As I live here, I decided to try F12 in September 2009. It is a one-star restaurant = “worth a stop if one happens to be in the area” rule (two stars is worth a detour and three stars is worth its own trip). F12 stands for Fredsgatan 12 (the address).

Of course, I ordered the tasting menu + wine accompaniment. At this time, the menu was entitled “a walk in the woods” (see pdf at end of page).


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Entrance


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Entrance from other side, which I guess makes it an exit.


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Foyer


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Half of the dining room (this picture was taken at the end of the evening).

The interior was nice, but not spectacular.  Sitting against the wall, I felt a bit enclosed by the line of hanging lamps along the wall.  I liked the big lamps with the decorations inside the shade the best (see next picture).  


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Hanging lamp


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Other half of the dining room

The service station in the middle of the room was a bit distracting.  


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Waiting for the “facilities”.


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Quite small, typical Swedish. The bathrooms could definitely be improved.  


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Amuse Bouche


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Bread


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Scallop “Canned”
with thistle, apple juice and mustard greens

Bogle Chenin Blanc 2007, Bogle Vineyards, California, USA


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Snails & Wild Onion
with black cabbage and garlic bread

Pouilly Fuissé Les Birbettes 2006, Château de Rontets, Burgundy, France


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What is underneath?


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Venison “Steak Tartar”
with sorrel, cucumber seeds and caviar emulsion

Pinot Noir “G” 2007, Meyer-Näkel, Ahr, Germany

The menu had a slow start and I was not too impressed with the amuse bouche or the first three items.  


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Forest Mushroom Tea & Croque Monsieur
with oxtail and truffle from Gotland

Massante Dolcetto 2007, Poderi Aldo Conterno, Piedmont, Italy

But things took a turn upwards with the mushroom tea, and the croque monsieur was to die for.


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King Crab & Sea-Buckthorn
with lemon pearls, oysters and squid

Wachenheimer Gerümpel P.C 2007, Dr Bürklin-Wolf, Pfalz, Germany

The crab dish was also very fresh with different fruits.  I think this was the best wine pairing.


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Juniper Smoked Salmon Trout and Bark Bread
with broad beans from Ugglarp and green chard

Sauvignon Winkl 2008, Cantina Kellerei Terlan, Trentino Alto-Adige, Italy

The salmon trout was good but did not stick out in any way.


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Lamb Rôtisseur & Chanterelles
with browned butter, rose berries, and cauliflower

Phoenix 2006, Penley Estate, Coonawarra, Australia

The lamb dish was wonderful and wanted to lick the sauce off the plate.


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Goat’s Whey Cheese from Stensviks Farm
with cloudberries and parsley créme

Sidre Brut Tendre, Eric Bordelet, Normany, France

Unfortunately, a downward turn with the cheese dish.


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Lollipop
with blueberries and bay leaves
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Lingonberry Pear
with cinnamon and vanilla

Saracco Moscato d’Asti 2008, Paolo Saracco, Piedmont, Italy

This wine was very yummy. The lollipop and lingonberry pear were ok.


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Forest Raspberries and Pine Kernels
with dark chocolate

This was good.


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Mignardises & Chamomile tea

I didn't avail myself of the avec cart as it was already very late and I had a lot of work the next day.  Too bad.


Overall the menu was a mix with ups and downs.  I'd say the highlights were the mushroom tea & croque monsieur and the lamb rôtisseur & chantrelles, then the crab.  Unfortunately no mind-blowing experience.  One could definitely see influences from e.g. Fat Duck, which I ate at 9 months earlier.

The downs were generally due to an imbalance in tastes and/or spices, e.g. too much sweet rönnbär gelé on the paté, too much apple with the scallops, too much cinnamon in the lingonberry pear.  Compared to other restaurants in Stockholm, I was more impressed by my first visit to Frantzén-Lindeberg in 2008, which later received it's first Michelin star in 2009 and its second in 2010.  I found that restaurant to be more innovative and the tastes well balanced.  

The service was ok, but not wonderful.  There were a lot of business people (in groups) eating there.

I am not planning to go back to this restaurant.

F12 A Walk in the Woods



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