Tiffany and Tom do Gothenburg
I take on Sweden with my favorite travel partner.
I have been so fortunate the past few years to be able to travel, both through my job and on my own, and enjoy some delicious cuisine from all over the globe. A couple of months ago, I got to travel to Gothenburg, Sweden with my favorite travel partner.
I attended a fantastic conference that delved into and dissected how Gothenburg (and Sweden as a whole) has risen in the ranks to become a fantastic culinary destination.
Because this was a food-centric convention, the events outside of the conference were all based around food experiences. Research has shown that culinary travelers (people who select their destinations specifically for restaurants and other culinary activities (such as food festivals, winery tours, brewery tours cooking classes)). So in keeping with that, the conference organizers wanted to make sure that attendees created food memories of their own. And they succeeded.
Tom and I took a food and history tour to Gunnebo Castle (more of a large house than a castle). We were able to bake knacker bread in a stone oven and enjoy a breakfast of meats, vegetables and the bread we had baked. We toured the house and gardens, enjoyed a delicious lunch buffet, and wrapped up our day with a beer and schnapps tasting courtesy of Qvanum. It was a spectacular way to enjoy seasonal and local food and spirits in Gothenburg. If I ever make it back to Sweden, I’d definitely do this tour again.
Another event was a Swedish seafood feast at a popular night club right on the water, Kajskjul 8. Our group had the entire place to ourselves, and it was a fantastic evening. It just happened to be the first day of lobster season. So they brought out platters of lobster, crabs, shrimp and freshwater and salt water crawfish. It was served with several sauces, fresh bread and butte, and of course, wine and beer. Frequent Tiffany Tastes readers will know that I’m not the biggest fan of seafood in general, but everything on this platter was sweet, succulent and delicious. I’ve never had seafood quite this fresh.
When my travel plans were finalized, I knew that I wanted to try one of Marcus Samuelsson’s restaurants. I didn’t make it to Red Rooster when I was in New York a few months ago, but Norda Bar & Grill just happened to be right across the street from my hotel.
Charcuterie Platter
I was able to make a reservation online through Norda’s website without too much trouble. Almost every Swedish website has the ability for the user to switch to English with very accurate translations. I was sent a confirmation email two days out, as well.
Rotisserie Chicken
Norda Bar & Grill is a very trendy, very popular hangout. We arrived about twenty minutes early for our reservation and were directed to the bar to wait. We ended up getting seated about 15 minutes past our reservation time, but it was easy to see that the restaurant was very busy.
The food was uniformly tasty, but everything is served a la carte, and the prices can add up quickly. It’s not the place for a quiet, romantic night out, but, if you’re looking for a fun, hip place for a ladies or guys night out, Norda would definitely work.
This restaurant was on the list of suggested eateries provdied by the conference, and they were spot on. I would come back here in a heartbeat. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, and the food was spectacular.
Bleak Roe with Potato Pancake and Pickled Red Onion
I felt like the food at Familjen better represented what I perceive to be traditional Swedish cuisine. There was a great emphasis on seafood and the utilization of seasonal ingredients.
Roasted Ling with Almond Crust, Parsnips, Crab and Pearl Onions and Dill Sauce
The restaurant offers an a la carte menu and two prix fixe options. Both prix fixe menus come with three courses; one just features some of the more expensive a la carte items. Tom and I both picked the prix fixe, I chose the cheaper one (355 Swedish Krona = ~ $54 USD) and Tom picked the more higher priced menu (455 Swedish Krona = ~ $69). Trust me when I tell you that no matter which one you pick, these are a great value.
Yellow plum soup with cream cheese ice cream and almond cookies
Familjen takes a lot of chances with its dessert, and I appreciate that very much. I have never had a soup made from yellow plums, and this one blew my mine. The cream cheese added richness and the almond cookies provided the crunch. It was a perfect balance of everything that makes a spectacular dessert.
Vanilla Pudding with Blackberry Sorbet, Red Currants and Almonds
I’m glad the conference organizers suggested this restaurant. It was a great representation of fresh, delicious and creative Swedish food. Gothenburg is definitely a world culinary capital, and I feel very lucky to have been able to partake in it.
Gothenburg Marina
Originally published at www.tiffanytastes.com on December 3, 2013.
