Restaurant El Diablo

Tequila!

I have a friend visiting from the States this week and last night I took her to El Diablo... one of my favorite restaurants in my neighbourhood! It is a small and cozy restaurant, located on the island of Kungsholmen. The cuisine is international (slight nod to South American flavours) and innovative, using seasonal produce, and beautifully presented.

Veal entrecote...

What really sets this restaurant apart from others is... tequila! In the bar they have one of Europe's largest assortment of aged tequilas (up to 100 different ones). Not only that, their Tequila Maestros have paired each dish on the menu with a tequila, instead of the regular ho-hum wine pairings found at other restaurants. With this said, it perhaps isn't strange to mention that they serve Stockholm's best margaritas? Don't be scared... they also have a great wine list.

...and suckling pig.

We had the chili glazed suckling pig with avocado ice cream and the veal entrecote with anchovy/chili béarnaise and asparagus. We followed that with some great desserts... a "trio of banana" and then an assortment of seasonal sorbets on a bed of "chocolate earth". Delicious!

Dessert... loved the "chocolate earth".

Be aware that this restaurant, while ambitious, is smaller and off the beaten tourist track. In other words, booking is necessary. When I say that it is "off the tourist track" that means that their website, linked above, is only in Swedish... though the staff speak English and are happy to help. It doesn't mean, however, that it is hard to get to (Stockholm isn't that big!). To get there from the Rival Hotel, it is a 10 minute taxi ride or a short subway trip. Closest subway station is Rådhuset (blue line). There are quite a few other good bars and restaurants in the neighborhood and you can easily make an evening of it there. Contact me, if you will be staying at the Rival Hotel, for more details.

Restaurant El Diablo

Posted by zlatin

Tequila!

I have a friend visiting from the States this week and last night I took her to El Diablo... one of my favorite restaurants in my neighbourhood! It is a small and cozy restaurant, located on the island of Kungsholmen. The cuisine is international (slight nod to South American flavours) and innovative, using seasonal produce, and beautifully presented.

Veal entrecote...

What really sets this restaurant apart from others is... tequila! In the bar they have one of Europe's largest assortment of aged tequilas (up to 100 different ones). Not only that, their Tequila Maestros have paired each dish on the menu with a tequila, instead of the regular ho-hum wine pairings found at other restaurants. With this said, it perhaps isn't strange to mention that they serve Stockholm's best margaritas? Don't be scared... they also have a great wine list.

...and suckling pig.

We had the chili glazed suckling pig with avocado ice cream and the veal entrecote with anchovy/chili béarnaise and asparagus. We followed that with some great desserts... a "trio of banana" and then an assortment of seasonal sorbets on a bed of "chocolate earth". Delicious!

Dessert... loved the "chocolate earth".

Be aware that this restaurant, while ambitious, is smaller and off the beaten tourist track. In other words, booking is necessary. When I say that it is "off the tourist track" that means that their website, linked above, is only in Swedish... though the staff speak English and are happy to help. It doesn't mean, however, that it is hard to get to (Stockholm isn't that big!). To get there from the Rival Hotel, it is a 10 minute taxi ride or a short subway trip. Closest subway station is Rådhuset (blue line). There are quite a few other good bars and restaurants in the neighborhood and you can easily make an evening of it there. Contact me, if you will be staying at the Rival Hotel, for more details.

Pop Art Design at Moderna

Tom Wesselmann
Smoker Banner, 1971
© The Estate of Tom Wesselmann/BUS 2013. Photographer unknown.

This past Thursday I was at the grand opening of Moderna's (the modern art museum) big summer exhibition: Pop Art Design. This is a nice exhibition looking at both art and design from 1950 through the early 1970's featuring a mix of both recognizable pieces from well known artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein to lesser known artists like Öyvind Fahlström and Richard Hamilton.

I have been to a few exhibitions on pop art, both here in Sweden and abroad, but what I liked about this one is the introduction of design to the exhibit... from magazine covers to furniture, with some especially great pieces by Charles and Ray Eames. This exhibition explores the relationship between art and design during this time period and how they influenced each other. The exhibition is organised jointly with Vitra Design Museum Weil am Rhein, in association with Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark.

