmøllen Ø – Cozy and good atmosphere at Bassin 7

This year's Christmas lunch at Aarhus Inside was held this year at Skovmøllen Ø, located at Basin 7 by the harbor front houses on Aarhus Ø. A Christmas lunch that created Christmas magic with delicious food, coziness and smiling staff.

The forest mill is known for its idyllic location in the middle of the Marselisborg forests and since December 2023 you have also been able to visit their charming restaurant on Aarhus Ø, where they are located in one of the harbor front houses.
With their thatched facade and oasis with trees and flowers inside, they have managed to create a fantastic place full of charm, orangery and fantastic service.

On a bitterly cold Tuesday in December, we stood outside Skovmøllen Ø, looking at winter bathers in the pool and looking forward to a lovely Christmas lunch in the warmth.

The small harbor front house stands out markedly from the modern buildings in the background, with its thatched facade. And fits perfectly with "bring nature into the city".
The small Christmas trees outside immediately set off the Christmas spirit, and we looked forward to stepping inside.

A warm welcome in the middle of the winter cold

Inside we were greeted by an atmosphere that almost felt like a warm and safe embrace. Skovmøllen has divided the restaurant into two sections, which creates an intimacy that is rarely experienced in restaurants. In the first room, the bar runs along the entire room and tables for smaller parties fill the rest of the room, while the back room, where we sat, offers larger tables and a more secluded atmosphere.
The green branches and light chains that hang from the ceiling help to give the place a touch of nature. It's as if you're sitting in an open pavilion with the beautiful green roof and the large windows that provide a great view of Basin 7.

Although the restaurant was packed with lunch guests, it didn't feel hectic at any point. Here, families across generations, couples and friends sat at the tables and enjoyed both the food and each other's company. Conversations were subdued and even with the open kitchen we never heard any noise. It all just seemed balanced.

A Christmas table with soul

Their Christmas lunch menu was ready for service and we started with fried herring and gravad salmon and the herring tasted fantastic. Spicy and with a good bite in every piece. We all agreed that it tasted like something from our childhood, when our grandmother served them at the family Christmas table.

Normally I'm not a big fan of salmon, but I was really pleasantly surprised. It had a lovely spicy taste and on top of the freshly baked French bread it was absolutely perfect. Of course enjoyed with Skovmøllen's own ice cream Christmas aquavit.

While the sun sent its light through the large windows and illuminated the entire room, the main course was served. The main course consisted of homemade chicken salad, which was deliciously creamy and tasted perfect with the homemade rye bread. Rib roast was a matter of course and with lovely crispy skins. The Waldorf salad helped provide a fresh counterpoint to the crisp apples and walnuts. All around there was laughter from both young and old. We were very surprised that there were so many guests in the restaurant on a bitterly cold Tuesday dinner.

Christmas aquavit is not something I normally drink and it has been many years since I last had it for a Christmas lunch. But this went so well with the food that we had to take an extra – or two.

Skovmøllen's aquavit is made in a limited edition and with notes of cloves, orange and star anise and then just a secret light sweetness as a finish, it was both powerful and perfectly balanced.

We ended with dessert, and here Skovmøllen raised the rice salamander to a whole new level. Topped with Amarena cherries and almond crunch, it was a dessert that got us thinking about how we could make something similar at home on Christmas Eve. The combination of the soft rice salamander and the crispy topping was nothing short of brilliant.
We fought to eat it all and sat smiling and full and enjoying the surroundings and not least the sun and the view in the beautiful restaurant.

Service when it really matters

Although it was busy this Tuesday, and the chef therefore had some challenges keeping up, the service was razor sharp.
I noticed the table diagonally across from ours, where three guests had to wait a little longer for their first course. But here the waiter stepped in and provided a small appetizer at the house's expense, which they could enjoy while they waited.
And it is details like this that show that Skovmøllen really focuses on giving guests a good experience.

An experience worth repeating

Skovmøllen Ø is a restaurant that feels like a little respite in the middle of the busyness of Christmas. The food is authentic, the surroundings are intimate and the service is top notch. It's a place that makes you slow down a little and enjoy the moment - and that's exactly what Christmas is all about - coziness, togetherness and small moments of pure joy. The prices are reasonable and the place has many exciting offers for a good experience

If you live or are visiting Aarhus and need a place where you can experience Christmas fun at a high level, then Skovmøllen Ø is an obvious choice. Whether you go there with family, friends or just someone you care about, you will have an experience that is hard to forget.

Christmas table at Skovmøllen

Starter:

• • Akvavit gravad salmon with fox sauce and rye bread crumble
  • Fried herring with smiling quail eggs, caper cream and red onion

Main course:

• • Rib roast with lingonberries and warm classic red cabbage
  • Skovmøllen's homemade chicken salad with pepper bacon
  • Waldorf salad with walnuts, apples, grapes and "grandmother" dressing

Dessert:

• • Skovmøllen's rice salamander with cherry sauce on Amarena cherries and almond croquettes