In November 2008, we tried Frantzén Lindeberg in Gamla Stan (Old Town) in Stockholm. This restaurant was opened on Feb 1, 2008 by 2 30-ish (male) chefs. This restaurant hasn't been rated yet, but we're expecting it to be soon from what we ate. We noticed an English-speaking, foreign woman at one table and gathered she was a critic, and sure enough, after she was done, one of the chefs came out and had a long discussion with her (at the table behind me) and she got a tour of the kitchen as well. During a later conversation with the server when we mentioned that we thought they deserved at least one Michelin star and probably two, he made a reference to the female critic, so we gather that she was from Michelin.
Entrance to the left. The whole place only has six tables so the pictures shows half the restaurant. What you can't see is that the other 5 tables are lined up around the perimeter on the other side of the room, with large windows overlooking the street, and to the right is the dining room - kitchen interface. The bathrooms can be found through the curtains on the right side of the picture.
This lovely vision was over my right shoulder, so I could peruse during dinner.
Over-the-counter access to the kitchen to the very left, kitchen door to the right.
One tiny bathroom
Now for the food!
I started with some Champagne (sorry I don't remember which kind).
They had two menus to choose from so we of course chose the larger one + wine pairings. The current menu has a truffle theme as it's the season! One could upgrade to white Alba truffles on 2 of the dishes.
We were introduced to the truffles - hello my friends!
Amuse Bouche x 3
Cooked blue lobster from Iles de Chausey with snail caviar, cauliflower and a truffle and lemon jelly
Roasted white cabbage bouillon flavored with black truffle
Tartar of dry-aged beef fillet from Svartådalen with artichoke purée, truffle, pine nuts and Parmesan
We both agreed the soup was best, but disagreed over the 2nd & 3rd places.
Truffle tea with truffled brioche "Pain perdu" and Parmesancréme - Creamed Cévennes onion, lemon and 100-year old balsamico vinegar from Modena "Acetaia Leonardi"
The truffle-soy bouillon was amazing and really tied the whole dish together.
And of course some breads to snack on, with French butter and 3 kinds of salt (Australian cliff salt, Hawaiian salt, and French fleur de sel)
We had already been introduced to our next dish...
Carpaccio of diver scallops from Fröja with truffle vinaigrette - Cauliflower in different textures, crispy bread, olive oil from Ivar Günther and the olive far Le Mas d'Eole and brown butter powder
2005 Domaine Christian Moreau, Chablis Grand Cru Valmur
We agreed that this was the best dish on the menu.
Salt-baked celeriac from our own garden "Tarte fine" with melting bone marrow - Truffle butter, chestnuts and chestnut honey served with grated nutmeg and cold-pressed Argan oil
2006 Domaine Ostertag, Pinot Gris Fronholz
Twice-cooked monkfish from Lofoten with melting speck and Parmiggiano Reggiano Vacca Rossa - Truffled Sorrana beans from Pescia "Numero 1473" harvested 30/8-2008, silver onion, ceps and roasted chicken jus
2005 Louis Jadot, Chassange Montrachet 1:er Cru Morgeot "Domaine du Duc de Magenta Monopole Clos de la Chapelle"
Remember those truffles?
"Risotto blanco o nero"
2000 Chateau Rayas
with black truffle
or with white Alba truffle.
Beef chuck from Nebraska poached in foie gras fat and truffle juice for three days - Roasted Hokkaido pumpkin, toasted pumpkin seeds, baked potato onion from Linnés Råshult glazed with bone marrow, jus rôti flavored with 25-year old balsamico tradizionale and truffle
1999 Sandrone, Barolo "Le Vigne"
with black truffle
or with white Alba truffle.
This meat literally just melted in your mouth!
"Tour de France" - Commentary Stellan Skarsgård
S.A. Westons Cider, Oak Conditioned Medium Dry
This cider was excellent! This was a fun concept, but form dominated over function as the cheeses really should have been eaten in a different order (from mildest to strongest).
Now for some fast food!
Cheeseburger 2.0
A mini dessert, 2-3 cm in diameter, with macaroon bread, chocolate burger, mango cheese, mint salad, raspberry tomatoes, mango mustard, and raspberry ketchup.
Very yummy!
Pineapple poached under vacuum with Tahiti vanilla and rum Zacapa - Fennel ice cream, fennel dill, salad of grilled pineapple and lemon verbena served with cooking juices
1999 Árvay János, Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos "Hétfürtös"
"Truffles, truffles, truffles" & Selection du Macaroons du Cuisiner
Avec: Jos Nusbaumer Bergamote liqueur
Christian Drouin Blanche de Normandie
I liked the rose water-vanilla macaroon best. The others were pistachio, white + dark chocolate, citron.
Magnus liked the white chocolate-saffron truffle best. The others were chocolate-cinnamon, ?-cardamum, ?-anis.
One final bite - an apple liquid-filled jelly ball with pop rocks (and dry ice)
And a take-home bag with menu and breakfast! (bread, jam, musli, and a chocolate truffle)
Overall, the food was wonderful and innovative, and the food, wines, and food-wine pairings had a high, even standard. The service was very good as well. One didn't get overly full or too tipsy. Total time 4+ hours.
As I'd found the food at the NYC restaurants a bit too traditional and predictable, this visit renewed my faith in haute cuisine. I definitely recommend a visit and I'm planning on going back.
It was a bit pricy considering they're not rated (about the same as a 3-star in NYC or on "the continent"), but that's Sweden for you, and it's obvious that stars are their goal. They deserve them.
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