Behind the new addition to Trondheim’s restaurant scene – Gubalari – are restaurant entrepreneurs Sveinung Sundli and Lars Laurentius Paulsen, who have built up Troll Restaurant to become an economic and gastronomic success.
Over the past six years, they have brought life and excitement to Fosenkaia with numerous concerts at Skuret and their rebellious approach to food, ingredients, and traditional Norwegian cuisine. High quality at affordable prices has been their mantra, resonating well with the restaurant-goers in Trondheim. Today, the restaurant is almost fully booked every week and holds top ratings on global services like TripAdvisor.
Now, Sundli and Laurentius Paulsen are ready for the next chapter. Now they have they open the doors to their new creation, Gubalari, located on the first floor of the new art house, Kjøpmannsgata ung kunst (KUK).
The restaurant has been developed in close collaboration with the city’s esteemed artist, Kjell Erik Killi-Olsen, who is responsible for the construction of the art house and the decoration of the restaurant. The result is a space that can hardly be described with words:
Extraordinary sculptural artwork
– We are extremely pleased that a dominant feature in the restaurant space is an extraordinary sculptural artwork by Killi-Olsen. He is a man with strong opinions and an exquisite sense of humor, aesthetics, and details. Throughout the process, we have had many engaged and rewarding discussions about everything from the use of wood to Danish chair design. The premises and the restaurant itself have become something extraordinary, I must say, and the goal is for the kitchen, the food, and especially the service to match that,» says Lars Laurentius Paulsen.
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– I believe this artwork will stand as a key masterpiece in Killi-Olsen’s body of work,» says Cathrine Hovdahl Vik, artistic director at K.U.K.
– His breakthrough came with ‘Salamandernatten’ in 1989, and I can see many elements of that in this piece. However, it’s not as dystopian. It’s a playful artwork with many of the recurring figures he is known for, but there’s also a lot of new elements,» she continues.
The kitchen staff at Gubalari is small, close-knit team without the traditional kitchen hierarchy. Along with Lars Laurentius Paulsen, there will be five chefs in the kitchen, some with extensive experience, and others fresh out of culinary school. Paulsen himself will also take an active role in the kitchen and is rumored to be wearing a spectacular red tuxedo.
Creative freedom
Both Lars and Sveinung, the restaurant founders, are excited about having more creative freedom, circus-like elements, and shows. They enjoy playfulness, provoking, and pushing boundaries, which they hope to incorporate more into Gubalari.
Their contact with the artist Kjell Erik Killi-Olsen was established during a charity event supporting a health center in Nepal, a cause both companies financially support. Killi-Olsen’s order for Gubalari was to create a restaurant for everyone, contributing to lowering the threshold for young contemporary art.
As for the type of food served, they have staded that the vision is to allow the food, art, and ambiance to come together. However, they want the restaurant to be a welcoming and approachable place. It won’t be fine dining, but they will offer a mix of familiar and challenging dishes, catering to the diverse needs of their guests.
The restaurant is dedicated to Ingrid Espelid Hovig, a legendary Norwegian TV chef who introduced the nation to various international cuisines. «Gubalari» was her expression of enthusiasm for the magical alchemy that happened in cooking pots.
In summary, Gubalari aims to offer balanced and nutritious meals at affordable prices, considering the young artists’ budget constraints. They will draw inspiration from Ingrid Espelid Hovig and expand their culinary palette, introducing flavors from different regions, including Asian peppercrab and Middle Eastern cuisine. The restaurant will challenge guests’ taste buds and may serve more adventurous dishes while also providing safe and familiar options.