With its liberal interpretation of the genre proving very popular, Sthlm Tapas has now opened a second branch on Kungsholmen. Located in an area with lots of young couples and young families but a dearth of qualitative budget restaurants, it has a large potential audience to cater to. Like the original restaurant in Vasastan, it’s open seven days a week and swears by a laid-back approach to dining out – there are no white table cloths and no need for a suit and tie. It’s a relaxed place for those nights when you don’t feel like cooking at home, but don’t wish to spend the entire day’s earnings on a meal either.
When we visit on a Sunday evening, quite a few locals have already found their way here. We’re welcomed with open arms by a friendly member of staff who directs us to our table and explains the concept. You get a long menu – around 40 small dishes – and mark your choices right on the menu card. The staff prefer one card per table, and the idea is that you share the food, eating three to five courses each. It’s a simple and practical concept, especially as each dish (aside from a few called “luxury tapas”, including charcuterie and a selection of cheeses) costs the same (58 kronor). The menu includes classics like pata negra, spanish meatballs in hot tomato sauce and fried potatoes with aioli, but is by no means limited to Spanish fare only: there’s also Toast Skagen, Tom Yum soup and dumplings on offer.
The drinks menu is not terribly imaginative, and the most original option seems to be the house sangria, which is sold by the glass or in a pitcher (295 kronor). It turns out to be just as lovely as ones that we’ve tried before in Spain. When it comes to the food, it’s a more uneven score. The vegetarian quesadillas, with the house’s hot guacamole, are my personal favourite, while my dinner companion gives best marks to the braised pork belly, served with apple sauce and crispy croutons. We like the grilled scallops with green pea mash, brown butter and croutons, too (how could you go wrong with those ingredients?) and there’s no complaining about the lamb racks with chili, pine nuts and sesame, either.
The dumplings and the Skagen are, however, disappointments, as is the bread that’s served on the side. In these days, when restaurants in Stockholm almost compete with the quality of their bread baskets (and especially in this neighborhood, just a stone’s throw from the temple of sourdough that is Petite France), an offering consisting of nondescript white baguette just doesn’t do the trick.
With its four dishes, the dessert menu is short, to the point and very classic. There’s the crème brûlée, the tiramisu, the ice cream and the chocolate mousse, all in bite-size versions in keeping with the rest of the menu. Thankfully, they’re all nice desserts, even when the brûlée is seasoned with licorice. The mousse in particular leaves us smiling, winning back some of the brownie points lost in the breadbasket.
Pontonjärgatan 28, www.sthlmtapas.se
