Kai

What happened when a New Zealand restaurateur and his Scottish-Danish wife joined with an American chef to open a restaurant on Sjælland island in Denmark? This heralded the birth of Kai, a Maori word for food, that seeks to introduce guests to 'New World' fare, as the owners call it. Fusion cooking may mean a veritable profusion of flavours and the kitchen aims to showcase this by juggling contrasting ingredients.

The décor has a whiff of Kiwi Land with tapa cloth, a Polynesian art form made from flat mulberry tree bark decorated with natural dyes, adorning the walls. The wooden floor and comfortable leather chairs add to the light and airy feel.

A tasting plate of smoked fish croquettes, tuna carpaccio served with wasabi, crème fraîche and somen noodles could open proceedings, alongside seared chamomile cured salmon with roasted cherry tomato and fennel compote, and Louisiana seafood cakes. Main courses draw from a range of both traditional and exotic dishes where Indonesian lamb satay with peanut sauce and cucumber pickle served in a bamboo tube, and glazed chicken with a balsamic reduction and wild mushroom risotto tread the unconventional route.

Italy is not forgotten on the menu with grilled aubergine and goats' cheese roulade with basil oil and involtini, pasta filled with wild mushroom and ricotta, baked in a fresh tomato and herb sauce. A light and hearty grilled pork is served with sweet potato mash, asparagus and honey sautéed apples while a tender lamb shank with coconut sauce, vegetables and jasmine rice reveals some robust cooking.

The sticky date cake is a warm and syrupy affair, served with caramel sauce and whipped cream, and may pump up the calorie count. Passionfruit crème brûlée and strawberry rhubarb crumble on the dessert menu suggests that the kitchen prefers to keep things original.

The famed BYO system has made inroads into Denmark, with corkage of course, and at Kai diners are allowed to bring their own wine or maybe choose between a bottle of Hunter's Pinot Noir or Stella Solaris Syrah-Cabernet. While the southern hemisphere dominates the wine list, there are draught beers, cocktails and spirits on offer as well.

Although New Zealand and Denmark may be on different sides of the world with diverse cultures and culinary sciences, Kai attempts to bring them and many others together under its affable surroundings, and can be rightly termed a melting pot of assorted cuisines.