No. 28 Šiaurės jūra

Two friends who liked fishing discovered not only unique fishing areas in the Scandinavian territory but also managed to bring a number of fish restaurant ideas to Lithuania.

To open a similar restaurant in Vilnius, you need to have a guaranteed supply of fresh, cooled and frozen fish. This is how fish and seafood shop Šiaurės Jūra was opened.

Soon a specialised fish and seafood restaurant opened in the neighbourhood with the same name Šiaurės Jūra. The restaurant guarantees the pleasure of seafood tastes and the freshness of products. The restaurant has been well rated not only by Vilnius dwellers but also the guests of the city. They prove this by coming to the restaurant specifically for its fish and seafood dishes which is located in the Šiaurės Miestelis areas in Vilnius.

DINNER.

A la carte menu in this restaurant, just like in many high class restaurants, is developed based on the season: spring/summer, autumn, winter. Seasonality in this case is dictated by the local kings and queens, the fish. For instance, in summer, the reserves of cod are scarce, thus it is substituted by the butterfish. Meanwhile, oysters which are delivered to the restaurant are selected manually because oysters spat in summer and are brought back into their habitat.

Sometimes one fish has to be replaced by another because the fresh fish has not arrived yet. Thus the kitchen of the restaurant continuously communicates with the fish and seafood shop in the vicinity.

Those who love lobsters can try extremely fresh lobsters – a lobster that you like is caught in your eyes and is given a name in the kitchen (this has become a tradition). Only then it goes into a pot, and finally – on your plate.

DISTINCT FEATURES.

Most of the fish is shipped to the shop and the restaurant from the North Sea. Why this particular sea? It is one of least polluted seas on the world. Even today when the Scandinavian salmon is criticised for containing toxic substances, the salmon delivered to Šiaurės Jūra is organic and caught in the wild. The restaurant also offers to try cooled tuna, i.e. when tuna is caught, cleaned and put on the ice (department stores usually offer defrosted fish, i.e. caught, frown in low temperature and defrosted again). Another distinct feature of the restaurant is that all fish is grilled.

INTERIOR DESIGN.

With its Scandinavian industrial style the restaurant suggests focusing on the content of the plate.

WINE CARD.

Šiaurės Jūra cooperates with the wine club Vyno Klubas and enterprise Liviko. Sommelier and the Lithuanian champion of 2016 Martynas Pravilonis helps choose the wine matching to particular fish dishes. The restaurant has a wide variety of wines and can offer at least a few wines to go with a specific dish.

LUNCH SPECIALS.

Lunch menu changes on a daily basis but you will always find a fish fillet and the whole fish on the menu card as well as several types of salads. Lunch specials are served until as late as 4 p.m.

TASTING DINNER.

Tasting dinners are organised once a season (although more would be desirable) during which people can learn more about the fish and seafood. For instance, if there is a tasting dinner about oysters, it is not only that they are served but also a lecture is read on oysters.