Where there's smoke, the food is fire: Lofoten by Longboat Smoker's smoked salmon is 'art' in many forms

Every Norwegian salmon fillet gets an identity at Lofoten by Longboat Smoker, a restaurant in western Seoul specializing in smoked salmon. In owner Matthew Douma's eyes, each one is "a piece of art."

"Each [fillet] is done separately," said the smoked salmon professional. "It's numbered. The salt, the time, how long it's drying for, how long it cures for, that's all measured separately. Everything is considered like a piece of art."

The process begins almost immediately after the fish lands in Korea, less than 72 hours after harvest in Norway. Douma personally picks up the salmon from the airport before bringing it to the kitchen, where the prized "gold cut" — the middle section of the fish — is separated to make the best smoked salmon.

Depending on the cut's weight, each fillet receives a precisely calculated amount of brine and is cured accordingly.

"So it could be 64 hours, or it could be much longer."

Each fillet is then rinsed and desalinated before entering a smoker for about 14 hours.

Douma, a Canadian whose resume includes actor, model and photojournalist, uses a blend of three woods, including German cherry wood, to create the smoke that brings out what he considers Lofoten by Longboat Smoker's signature flavor profile.

"There is physics and science involved in smoking," he said. "Salmon smoking is a quasi-science art."

With such meticulous care, a batch that begins its journey on Tuesday is typically not ready until Saturday. "Saturday afternoon or Sunday, you'll have the best salmon."

That attention to detail can be felt in the plate set in front of you. While Lofoten by Longboat Smoker serves smoked salmon in its purest form, Douma has also built an entire menu reimagining it in a variety of dishes.

Start off with the Nordic Dill & Saffron Canape, priced at 15,000 won ($10).

A hollowed cucumber is filled with smoked salmon, house-made dill cream cheese and capers before being topped with vegan caviar and a single thread of saffron.

The rich filling pairs well with the refreshing crunch of cucumber, creating a contrast of soft and crisp textures while allowing the smoked salmon's flavor to remain front and center.

Sliced into bite-sized pieces, it makes for the perfect introduction to the restaurant's Norwegian smoked salmon.

The 25,000 won Lemon Crem Ravioli is perhaps the best introduction.

Made fresh every week, the handmade pasta is filled with hot-smoked salmon from the gold cut and served with a lemon cream sauce brightened with orange zest, chives and parsley.

The dish had a unique contributor: a K-pop star.

But the collaboration with Jeon Somi was less a celebrity-restaurant partnership and more of a family affair.

"My daughter Somi came here and said, 'This is great, but it needs orange zest,' and we put orange zest on it. It solved everything."

The sauce remains light, balancing the smokiness of the salmon rather than overpowering it, allowing the dish to remain inviting even after several bites.

The success of these dishes ultimately rests on the foundation: exceptional Norwegian salmon.

"It is one of the coldest waters on Earth," Douma said of Norway. "The ocean currents clean out the water. It's just probably the best place to do it."

He is equally drawn to the country's emphasis on sustainability and transparency.

"They are 100 percent transparent. They've created a system for fish farming and fish harvesting that's sustainable generation after generation."

The "Lofoten" in the restaurant's name refers to a scenic archipelago in northern Norway renowned for its pristine waters and seafood.

The phenomenal offerings owe their existence to disappointment; Douma's foray into smoking salmon began with a letdown piece of smoked salmon.

Years ago, while visiting Canada with his daughter, he found himself reminiscing about the smoked salmon his parents used to buy when he was a child.

As they drove through the Great Lakes region where he once lived, they passed the same smokehouse he remembered from decades earlier and stopped to buy some.

"They were so salty you couldn't eat it."

The experience caught him completely off guard. "I remember thinking, 'Oh my God, I've been here so long in Korea.'"

Coincidentally at the time, he was searching for a new direction in life. And salmon fit right in.

Soon, he was smoking salmon on the roof of his house before opening his artisan smokehouse in Yeonhui-dong, western Seoul, in 2021, a place where his creativity was allowed to blossom.

"I get to be artistic. I get to create. There is no ceiling on my creation. I can make this as big as I want." His creative spirit doesn't stop at the menu. Outside stands a large blue fish sculpture he crafted, while the second floor is occupied by the jewelry maker Ahndronico, which he invited into the space after falling for the brand's artistic style.

Along the way, he also found an unexpected mentor: a physicist from Texas.

At the time, Douma had produced a batch of salmon he considered too salty to sell. After examining the smoker and discussing the process, the physicist suggested several adjustments.

"I started to trade salty salmon for secrets from the physicist," Douma said.

There is another exceptional dish, Nordic Midnight Sun, inspired by Douma's years in the Netherlands, where beetroot is a common ingredient.

At first glance, the 21,000 won dish stands out for its deep red color. The dish combines a crisp beet-and-potato pancake with cold smoked salmon, showcasing yet another unexpected way to enjoy the fish.

The crisp pancake and the tender salmon on top make for a particularly satisfying bite. The pairing of the pancake's mild earthiness with the richly flavored fish is equally appealing.

"It's not simply a beet jeon,"  Douma said with a laugh, referring to the Korean-style pancake. "That's the worst way to call it."

And this is only the beginning of the many culinary creations he offers at Lofoten by Longboat Smoker. A factory to expand production of its meticulously crafted fish is also currently in the works.

Located in Yeonnam-dong in Mapo District, Lofoten by Longboat Smoker opens 12 p.m. to 9 p.,m, from Thursday to Sunday.

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]