George Nelson
Marshmallow, Sofa, 1956, Collection Vitra Design Museum
© Georg Nelson Assosciates, Vitra Design Museum 

The exhibition runs until September 22nd. Moderna is located on the island of Skeppsholmen and is relatively easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... it is either a nice walk through the old town, taking about 35 minutes, or you can take the ferry to Djurgården which makes a stop at Skeppsholmen (10 minute trip). Just make sure you let the staff know when you go onboard that you wish to disembark at Skeppsholmen (during the low season they stop there just upon request).

Admission is 120 SEK for adults and you can also buy a combination ticket (200 SEK) that includes admission to the Architecture and Design Center next door (which, by the way, has a great exhibit on designer Jean Paul Gaultier this summer). While at Moderna, don't miss their great gift shop (a personal favorite!) and café... with views over the harbour.

Pop Art Design at Moderna

Posted by zlatin

Tom Wesselmann
Smoker Banner, 1971
© The Estate of Tom Wesselmann/BUS 2013. Photographer unknown.

This past Thursday I was at the grand opening of Moderna's (the modern art museum) big summer exhibition: Pop Art Design. This is a nice exhibition looking at both art and design from 1950 through the early 1970's featuring a mix of both recognizable pieces from well known artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein to lesser known artists like Öyvind Fahlström and Richard Hamilton.

I have been to a few exhibitions on pop art, both here in Sweden and abroad, but what I liked about this one is the introduction of design to the exhibit... from magazine covers to furniture, with some especially great pieces by Charles and Ray Eames. This exhibition explores the relationship between art and design during this time period and how they influenced each other. The exhibition is organised jointly with Vitra Design Museum Weil am Rhein, in association with Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark.

George Nelson
Marshmallow, Sofa, 1956, Collection Vitra Design Museum
© Georg Nelson Assosciates, Vitra Design Museum 

The exhibition runs until September 22nd. Moderna is located on the island of Skeppsholmen and is relatively easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... it is either a nice walk through the old town, taking about 35 minutes, or you can take the ferry to Djurgården which makes a stop at Skeppsholmen (10 minute trip). Just make sure you let the staff know when you go onboard that you wish to disembark at Skeppsholmen (during the low season they stop there just upon request).

Admission is 120 SEK for adults and you can also buy a combination ticket (200 SEK) that includes admission to the Architecture and Design Center next door (which, by the way, has a great exhibit on designer Jean Paul Gaultier this summer). While at Moderna, don't miss their great gift shop (a personal favorite!) and café... with views over the harbour.

Saling Regatta- ÅF Offshore Race

Photo: Oskar Kihlborg, ksss.se (other photos by me!)

It is that time of the year again... the ÅF Offshore Race is in town! The race is this Saturday (June 29th) but the sailing boats are already here and they have a "racing village" set up with live music performances, food & drink tents as well as information tents through Sunday.

I stopped by yesterday evening with a friend to check out the boats and have a drink, soaking up the sailing atmosphere! The racing village is set up on the island of Skeppsholmen next to the beautiful Af Chapman sailing frigate, just across the water from the royal palace. They have several food & drink tents set up... of special note is the one set up by Operakällaren, called Operabaren på Kajen (The Opera Bar on the Pier) with some great dishes! The village is open every day this weekend until 11pm, except Sunday when they close at 5pm. Full program linked above.

The race itself starts at 11am on Saturday and it is a staggered start. I watched it last year and it was quite fun to see the boats tacking back and forth, getting into position. From Stockholm, the racers head out through the archipelago to the sailing mecca of Sandhamn. From there it is out into the Baltic Sea and around the island of Gotland. Last year we stood near Fotografiska (photography museum) which is just a 15 minute walk from the Rival Hotel, and that was a good place to see the start of the race... otherwise anywhere in the harbour should be good. Especially the south shores of the islands of Djurgården, Skeppsholmen and Kastellholmen.

