Restaurant at Fotografiska

The photography museum Fotografiska has been one of my favorite museums in Stockholm since they opened in 2010. Not only for their great exhibitions (Annie Leibovitz, Robert Mapplethorpe, Henri Cartier-Bresson and David LaChapelle just to name a few of the recent larger ones), but also for the location and space. Since they opened, they have had a café on the third floor of the museum with fantastic views over Stockholm harbor. I have always loved ending my museum visits here with a glass of wine while thinking that it would be a great place for a restaurant.

Well, they have now made it in to a restaurant! And not just any restaurant... under head chef Paul Svensson (past chef at Michelin star restaurants Bon Lloc and F12) it has garnered plenty of attention, rave reviews and was just recently namned by the newspaper DN as the best restaurant in Stockholm in the mid-price category. I was there earlier this week for dinner with my work colleagues. In fact, we were there when they found out that they had won the above mentioned award.

Chefs celebrating their award as best mid-priced restaurant.

The restaurant's concept is to bring fruits and vegetables to the forefront. The menu is split into three categories: cold, warm and sweet (all fruits and/or vegetables, though not necessarily 100% vegetarian). Each of these dishes cost 125 SEK and you can order and mix the dishes how you please. Each evening they have one meat and one fish dish available to order as well. When we were there we had the choice of duck or cod.

The beet dish...

We started with red beets from the Tanus region of France with ramson capers and an oyster emulsion, followed by Amandine potatoes with smoked sour cream and bleak roe. I chose the duck for my main dish as well as roasted celery root with porcini mushrooms and walnuts. We ended our meal with a gooey chocolate cake with caramelized rye and lingon berries. It was all delicious! But to be honest, I think we ordered too much food (as a group). If I were to go there with a friend I would order a few cold and warm vegetable dishes to share between us as well as a meat/fish each.

...and the Amadine potatoe dish.

This is a great way to combine some culture (museum visit) with an evening out. In fact, this has become somewhat of a trend... museums that house good restaurants as well. The Museum of Spirits and, in some part, Moderna Museet being two others on trend. They do still have the café area in case you just want to eat something light with a coffee or drink. Make sure you don't miss the museum which is open every evening until 11pm. Fotografiska is located on the waterfront of the island Södermalm, just a 15-20 minute walk from the Rival Hotel.

Current exhibition: Herb Ritts.

The view from the restaurant during the day.

Restaurant at Fotografiska

Posted by zlatin

The photography museum Fotografiska has been one of my favorite museums in Stockholm since they opened in 2010. Not only for their great exhibitions (Annie Leibovitz, Robert Mapplethorpe, Henri Cartier-Bresson and David LaChapelle just to name a few of the recent larger ones), but also for the location and space. Since they opened, they have had a café on the third floor of the museum with fantastic views over Stockholm harbor. I have always loved ending my museum visits here with a glass of wine while thinking that it would be a great place for a restaurant.

Well, they have now made it in to a restaurant! And not just any restaurant... under head chef Paul Svensson (past chef at Michelin star restaurants Bon Lloc and F12) it has garnered plenty of attention, rave reviews and was just recently namned by the newspaper DN as the best restaurant in Stockholm in the mid-price category. I was there earlier this week for dinner with my work colleagues. In fact, we were there when they found out that they had won the above mentioned award.

Chefs celebrating their award as best mid-priced restaurant.

The restaurant's concept is to bring fruits and vegetables to the forefront. The menu is split into three categories: cold, warm and sweet (all fruits and/or vegetables, though not necessarily 100% vegetarian). Each of these dishes cost 125 SEK and you can order and mix the dishes how you please. Each evening they have one meat and one fish dish available to order as well. When we were there we had the choice of duck or cod.

The beet dish...

We started with red beets from the Tanus region of France with ramson capers and an oyster emulsion, followed by Amandine potatoes with smoked sour cream and bleak roe. I chose the duck for my main dish as well as roasted celery root with porcini mushrooms and walnuts. We ended our meal with a gooey chocolate cake with caramelized rye and lingon berries. It was all delicious! But to be honest, I think we ordered too much food (as a group). If I were to go there with a friend I would order a few cold and warm vegetable dishes to share between us as well as a meat/fish each.

...and the Amadine potatoe dish.

This is a great way to combine some culture (museum visit) with an evening out. In fact, this has become somewhat of a trend... museums that house good restaurants as well. The Museum of Spirits and, in some part, Moderna Museet being two others on trend. They do still have the café area in case you just want to eat something light with a coffee or drink. Make sure you don't miss the museum which is open every evening until 11pm. Fotografiska is located on the waterfront of the island Södermalm, just a 15-20 minute walk from the Rival Hotel.

Current exhibition: Herb Ritts.

The view from the restaurant during the day.

