You’ve probably heard of Strandvägen 1 already – and if you haven’t, you must have been consciously avoiding any media that covers the subjects of food in general and the Stockholm restaurant scene in particular. Restaurant and hotel owner Pelle Lydmar’s new establishment is the most talked-about opening in town for months, not least thanks to its superb location. Smack in the middle of of Stockholm’s glossiest address, Strandvägen has already been embraced by the city’s luminaries, with visits from Zlatan, princess Madeleine and a plethora of others. So what is all the fuss about? Pelle Lydmar’s restaurants are known for a vibe and a clientele that is both relaxed and cool vibe, and with old favourites in the neighbourhood like Sturehof and Riche packed most nights, Stockholm’s 30-plus crowd is happy to welcome an alternative.
Strandvägen 1 is not about pushing the limits of gastronomy, and the menu is populated by predictable classics such as steak tartar, foie gras, entrecôte and rotisserie chicken. On the other hand, there are positive surprises too; take the fennel-baked char with lemon confit, cucumber, radishes and keta caviar for instance, or a nice vegetarian dish of broccoli and leek terrine with baked and roasted beets, green asparagus and smoked onion cream.
The interior is like the menu: elegant and classic with earthy tones, wooden floors, crisp white table cloths and a mix of classic and contemporary designer chairs.
Brunch is available all day from 11.30, with different kinds of eggs and omelets on the menu.
For lunch, the restaurant offers the entire à la carte menu plus a couple of specials. On the Friday of our visit, the day’s lunch dishes are lamb entrecôte, a chicken salad and a salad with warm smoked white fish. We go for the two former (145 and 175 kronor respectively). It’s a lunch on the expensive side, but aside from that, we can’t complain. The meat is nicely pink and tender and served with a rich tomato argue, whole roast potatoes and gremolata (a combination of lemon zest, garlic, parsley and olive oil). The salad is French and crunchy, the chicken has a pleasant, smoky taste and is served with slices of salty manchego cheese on the side. It all comes with a dollop of delicious lemon paste that brings the whole dish to life.
For dessert, we turn to the à la carte menu and choose plockgodis or mixed sweets (25 kronor per piece) and strawberries (115 kronor). While the strawberries are always a safe bet (especially these, as they come with delicious, soft Italian meringue and strawberry sorbet), it’s the mixed sweets that really make us smile. Far from industrial chocolate or wine gums, as the name would suggest, these are small desserts and candies prepared in the kitchen and presented in small, porcelain bowls. The selection changes from day to day – today, the chefs have made marmalade, fudge, fig cake, truffles and chocolate macarons. We take all five and vow to return – if only for the dessert.
