Out of the cold

Roast lamb is featured on chef Jeppe Nielsen's menu at Ulo restaurant in Illulisat.

The meatiest moments on the menu come from hearty musk ox - most famous for its oddly curling horns and the warmth of its fur - and Greenlandic lamb, wonderfully tender thanks to grass feeding in a pesticide-free landscape. The salt-crusted lamb in a thick pea puree is the hit of a seven-course tasting menu, but the medium-rare musk ox gets its share of raves, too.

One night earlier in the capital, Nuuk, the musk ox came in a fussier, more molecular presentation at Sarfalik, the acclaimed restaurant at Hotel Hans Egede. We nibbled slices of haunch and heart - the latter served as a pair of crisps - with musk-ox mayonnaise, spelt and buckthorn.

That tasting menu also featured whale and scallops from the nearby fjord, served with the piney Labrador tea, lime and yoghurt.

Dessert at both restaurants featured fresh berries: Late-summer's bounty includes crowberries, blueberries and cranberries. We savor them at a window seat, as another spectacular Arctic sunset washes the horizon with crimson and gold.

"It is not unusual to meet people who are completely blue around the mouth after a trip in the fells where they have eaten crowberries," says Nielsen. "The summer is short, intense - and filled with taste."

Contact the writer at michaelpeters@chinadaily.com.cn