When it came to the newly awarded Stars in the Michelin Nordic Countries guide 2018, Sweden was by far the biggest winner, with Frantzén in Stockholm gaining Three Stars, Daniel Berlin in Skåne Tranås Two Stars and three restaurants being awarded One Star: SAV in Malmo and Aloë and Agrikultur in Stockholm.
We’ve already looked at Frantzén and Daniel Berlin, so now let’s zoom in on the One Stars.
SAV, Malmo
Flickering candles, crackling fires and fleece-covered chairs provide a warm welcome at this charming 19C farmhouse just outside the city. It’s an intimate place, seating just 10, and its two small dining rooms – their shelves packed with preserved herbs and berries – have a romantic feel.
The two young chefs harvest many of the ingredients themselves and come out of the kitchen in order to explain the numerous courses of their surprise menu. Accomplished, creative modern dishes offer a complexity of flavour that belies their apparent simplicity, with inspired combinations of tastes, textures and temperatures all playing their part. Superb breads and well-chosen wine pairings add to the experience.
Aloë, Stockholm
It’s unusually located in the southwestern residential neighbourhood of Älvsjö, and even once you’re there it’s not always easy to find, but it’s definitely worth seeking out this warm, welcoming restaurant. It’s run by two talented chefs – in what was once one of their family homes – and is hidden away behind an interior design shop.
The spacious dining room is filled with natural light and the open kitchen is its focus. The meal starts with snacks at the counter and is followed by 14 or so dishes from a surprise menu which focuses on seafood and takes its influences from around Asia. Dishes are modern and creative and stimulate the senses with their original flavour and texture contrasts. The superbly matched wine pairings are a must.
Agrikultur, Stockholm
Set just outside the city centre, in a residential block in and an up-and-coming neighbourhood, is this lovely little restaurant with a simple homespun charm. It’s run by a passionate young team – with the chefs serving and explaining many of the dishes themselves – and seats just 24, with 4 at the kitchen counter.
The 5 course menu evolves from day to day and follows a local, seasonal and sustainable ethos – the owner even hunts and forages for some of the produce himself. Creative cooking sees modernised Swedish classics prepared using some more traditional methods and the Aga and wood-burning oven play a key part. The carefully chosen wine list focuses on lesser-known producers and suppliers from France and Italy.
