SWEDEN – Page 10 – Scandelights

Lunch at Restaurang Kungstorget, Gothenburg, Sweden

Published on May 24, 2012 by HannaLeave a comment

When we arrived to Gothenburg a few weeks ago, it was on a Friday morning. We went to my friend’s flat and dropped our bags off and then met up with him for lunch. He was busy at work so we chose a place close to his office.

When I walked in to Restaurang Kungstorget I recognised the gold-coloured chairs and dark sofas because we went here for cocktails last time I was in town. I had no idea it was a restaurant by day and was quite surprised when the food came out looking so good. Prejudice – me?! -No.

Linus chose the meatballs served with a creamy sauce, mash and lingonberries. A plate of Sweden basically.

I started regretting my choice of salad when I saw the meatballs, but my salad with plenty of fresh prawns, egg and mayonnaise was nice too.

Laura chose fried haddock with boiled potatoes and creamy sauce. Yes, Sweden is all about the creamy sauces. A nice place with nice food, all very Swedish actually.

Restaurang Kungstorget

Kungstorget 7

Göteborg

Seafood feast in Gothenburg

Published on May 21, 2012 by Hanna5 Comments

The reason I went to Gothenburg the weekend before last was to keep my friend Laura company and show her around town as she hadn’t been to Sweden before. And the reason she went was to run the half marathon that was on that weekend, Göteborgsvarvet. One of the biggest half marathons in Europe apparently.

While she did the race I went food shopping to give her a nice feast to celebrate her efforts. Gothenburg is situated on the west coast of Sweden and that area is known for its excellent sea food so what could be better than fresh seafood and bubbly to celebrate?!

We had oysters with lemon, langoustines au gratin, radishes and avocado, cold smoked salmon, smoked prawns and fresh prawns (the cold water kind), a quiche with mushrooms and leek and bread.

Langoustines au gratin with garlic, serves 2 as a starter or for a buffet

2 fresh, raw, langoustines

3 tbsp butter

1 large garlic clove, minced

salt and pepper

Mix butter and garlic. Cut the langoustines in half lengthways and rinse. Place shell side down on a baking tray and place dollops of butter on the flesh. Put in 200C oven for about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Leek and mushroom quiche, serves 4-6

Crust:

120 g softened butter

300 ml plain flour

1 pinch salt

1/2 beaten egg

Filling:

200 g chestnut mushrooms, quartered, fried in butter and perhaps garlic

3/4 leek, finely sliced

3 eggs + 1/2 left over from making the crust

350 ml milk

200 ml grated cheese

salt and pepper

Mix the ingredients for the crust and knead together. Press it into a quiche dish and pierce it with a fork. Pre-bake for 10 minutes in 180/200 C oven. Place the leek and fried mushrooms in the crust and put the grated cheese on top. Beat eggs and milk and season. Pour it into the crust and bake for 30-40 mins until golden brown and set.

Björns Bar, Gothenburg, Sweden

Published on May 20, 2012 by HannaLeave a comment

A Gothenburg restaurant I have wanted to try for a while is Björns Bar, a laid back restaurant in the basement of Kock & Vin, part of the same company as Restaurang Familjen where I went last year.

When we entered the basement restaurant it was already full, but we were put on the waiting list and had a drink at the bar to start. The bar was full too, and inconveniently we had to stand by the service area, but the staff were very nice to us even though we were clearly in the way.

After approximately 20 minutes we were shown to our table at the back of the restaurant. We ordered straight away having studied the menu at the bar and decided to start with a little platter of cheeses, homemade (?) cream cheese with herbs, olives and bread. We were extremely hungry and demolished it pretty quickly.

After the shared starter we waited for our maincourses for quite a while although there were only two warm dishes to choose from; and one vegetarian. I had eyed up the meat option at the bar and could not wait to try the slowcooked ox cheeks with creamy polenta, gremolata and carrots. It was just as delicious as it looks.

Laura chose the vegetarian option being a plate of spring vegetables including thick white asparagus and wild garlic creme. I so wish I could have been able to eat both plates.

The food was very well cooked, was nicely presented and the basement restaurant had a nice atmosphere. The service was great too, with good attention to detail.

The only thing that was not satisfactory was the wait for the food. It took a while for our starter to appear but even worse was waiting for the maincourse. We were still happy because the food was so good, and I want to visit again, but it is a shame about the wait as it is an easy problem to fix.

Björns Bar

Viktoriagatan 12

411 25 Göteborg

Sweden

Green restaurant, Malmö, Sweden

Published on April 16, 2012 by HannaLeave a comment

Malmö is the town closest to where I grew up. It is in the south of Sweden and the third largest city in the country (although it is not very big). It is situated by the seafront and the port was important for the growth of the city.

In the recent years the city has tried to transform its image and become more modern and less industrial. That was why the turning torso – Malmö’s new landmark – was built.

And it at the bottom of this tower in the West Harbour that the Green food market and restaurant recently opened. The restaurant that was here before was expensive and flashy where as Green is more in tune with the times and is presenting affordable, natural food in a more rustic interior.

: Emma and Linus

I have been very curious about this place since I first heard about it. My best friend Emma (above) went there for dinner before and was really pleased so I was hoping my dining experience would be similar.

Unfortunately it wasn’t great, but not terrible either. We went here on Easter Sunday for brunch/lunch and all in all it was satisfactory but it could have been a lot better.

