The cooking showed real flair and talent, if not in all the dishes we tried, at least in several of them. Starters, although verging on the small side, were stunning, be it the duck with Cumberland sauce, or the scallops in green pea cream. So were the desserts – my chocolate fondant with pear sorbet, for example, was a great way to round up the meal, and I wouldn’t rule out going back to Kranbanen just to have it again. It was that good.

Our mains, however, were not all quite in the same league – a dish of pinnekjøtt turned out to be slightly chewy, and the sauce accompanying my (otherwise delicious) venison was somehow dull. Likewise the lacklustre wine list was a disappointment, with no real exciting labels to speak of – here again there was room for improvement.

So the verdict? This is a restaurant showing real potential, and definitely one of the best in Fredrikstad, despite the slightly harsh review (well, when I fork out over 1,500Kr for a meal for two, my expectations go up a notch). I’ll have to revisit at a less busy time… but so far what I’ve seen, and tasted, has been rather promising.

Kråkerøyveien 2, Fredrikstad. Tel: 69 34 55 05, www.kranbanen.com. Dinner only. Expect to pay around 500Kr per person, excluding drinks.

A new talent to be reckoned with, that’s the least you can say about Geir Skeie. He is the most famous of a team of young chefs who have been helping put Norway on the culinary map these past few years. And now his first ever cookbook, World Champion, has just received the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2010.

The book features many of his favourite recipes, from childhood stalwarts to dishes he had concocted specifically for the Bocuse d’Or competition, offering recipes cooks of all abilities can try out. Norwegian ingredients often take centre stage, whether they are prepared the traditional way (be it a Norwegian lamb stew, clipfish or rhubarb compote for example) or, as is often the case, enhanced by other, more exotic flavours (king crab with cauliflower and soya, Arctic char with tarragon or cloudberry and anis sorbet, to name a few). From snails and foie gras to tom yam gung and spaghetti Bolognaise, culinary influences are many, although the focus remains the same with all recipes – his fascination for flavour combinations.

Geir Skeie also opened his own restaurant, Brygga 11 (www.brygga11.no) in Sandefjord, Vestfold, in November. A great day trip from Østfold for any gourmet traveller.

More on Geir Skeie at www.geirskeie.no (Norwegian only)

Nygaardsgata 50. Tel: 69 31 62 99, www.dalucalunchbar.com. Closed Sun.

Want to try the deep-water cod for yourself? Order direct from the producer – Fjordfisk AS, Utgårdskilen, Hvaler. www.fjordfisk.no (Norwegian only)

For Østfold products nominated last year see www.elusivemoose.eu/2009/12/top-5-%c3%b8stfold-producers/

You will need (Serves 4):

- 800g of venison fillets (you can replace with moose or reindeer meat if you so wish)

- juniper (a tiny handful)

- lingonberry gelée or jam (tyttebær in Norwegian)

- 1 pinch of fennel seeds

- 1 spoonful of flour

- 2 dl of beef stock

- 2 dl of sour cream (rømme in Norwegian). Crème fraiche will do if you can’t get hold of sour cream.

- 30g of Norwegian brown cheese

- 20g of butter

- 2 spoonfuls of aquavit

- salt and pepper

…

1. Crush half of the juniper with the fennel seeds in a mortar, add the salt and pepper and mix. Rub onto the meat with your bare (washed) hands. Leave to the side while you make your sauce.

2. Crush the remaining juniper and mix with the flour in a small pan. Add a few spoonfuls of the beef stock and mix, making sure you don’t have any lumps. Add half of the stock and cook at low temperature, stirring all the time. When the sauce has started to thicken, add the remaining stock and continue cooking. Add the brown cheese, the sour cream, and the rest of the juniper, reduce the heat and let it cook for a further 5 minutes. Take the sauce off the hob, and cover the pan with a lid.

3. Melt the butter in a frying pan on a high heat. Fry the fillets for about 5 minutes, turning them often. This is enough if you like your meat cooked rare, allow a bit longer if you prefer it medium, but don’t overcook it, as it will lose its flavour.

4. Just before you serve, add the aquavit to the sauce, and reheat for a couple of minutes. Adjust the seasoning.

5. Cut your meat in 2cm-thick slices, pour the sauce over it, and place a spoonful of lingonberry gelée or jam to the side. Serve with boiled potatoes. Fried fresh wild mushrooms (chanterelles for example) make another good accompaniment to this dish.

Adapted from a recipe by Norwegian chef Andreas Viestad. More info about him at www.elusivemoose.eu/2010/04/10/