Saling Regatta- ÅF Offshore Race

Posted by zlatin

Photo: Oskar Kihlborg, ksss.se (other photos by me!)

It is that time of the year again... the ÅF Offshore Race is in town! The race is this Saturday (June 29th) but the sailing boats are already here and they have a "racing village" set up with live music performances, food & drink tents as well as information tents through Sunday.

I stopped by yesterday evening with a friend to check out the boats and have a drink, soaking up the sailing atmosphere! The racing village is set up on the island of Skeppsholmen next to the beautiful Af Chapman sailing frigate, just across the water from the royal palace. They have several food & drink tents set up... of special note is the one set up by Operakällaren, called Operabaren på Kajen (The Opera Bar on the Pier) with some great dishes! The village is open every day this weekend until 11pm, except Sunday when they close at 5pm. Full program linked above.

The race itself starts at 11am on Saturday and it is a staggered start. I watched it last year and it was quite fun to see the boats tacking back and forth, getting into position. From Stockholm, the racers head out through the archipelago to the sailing mecca of Sandhamn. From there it is out into the Baltic Sea and around the island of Gotland. Last year we stood near Fotografiska (photography museum) which is just a 15 minute walk from the Rival Hotel, and that was a good place to see the start of the race... otherwise anywhere in the harbour should be good. Especially the south shores of the islands of Djurgården, Skeppsholmen and Kastellholmen.

Outdoor Restaurant at Clas på Hörnet

Entrance to historic building

Yesterday I attended the summer premiere for Clas på Hörnet's outdoor barbecue restaurant. During the summer months they close their indoor restaurant and instead they have an outdoor restaurant with chefs manning the grill (open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 5pm). Cloudy or rainy? They do have covered seating as well as heat lamps to keep you comfortable in case the weather gods are against you. If you are coming after the summer... the indoor restaurant is a great place to try local cuisine. They have some of the city's best Swedish meatballs!

Monica Zetterlund park

Located just north of the downtown area, this inn and restaurant is adjacent to the little, quaint Monica Zetterlund park which adds to the ambiance of their outdoor restaurant. The building itself is historic... dating from 1731, when Clas Browall opened his inn here. The name actually means "Clas on the Corner". Many famous Swedes have been guests here, including king Gustav III and poet/composer Carl Michael Bellman.

The outdoor grill...

Swedes love to take advantage of long, warm summer evenings and eat & drink outside whenever possible. I have blogged earlier about restaurants on the water in Stockholm, but really any leafy oasis will do for a Swede! Their grill menu has something for everyone... tunafish, scampi, cheese bruger, halloumi and even top blade steak. They are then paired together with your choice of side orders and sauces. A nice way to spend the evening!

A summer oasis in the city.

While Clas på Hörnet's location might be a little "off" for guests from the Rival Hotel, it is the perfect place to grab dinner or a drink if you are in the neighbourhood admiring architect Gunnar Asplund's public library, attending an event at the Olympic stadium Stadion, buying souvenirs at Stockholm's Hard Rock Café or having spent the day in nearby Haga Park. Otherwise it is only a quick ride by subway (red line to Stadion station) from the hotel.

Outdoor Restaurant at Clas på Hörnet

Posted by zlatin

Entrance to historic building

Yesterday I attended the summer premiere for Clas på Hörnet's outdoor barbecue restaurant. During the summer months they close their indoor restaurant and instead they have an outdoor restaurant with chefs manning the grill (open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 5pm). Cloudy or rainy? They do have covered seating as well as heat lamps to keep you comfortable in case the weather gods are against you. If you are coming after the summer... the indoor restaurant is a great place to try local cuisine. They have some of the city's best Swedish meatballs!

Monica Zetterlund park

Located just north of the downtown area, this inn and restaurant is adjacent to the little, quaint Monica Zetterlund park which adds to the ambiance of their outdoor restaurant. The building itself is historic... dating from 1731, when Clas Browall opened his inn here. The name actually means "Clas on the Corner". Many famous Swedes have been guests here, including king Gustav III and poet/composer Carl Michael Bellman.