: Malin and me

Out of the three waitresses that served us, two were really nice and professional but the third rude and less professional.

i chose a breakfast dish; eggs Florentine, and although it looked good (apart from the raw spinach) both the eggs and the hollandaise were cold. Otherwise the eggs were perfectly poched and the toasted sourdough really nice, so I suspect the kitchen did their job but that the plate got cold while waiting for the waiting staff.

The other three ordered the chicke Caesar and were all very happy with it. The chicken was moist and tender and the dressing really good.

Once we finished our meal we were neglected for at least 30 minutes, and we had to ask for the bill at the bar, which we were not impressed with. A shame that the service was like this on a day when the restaurant wasn’t even half full. And I feel sorry for the kitchen that are doing their job properly but because of the waiting staff the customers (at least us) are still left unsatisfied.

I have high hopes for this restaurant I hope it will get better with time and work out the kinks, because the kitchen is doing a good job and the menu definitely make me want to come back.

Our Good Friday dinner party

Published on April 11, 2012 by Hanna4 Comments

I went back to Sweden on Friday and after a quick fika (coffee break with cinnamon buns in this case) I whipped up a cheesecake for that evening’s dinner when my best friend Emma and her fiancée Claes came for dinner at my parents’ house.

We started with some bubbly (Crèmant de Bourgougne) and served some olives, pistachios and parmesan crisps as nibbles. It was the first time I made parmesan crisps, but certainly not the last. They were really yummy!

We then sat down and enjoyed my mothers’ roast lamb with garlic, red wine and rosemary and we had a large rösti, creamy sauce, broccoli and carrots with it.

We then served the dulce de leche cheesecake with coffee, bailey’s and whisky. Although I have made it before and loved it, I was still surprised by how divine it is. Just try it!

It was a perfect first evening back home and we had such a great time together. It can be real fun to hang out with different age groups at the same time and I truly enjoy spending time with my friends and parents at the same time.

Parmesan crisps

Choose a good parmesan. Grate it finely and place in piles on baking parchment on a baking tray. Bake in 200C for a few minutes or until the cheese has melted and is golden brown. Leave to cool on the tray.

My Swedish Easter

Published on April 10, 2012 by Hanna8 Comments

I hope you have had a wonderful Easter. Apart from snow (!) and cold winds my Easter back home in Sweden was fantastic.

I got to hang out with my friends, spend time with my parents, go for walks, eat lots of nice food and just relax a bit.

When I got home on Good Friday my Easter egg was full of sweets, exactly like I hoped it would be. My mother painted this egg for me when I was a little girl obsessed with the colour pink. It is my favourite Easter egg, but a purple one my grandmother made is almost as nice.

My mother has still got some Easter eggs from when she was a little girl (yes, we like traditions in my family). Aren’t they nice? Well kept since they’re from 1959 and 1960…

Although the weather was pretty bad mum and I managed to go to the woods and pick some white anemones. It is proper spring when they’ve come out!

Spot, Malmö, Sweden

Published on January 14, 2012January 13, 2012 by HannaLeave a comment

My last evening in Sweden was spent with my parents in the good company of lobster and wild duck, but my last day in Sweden, the day efter that dinner, I went into Malmö with my dad for lunch and later met up with my best friend Emma for a coffee.

The place where dad and I went for lunch is a place that has existed for ages, but I had totally forgotten about it. The experience, although just a having a pizza, was so good I thought I’d tell you about it too.

The restaurant is situated really close to the pedestrian street and is always really busy. The interior is very rustic with wooden tables and chairs and a large pizza oven in the corner.

You order and pay at the bar, then help yourself to newly baked bread, glasses, cutlery and napkins. There is oil on the tables to dip the bread in as you wait for your food.

We both ordered the same, the prosciutto pizza and it was sooo good. The base was nice and crispy with just enough topping, plenty of cured ham and some salad on top. And it tasted wonderful.

I ate so much more than I normally do, just because it was that nice, and also so I could avoid the poor food options at Copenhagen airport (although Lagekagehuset is OK).

Spot Restaurant

Stora Nygatan 33

211 37 Malmö

Sweden

Bye for now

Published on December 28, 2011December 27, 2011 by HannaLeave a comment

Today is my last day in Sweden for a while. I have had a wonderful week spending time with my family, my friends and breathing country air. Tonight I will be back in London, and tomorrow back at work.

Before boarding the plane in Copenhagen this afternoon I will take a stroll in Malmö with my dad.

Thank you for now, Sweden. Bye bye!

Merry Christmas!

Published on December 24, 2011 by HannaLeave a comment

Right now we’re about to enjoy our Christmas lunch, just me and my parents. This is my favourite meal during Christmas Eve and this is when we eat pickled herring, smoked salmon or gravadlax, smoked eel (my favourite), boiled eggs, bread and cheese. It is like a small smorgasbord, so what’s not to like?

Later this afternoon our relatives are coming over for dinner and the tree is ready with all its decorations and underneath are all the presents, to be opened later tonight.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas or as we say in Swedish; God Jul!

Last night in pictures

Published on December 23, 2011 by Hanna1 Comment

Greetings from a foggy Sweden!

I arrived quite late on Wednesday night and marched straight into the kitchen to prepare some nibbles for Thursdays party hosted by my best friend Emma.

We had such a good night and I am so grateful so many friends could make it on a schoolnight. Thanks guys – you’re the best!

Below you can see some pictures from our fab evening, recipes to follow. Cheerio!

Quiche with blue cheese and leek