After 3 days in Stockholm, we were ready for something different in Sweden. When I told most locals that we were going to Gothenburg, they looked horrified. So I was scared that we made the wrong choice but I actually thought it was a nice "long weekend" kind of destination. I guess it's kind of like the rivalry between New York and Boston - most New Yorkers could care less about Boston but if someone was visiting from another country, I could see why there is some appeal there.
Gothenburg is quaint city that's also surrounded by water with a fun downtown area that has lots of shops and restaurants. The NY Times had just done a 36 Hours in Gothenburg, so we visited one of their recommended restaurants, which, surprisingly was also very vegetarian friendly.
The cafe is hidden behind an alley way and nestled in between a champagne shop and a record shop. It's a hipster's dream but it started as a record store and then expanded to a cafe. The cafe itself is tiny but they have a few outdoors seats in the courtyard which makes for a really pleasant lunch during the summer time. What I liked about Gothenburg was that it was a bit more local in that most menu didn't have English translations but obviously everyone speaks perfect English there, so the guy behind the counter was more than happy to help us out. The menu is mostly soups and smorrebrod (open-faced sandwich). I got the gazpacho soup and Lav got the cauliflower soup and then we each got a different kind of smorrebrod - one had ricotta, cherry tomatoes and artichokes and I can't remember the other one but it had a lot of dill on it.
The soups alone are a major reason to come here. They were out of this world. I know, who thinks vegetarian soup can be mind blowing but they were. They were clean, fresh tasting and really hit the spot. We were both shocked at how delicious they were. The smorrebrod were also tasty yet very traditional tasting. If you're looking for something healthy, hip and tasty, definitely check this place out. I just wouldn't say it's the most filling meal but you won't regret it. Total bill: $33 USD for two with tax and tip
Puta Madra Magasinsgatan 3, 411 18 Göteborg, Sweden 3.5 Forks
When you think of Sweden, you don't really think of Mexican food right? But I guess since this is a university town, there are more diverse food options. We were feeling a bit tired of the forged/veggie food scene, so when we saw that there was a Mexican restaurant in the heart of downtown, we figured why not?
The decor and setting of the restaurant is beautiful. We got to sit up on the rooftop and it was a super fun and lively scene. The menu is pretty traditional Mexican (not authentic though) - tacos, tostada, ceviche, and empanadas. We started with the guacamole, a side of black beans and I got the fish tacos. While I preferred grilled fish tacos, a good beer batter fish tacos always hits the spot too. Unfortunately, these were a little funky. They were covered in this weird orange sauce that I couldn't place, a huge helping of pickled onions and then a literal bunch of cilantro (they clearly didn't bother to cut it). While it was plenty of food, it felt like it was missing some more flavor and toppings. Instead of the onion, I would have preferred the traditional use of cabbage and while we're at it, freaking sirracha aioli (I know, it's not very authentic but when it comes to beer batter fish tacos, I do love that combination). The guac and beans were fine - nothing really anything to note.
Although one can't have too high of an expectation for Mexican food in Sweden, it was a bit of a let down. But I would still recommend it as a place to go as it was packed with young locals and the vibe was really fun. Total bill: $61 USD/pp with tax, tip and drinks
Saluhallen Kungstorget, 411 17 Göteborg, Sweden 4 Forks
Yes, I finally had Swedish meatballs. I had been in Sweden for over 5 days and had yet to have the famous Swedish meatballs. It's not that I was opposed to it but I honestly wasn't dying to have it and it wasn't really served in a lot of the places I went to. I assumed it was just a touristy thing and while it probably is, it's still served up in a bunch of more casual places.
For those of you who know me, you know that I love a good food hall. I love the smells, sounds and feel of being surrounded by such variety and choices. This place was no exception. It's smack in the middle of town and Lav and I decided to grab something to eat before our 3 hour train ride back to Stockholm. While the hall isn't overwhelming, I still had a hard time deciding what to get and finally caved and decided to get the meatballs. There are a few stalls that have them and I picked one that seemed to have the most people around. I got it straight up traditional style with white gravy, mashed potatoes and lingonberry sauce. The meatballs were enormous and delicious. I don't know what kind of meat they used but it was very moist. Not that you really needed it since it was covered in gravy and then with the combination of buttery mashed potatoes and sauce, there was no way each bite wouldn't be yummy. I guess since Sweden is cold 8 months of the year they need super hearty comfort food like this. It reminded me of Thanksgiving food but with a small twist.
I loved everything about it but I also didn't think I needed to load up on more meatballs on my trip. The one nice thing about this meal was that it was probably one of the cheapest and most filling meals of the trip. Total bill: $7.80
Photo Credit: https://eatandtheworld.wordpress.com/2014/10/09/goteborg/
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