The outdoor grill...

Swedes love to take advantage of long, warm summer evenings and eat & drink outside whenever possible. I have blogged earlier about restaurants on the water in Stockholm, but really any leafy oasis will do for a Swede! Their grill menu has something for everyone... tunafish, scampi, cheese bruger, halloumi and even top blade steak. They are then paired together with your choice of side orders and sauces. A nice way to spend the evening!

A summer oasis in the city.

While Clas på Hörnet's location might be a little "off" for guests from the Rival Hotel, it is the perfect place to grab dinner or a drink if you are in the neighbourhood admiring architect Gunnar Asplund's public library, attending an event at the Olympic stadium Stadion, buying souvenirs at Stockholm's Hard Rock Café or having spent the day in nearby Haga Park. Otherwise it is only a quick ride by subway (red line to Stadion station) from the hotel.

"Under the Bridges" Boat Tour

Boat arriving at Strömkajen with Royal Palace in background.

Last week I was at the premiere for the new sightseeing boat terminal at Strömkajen. So I, of course, took a sightseeing boat tour while I was there! The company Strömma has a few different boat tours, but this time I took the Under the Bridges tour (a personal favourite) which is their most comprehensive tour.

One of 15 bridges...

One hour and 50 minutes long, this tour takes you under 15 bridges and through 2 locks. Stockholm is located at the point where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea and you need to travel through locks to go from one side of the city to another! It is guided (audio guide) in several languages and you get to see both the historic and new parts of Stockholm, as well as both nature and urban. I usually recommend this for visitors to do at the beginning of their visit, to get a feel for the city and a good overview.

...and one of 2 locks!

The tour departs at the top of every hour from Strömkajen and during the peak summer weeks they have departures between 10am and 7pm. You can also catch the tour at Nybroviken at 5 minutes past every hour. The tour costs 220 SEK for adults and 110 SEK for children between the ages of 6 and 11 (free for children under 6).

Gamla Stan (old town) waterfront.

You can buy tickets on their website (linked above), at the two terminals (Strömkajen and Nybroviken), at the Tourist Information Center or, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, talk to me and I can book your tickets. If you only have a short time in Stockholm and feel like (almost) 2 hours is too long to spend on a tour, then try their Royal Canal Tour (50 minutes long) instead!

Waterfront of Södermalm.

You never know what you will see from the boat! Like rock climbers...

"Under the Bridges" Boat Tour

Posted by zlatin

Boat arriving at Strömkajen with Royal Palace in background.

Last week I was at the premiere for the new sightseeing boat terminal at Strömkajen. So I, of course, took a sightseeing boat tour while I was there! The company Strömma has a few different boat tours, but this time I took the Under the Bridges tour (a personal favourite) which is their most comprehensive tour.

One of 15 bridges...

One hour and 50 minutes long, this tour takes you under 15 bridges and through 2 locks. Stockholm is located at the point where Lake Mälaren flows into the Baltic Sea and you need to travel through locks to go from one side of the city to another! It is guided (audio guide) in several languages and you get to see both the historic and new parts of Stockholm, as well as both nature and urban. I usually recommend this for visitors to do at the beginning of their visit, to get a feel for the city and a good overview.

...and one of 2 locks!

The tour departs at the top of every hour from Strömkajen and during the peak summer weeks they have departures between 10am and 7pm. You can also catch the tour at Nybroviken at 5 minutes past every hour. The tour costs 220 SEK for adults and 110 SEK for children between the ages of 6 and 11 (free for children under 6).

Gamla Stan (old town) waterfront.

You can buy tickets on their website (linked above), at the two terminals (Strömkajen and Nybroviken), at the Tourist Information Center or, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, talk to me and I can book your tickets. If you only have a short time in Stockholm and feel like (almost) 2 hours is too long to spend on a tour, then try their Royal Canal Tour (50 minutes long) instead!

Waterfront of Södermalm.

You never know what you will see from the boat! Like rock climbers...