Krog and Slip

The epitome of eating alone happened after a frantic dash in the pouring rain. Pouring rain. Stockholm had been so good to me until I hopped on the bus to Oaxen Krog, and with no umbrella, I couldn't help feeling self conscious about the thought of walking into this elegant restaurant dripping wet. So I lily padded down the street (i.e. dashing from overhang to overhang), hoping I was going in the correct direction, until the darling yellow boathouse building appeared in front of me. Phew. I was 30 minutes early to my res.

I was already briefed and mentally prepared to spend about $300 on dinner, so when the edgy but classy bartender asked what I'll have to drink while I waited at the Slip for Krog to officially open its doors to me, I picked out the first glass of red on the menu.

Within minutes, the rain clouds cleared and sunlight poured generously into the quiet restaurant. The floor to ceiling windows definitely helped. And I got warm and cozy and tipsy while perusing the restaurant newsletter.

They sat me by the window in the corner opposite the kitchen, where you could watch the chefs moving in concert. The menu came in a sewed envelope, but I hardly looked past the 6- or 10-course option. I had departed the hostel thinking 6, but the minute my butt touched the seat cushion, I knew I had to go with 10. I was finally setting the bar to measure all future tasting menus, after all.

While I was "deciding" between 6 or 10, the kitchen prepared several snacks to start. As if they knew "snacks" is my favorite word in the English language.

The most delicate carrot and string bean with fermented green strawberry sauce.

A single bite of carpaccio on salty fried vegetation. (I wish I had no shame and took notes during dinner).

A spoonful of salty and sour roe.

Super tender and melty langosteen on another piece of fried vegetation. That I would gladly substitute for potato chips.

A blanket of lardo. YES.

Hen of the woods.

Veal heart tartare with something that tasted like prawn crackers.

Crab and almond.. and a licorice-y slaw on top.

A sweet kavring (dark rye bread) and salty brioche with two butter options. I don't even like butter that much... but the fucking butter. I don't even know what it was.

Then the actual meal.
200 year old mahogany clam, soft shell clam and cockles with seaweed and Liss Ella's mustard, gooseberry, and jelly of fish stock
-ocean salty
-gelatin thing just made me think of one more reason why my job is important

Mackerel cooked in currant leaves with broad beans from our farm, fermented unripe black currant and smoked butter
-the fish came separately, wrapped in grape leaves
-the perfect broad bean exists... and it was served to me in this dish

Cardamom and parsley aquavit to cleanse the palate
-so fragrant
-not throat-burningly strong like I feared

Vendance roe and tartar of topside with butter milk curd and emulsion of kale from our farm

Raw shrimp, fat from aged entrcôte with beef, sorrel and fresh leaves from our farm

-beef came raw and sizzling on a hot stone on a bed of thyme

 
Kohlrabi baked in browned smen, potatoes cooked in ramson and pickled peas
-Aussie chef's favorite
-with Moroccan inspiration

Luke warm trout with sturgeon roe, grilled parsley and rhubarb
-my favorite
-such vibrant green sauce, I audibly gasped when the chef started to spoon it into the bowl

Quail from Vinköl with celeriac in dandelion capers and grilled spruce cream
-I was slightly alarmed when they showed me the whole quail on a bed of pine branches
-and then I was wondering what they do with the rest of the bird when I only got a leg
-my least favorite

Linderöds pork glazed with garlic from Skilleby and cabbage from our farm in roasted almonds and sage
-pork came in a wooden box and laid on a fat mosaic disk... amazing
-nothing I like more than fried herbs

Hard sheep's milk cheese with port and more butter
-mmmmmm port

Sweet cicely sorbet in hay baked milk foam with rhubarb from our farm and hackberry blossom syrup
-refreshing

Blueberries in caramel with wild pineapple weed cake, cream of cauliflower stems and meadowsweet
-surprised by how much I loved the sweet cauliflower sauce with everything else

Assortment of chocolates with coffee
-marmalade apple from Djurgården
-black garlic madeleine
-chick pea nougat, nutty and grainy and favoirte
-spelt miso fudge
-raspberry, classic
-marshmallow with honey and birch leaves
-raisins and oak aged "ättika", favorite
-hazelnut macaroon bay leaf and spinach
-chicken of the woods caramel, so mushroomy in a good way

I fear I've opened the door to a dangerous indulgence.