Beauty from the Sea -- On Ice -- Some Norwegians believe that genuine beauty can be found in the fruits of the sea, and even if you don't agree, you should make a point to visit one of Norway's most appealing indoor fish markets, Ravnkloa Fiskehalle (tel. 73-52-55-21). Set at the northern terminus of the Munkegate, adjacent to the ferry piers servicing Munkeholmen Island, this is a glass-and-steel structure of impeccable cleanliness -- with the kind of hard-surface interior that gets hosed down frequently as a means of taking away some of the fishiness. Inside, a series of independent vendors sell meat on one side and stunning-looking fish, laid out in ordered rows on beds of ice, on the other. The variety and freshness of the scenario is memorable, and even if you're not -- as a traveler -- prepared to actually cook your purchases, you still might be tempted by the salmon sandwiches, fish salads, and small platters designed as takeout food -- perhaps the raw ingredients for a picnic on Munkeholmen Island or elsewhere. Consider buying a half-kilo of shrimp per person, along with fresh bread, butter, and mayonnaise (sold here in tubes that you squeeze like toothpaste). Purchase a glass of beer from the on-site beer tap, commandeer one of the indoor or outdoor tables, and dine like Neptune himself. Platters, which include such fare as pan-fried turbot with risotto, or warm fish cakes with salad, cost 55NOK-80NOK ($8.45-$12/£4.50-£6.55) each; sandwiches cost 38NOK ($5.85/£3.10), and stuffed crab goes for 50SEK ($6.90/£4.10). The complex is open Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm.
