In the mid-eighties restauranteur Ove Fjørtoft decided to start a fish restaurant in Ålesund. He already ran a restaurant in the city center, but did not feel that it was natural to start the fish restaurant in a commercial townhouse. Along with the not entirely unfamiliar furniture manufacturer, Jens Petter Ekornes, he had a vision to bring something new to the rather meager selection of restaurants Ålesund had at the time. However, both guests and colleagues remained skeptical of the idea, many even calling him foolhardy. Would people really visit a restaurant that only served seafood, when they could just walk down to the pier - right below the restaurant - and buy fresh fish directly from fishermen?
Ove Fjørtoft defied the mistrust and purchased an old wharf side warehouse in Brosundet. Then he began the laborious work of restoring the old wharfside shed “Giskebua”. The goal was to keep most of the original character of a fish warehouse, and in 1986 he could finally open the fish restaurant. The place provides an interior with a warm atmosphere. The style is rough, but with crystal and elegant drapes of white tablecloths. The aquarium and the lobster- and shellfish tanks ensure that the produce is so fresh that the fish almost wriggle on the plate.
Was Sjøbua a success? From day one it has been fully booked, and reservations must be booked well in advance. Both local people, business people and tourists have discovered this gem in the middle of Ålesund. And they always return. The vision turned out to be viable in more ways than one, and Ove Fjørtoft reveals that the secret is to always be on top. The raw materials must be of the highest quality, the chefs must be sharpened and always think creatively when it comes to the menu and its dishes.