What: Nowadays they are harder to come by on restaurant menus, but if you encounter these, you’ll want to give them a try: Krebinetter (“kree-bin-etter”) are breaded pork (or pork and veal) patties, oval in shape and pan-fried after a dip in beaten egg and breadcrumbs, then served, typically, with boiled vegetables like peas, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, and stewed white cabbage. Their shape and breading separate them from karbonaden, an even harder-to-find dish of round, unbreaded pork patties. Krebinetter are easy to love if you can get ’em: fat, crispy meatballs with a good serving of veggies.
Where: We found krebinetter as a daily special at the much-vaunted Meyers Deli (multiple locations including Gammel Kongevej 107, Frederiksberg, map), a modern cafe and takeaway from Noma co-founder and celebrated chef/food personality Claus Meyer where the “dish of the day” is always traditional Danish. Bonus: Takeaway food is priced slightly lower than eat-in, and a park is never too far away (Frederiksberg Have is an obvious choice for this branch).
When: Deli is open daily, 8am-10pm; kitchen is open 11am-9pm. During our visit to this branch, krebinetter were offered on Mondays between 5pm-9pm (call ahead to confirm current specials menu, as it does change).
Order: The krebinetter (110 kr/95 kr to go) comprise two fat pork patties, perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and meaty inside. Here it was served with a handful of pickled beets and boiled potatoes, with a creamy sauce of celeriac, carrots, and spinach on the side—plus, of course, a few slices of good bread. (Side note: Meyers Deli is a fantastic place to buy a loaf of rugbrød to go and try the cold-pressed apple juice from the Danish island of Lilleø, where Meyer has an orchard.) This makes a fabulous dinner for one.
Alternatively: We are still looking for more krebinetter! Please let us know if you know of any eateries that regularly offer it. And in the meantime, the dish called frikadeller has you covered on the meatball front.
