I’ve been struggling to write this article for quite some time now, mainly because I selfishly want to keep this little gem to myself so that hoards of people don’t start showing up to ruin it, but that would be unfair to both you, the reader, and the business. I will also say that despite the lack of quality pictures, this is the best post I have done, and will do, about Copenhagen. I saved it for last for a reason…I am about to tell you about the best bar I have ever been to in my entire life.
I believe I learned about Balderdash from Somebody Feed Phil. The show featured these crazy adult ice cream sundaes that looked absolutely divine and when I went to Copenhagen I knew that I needed to try them. Well, unfortunately for me, they actually only do the ice-cream seasonally so I was SOL when it came to that. I could have left, as I had also planned on that being my dinner for the night, but instead decided to stick around and try some of the unusual drinks that were on their menu.
Now I will tell you that the drinks at Balderdash are not for people that only drink wine or only drink beer or prefer their gin and tonic or a boring old vodka soda with a splash of cran. The drinks at Balderdash are made exclusively for people with an adventurous pallet…the people that are looking for some excitement on an otherwise normal and mundane evening. I can promise you that you will never find any drinks like this anywhere else .
First up, and my personal favorite, the Mushroom Alexander.
I was a little hesitant to order a drink with mushroom in it and was torn between that and another, less exotic choice. Although by this point I was about four days deep into my get-whatever-the-staff-suggests so when the bartender told me to go with the Mushroom Alexander, I couldn’t very well decide that now was the time to go against what I had determined would be my one rule for this trip.
The Mushroom Alexander is a shockingly delicious and creamy chocolate mushroom drink. Inspired by a visit to Noma, where the dessert of the evening featured chocolate covered truffles, the Balderdash team set out to recreate it in drink form. At first, you get a coconut flavor on the tongue, almost like an Almond Joy, followed up with a surprisingly delicious and savory mushroom finish.
I know what you’re thinking, it sounds a little too strange for most people. But, if you’re okay with creamy drinks, I can promise you with 100% certainty that you will love this. I expected it to just be one and done…but I ended up drinking four of them because I loved them so much (relax, not all in one night you silly reader…)
For my next drink, I went with something totally different and had the Gorilla 3.0.
This drink is significantly lighter and juicier than the Mushroom Alexander, with flavors of banana and lemon and topped with a toasted marshmallow.
I had been worried that the banana would be too overpowering for my taste, but the lemon curd manages to take over without making the drink too tart. I swear these drinks are magic…
Pro Tip: Take a bite of the toasted marshmallow, then a sip of the drink for the full effect.
The following night I started with a Blonde Ambition.
Let me warn you, the Blonde Ambition is probably the most misleading option on the menu. It is served in a huge goblet-like glass with a single large round ice cube and it looks like the drink isn’t finished yet because the glass will be barely half full. It is, in fact, finished, and it will knock you on your ass if you drink it too quickly.
It is a dangerously delicious and refreshing drink made with gin and vermouth, with a bergamot perfume that will make both your taste buds and your skin tingle.
That night, in between repeating my favorites from the night before, I also tried the Sea Buckthorn Colada. Sea Buckthorn is a coastal plant local to Copenhagen, and the addition of this to a colada is like the secret ingredient in your grandmother’s cookies. You know what I mean? When you follow her recipe to a T, and your cookies come out good but there is just something missing to make them perfect like hers…that something is what sea buckthorn is to the colada. Another surprising yet flawless creation by the Balderdash team.
Balderdash is definitely not cheap; you’ll be shelling out about $18 per drink. But as someone that tries not to splurge too much on “silly” things while on trips like this, I’m telling you that a visit is definitely a must and 110% worth it. The bartenders are friendly, hilarious, and they know their stuff. Watching them make drinks is truly a show; the technique they use is like watching art being made. And Geoffrey, the owner, is the most welcoming host you will ever meet. He is the kind of person that you will want to make a friend for life.
I ended up at Balderdash two nights in a row, not because I wanted to get trashed or because the drinks were cheap. I returned to Balderdash and sat there for hours at a time for two main reasons: one, it fueled the creative fire that had been sparked in me a few days prior, something that I hadn’t felt in years. It turned it from a mere spark to a roaring inferno. And two, I was fascinated by the people that I met there. Almost no one I met, including the people that work there, were originally from Copenhagen. If I remember correctly, the owner is from New York, one bartender was from Germany, one from France, and I met a group of guys, one of which was from Belgium and the other two were from New Orleans. This crazy, unique, little hole in the wall sized bar that I had stumbled into was filled with expats just like myself, people that didn’t necessarily belong there or call Copenhagen “home”, yet they all came together under this one roof to have an incredible time together. To talk, to drink, to toast marshmallows on the bar, to smoke hand rolled cigarettes. At Balderdash, you can be your true self without fear of any kind of judgment and you’ll still be welcome with warm and open arms. Balderdash is the definition of hygge.
*Bonus: After I left (obviously, because this is how my life works…) they came out with their own hot sauce that I end up dreaming about every time they post about it. So if any of you dear readers are heading that way anytime soon and would like to bring back a bottle to Boston, I would be eternally grateful. 🙂
If you’re looking for some amazing food to either pre-game with or get a headstart on killing the hangover, read about the best pizza I have ever had in my life here or the best kebab in all of Copenhagen here.
Valerie says
Love it. That’s all I can say. Your passion for these drinks is clear, and even as one who doesn’t drink often, even I am interested in visiting this place. Plus, as an expat myself at this moment, I can really appreciate a hole in the wall pub filled with other expats. Sounds delectable.
Catherine @ To & Fro Fam says
Wow, I love it when you find a place as amazing as Balderdash in your travels! I’m sure you’ll remember it fondly for years to come. (Also, how cool is it you got to toast a marshmallow in a bar?!)
Savannah says
Honestly, I am always looking for excuses to return to Copenhagen and this seems like the perfect one! Balderdash sounds like a must visit for me. I would be super into trying the Gorilla 3.0. I love the idea of all the flavors combined (plus the toasted marshmallow, of course). Thank you for giving up this secret Copenhagen find!
Aireona says
Those drinks look right up my alley. I love sugar, sugar, sugar! XD And unique flavors. I need to know more about that marshmallow!