Gulddraken Awards for Best Restaurants in Stockholm 2015

(Nominee) Mathias Dahlgren Matbaren.
Photo by: Tuukka Ervasti/imagebank.sweden.se

It is that time of the year when several prestigious restaurant guides/awards are announced... like the White Guide, Michelin Guide and Top 50 Restaurants. First up, however, is Gulddraken (the Golden Dragon) which is an annual prize awarded by the Swedish daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter. The awards are split up into different categories, like luxury, middle, budget. I do love the idea that these awards aren't only for the high-end gourmet restaurants. The winners this year, in each category, are:

• Luxury- Oaxen Krog. This Michelin star restaurant nabbed the award for the second year in a row. Congratulations! The other well deserving nominees were Gastrologik, Ekstedt, Esperanto and Mathias Dahlgren Matbaren. 
• Mid-Price- Fotografiska. This new restaurant, located within the photography museum, has been garnering lots of attention, including this award. Ironically enough, I happened to be eating at the restaurant when the winners were announced (more on that in a coming article). The other nominees were Café Facille, Lilla Ego, Nook and Oaxen Slip.
• Budget- Katarina Ölkafé. It's great that restaurants that don't empty your wallet are given some recognition! The other nominees were Forno Auto, Kalf & Hansen, Phil's Burger and Snack Bar.
• Bar- Pharmarium. A personal favorite in the constellation of Stockholm watering holes. Though it was tough competition with the other nominees... Shibumi, Erlands, Tweed and Metropol Palais. 

Congratulations to all of the winners as well as all of the nominees! Several of the above linked websites are only in Swedish... especially for the budget and bar categories as they cater mainly to Stockholmers. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me and I can help you with translating and directions. Click here for past winners of the Gulddraken as well as other guides/awards. 

Gulddraken Awards for Best Restaurants in Stockholm 2015

Posted by zlatin

(Nominee) Mathias Dahlgren Matbaren.
Photo by: Tuukka Ervasti/imagebank.sweden.se

It is that time of the year when several prestigious restaurant guides/awards are announced... like the White Guide, Michelin Guide and Top 50 Restaurants. First up, however, is Gulddraken (the Golden Dragon) which is an annual prize awarded by the Swedish daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter. The awards are split up into different categories, like luxury, middle, budget. I do love the idea that these awards aren't only for the high-end gourmet restaurants. The winners this year, in each category, are:

• Luxury- Oaxen Krog. This Michelin star restaurant nabbed the award for the second year in a row. Congratulations! The other well deserving nominees were Gastrologik, Ekstedt, Esperanto and Mathias Dahlgren Matbaren. 
• Mid-Price- Fotografiska. This new restaurant, located within the photography museum, has been garnering lots of attention, including this award. Ironically enough, I happened to be eating at the restaurant when the winners were announced (more on that in a coming article). The other nominees were Café Facille, Lilla Ego, Nook and Oaxen Slip.
• Budget- Katarina Ölkafé. It's great that restaurants that don't empty your wallet are given some recognition! The other nominees were Forno Auto, Kalf & Hansen, Phil's Burger and Snack Bar.
• Bar- Pharmarium. A personal favorite in the constellation of Stockholm watering holes. Though it was tough competition with the other nominees... Shibumi, Erlands, Tweed and Metropol Palais. 

Congratulations to all of the winners as well as all of the nominees! Several of the above linked websites are only in Swedish... especially for the budget and bar categories as they cater mainly to Stockholmers. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me and I can help you with translating and directions. Click here for past winners of the Gulddraken as well as other guides/awards. 

Winter Inspiration!

Mariatorget Square in front of the Rival Hotel.

I am back from my vacation! I thought I would start back on my blog with some inspirational pictures of a snowy Stockholm... in case you are visiting us this winter season. According to the newspapers and weathermen, it is supposed to be colder than normal this winter (after a warmer than normal December). Though we do know that this is not an exact science! Hopefully this means that we will have snow for a few more weeks. But keep your eye on the weather websites to get accurate forecasts for Stockholm.

Stockholm offers many fun winter activities to try out when visiting the city... everything from skiing and ice skating to sauna with ice-hole swimming. Click here for more information. Strömma offers a great Stockholm Winter boat tour which takes you a bit out in the Stockholm archipelago. Otherwise, one of my favorite things to do is to take a long walk and enjoy how beautiful the city is when covered in snow (like on the island of Djurgården). Just be careful! It can get slippery on the sidewalks.

Winter Inspiration!

Posted by zlatin

Mariatorget Square in front of the Rival Hotel.

I am back from my vacation! I thought I would start back on my blog with some inspirational pictures of a snowy Stockholm... in case you are visiting us this winter season. According to the newspapers and weathermen, it is supposed to be colder than normal this winter (after a warmer than normal December). Though we do know that this is not an exact science! Hopefully this means that we will have snow for a few more weeks. But keep your eye on the weather websites to get accurate forecasts for Stockholm.

Stockholm offers many fun winter activities to try out when visiting the city... everything from skiing and ice skating to sauna with ice-hole swimming. Click here for more information. Strömma offers a great Stockholm Winter boat tour which takes you a bit out in the Stockholm archipelago. Otherwise, one of my favorite things to do is to take a long walk and enjoy how beautiful the city is when covered in snow (like on the island of Djurgården). Just be careful! It can get slippery on the sidewalks.