*Once the domain of “members-only” Denmark House has long since thrown open its doors to all-comers. Enticing me inside even further is a recent addition to their Nordic restaurant; Bar Dansk. On offer is a little wine, the mandatory schnapps, Danish beer and the kind of salty snacks that get washed down oh-so-well with the aforementioned. Hotdogs, pastries and pork “bubble” – a Christmas crackling lovers new-found nirvana – come courtesy of chef Bente Grysbæk.

The cocktail list is highly focussed to say the least. It is comprised of just one drink, the Copenhagen Cocktail, a mix of genever, cherry heering (definitively not herring) and bitters with an orange twist (though they can of course whip up any classic your heart desires). It’s tasty and as wintry as you would expect. The space itself is intimate, possessing the casual, minimalism of a New York loft, all pale timber and big windows. Yet the Danish designer furniture and a reindeer rug emphasise Bar Dansk’s Nordic leanings without trying too hard.

Now’s probably a good time to learn the Danish version of “cheers”. Skål!

Visit Bar Dansk at Level 3, 428 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne.