TRAVEL / December
Enjoy
the adventures
in Lī vu
Akvaparks!
Östermalm Food Hall, built in the 1880s
The owners of Gastrologik, chefs
Anton Bjuhr and Jacob Holmström
The cosy restaurant Meatballs for the People
FOOD FOR THE SOUL
The idea of moderation enshrined in lagom
is particularly apt when it comes to food
and drink. The word actually has its origins
in the Viking drinking tradition, whereby
a horn would be passed ‘around the team’
(laget om) and no man was expected to
take more than he needed. These days,
some Swedes are just as likely to apply the
word to mealtime etiquette in general,
where listening is as important as speaking,
and everyone should have their turn
at both.
Given that the first rule of lagom is to
avoid excess, go easy on the hotel’s breakfast
buffet. If you’re breakfasting out, there are
few more nourishing places than Greasy
Spoon (branches at Tjärhovsgatan 19 and
Hagagatan 4). We suggest avoiding the
traditional full English breakfast and opting
instead for the sublime and lagom-friendly
smoked salmon on homemade potato rosti
with poached egg and beetroot hollandaise.
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/ airBaltic.com
It says something about Sweden’s down-to-
earth psyche that the country’s national dish
is the humble meatball – a food that provides
simple sustenance and has few pretensions
in the way of subtlety or beauty. Still, the
combination of meatballs, mashed potato,
cucumber, and lingonberries has a charm all
its own. For the best meatballs in town, head
to Meatballs for the People in the Södermalm
district (Nytorgsgatan 30), but be sure to
book in advance. Also worth trying is Kött &
Fiskbaren (Gamla Brogatan 40), a deli and
fish counter with table service that serves
excellent meatballs.
Lagom principles are clearly manifested in
the New Nordic Cuisine movement, where
portions are of a modest size and food is fresh,
always locally sourced, and usually very good
for you. At one of Stockholm’s best New Nordic
restaurants, Gastrologik (Artillerigatan 14),
the emphasis is on those raw materials. But an
added twist is that you are only told the price
of meals, not what they contain. As in those
Viking mealtimes long ago, you get what you’re
given and your sense of gratitude is sharpened
as a result. It also means less time wasted
studying menus and worrying about making the
wrong choice.
Other recommendable eateries where neither
prices nor atmosphere veer into the excessive
include Harvest Home (Bondegatan 50) with
its cosy pub atmosphere and Giro Pizzeria
(Sveavägen 46), which makes excellent Italian-
style thin-crust pizzas. For take-out food, head
to Östermalm Food Hall (Humlegårdsgatan 1),
inside whose beautiful 19 th -century structure
you can buy (and often eat in situ) all manner of
foods and peruse some antiques, too.
20 Waters o li n d s e , s
& Attracti
11 Pools and SPA
24 Viestura street
Jūrmala, Latvia
Phone: +371 67755636
Buy your tickets online: www.akvaparks.lv