MB shows off the dessert assortment, including a mini princess torte. All photos by Kathleen Fiorello.

There are few things quite so Swedish as IKEA. On the weekend, it is a shopping mecca for anyone looking to update and outfit their homes inexpensively. And on a Saturday, it tends to be completely insane. Against my better judgement, I went on Saturday afternoon with some friends. The place was even more packed than usual thanks to a flea market in front of the entrance. So before we even got in the door, it felt like we had done battle with the crowds.

With the purchase of a salad, my mushroom soup was only 9 SEK – a bargain!

We were hungry when we got there, so we went straight to the restaurant. While we waited in line for over 30 minutes, we checked out the menu. “Look at how cheap the prices are,” said Mary Beth. “No wonder there are so many families here”

As I only bought a cutting board and napkins, all my stuff could fit in this small bag borrowed from Kathleen. As for my fellow shoppers, let's just say that their carts were on overload.

And it was true. There was a new item on the menu: cheese and spinach crepes for 19 SEK or about 2.60 US. The meatballs came with mashed potatoes, lingon berries, a drink and coffee or tea in a children’s portion for 19 SEK, a medium portion for 55 and a big portion for 65. That’s a lot of food for the money in this town.

After eating, we moved our carts into the shopping fray. That’s where the real craziness began as we alternately dodged and were bumped by baby strollers, toddlers and other carts. It was like being on the Dodgems ride at the amusement park and in the same way, kind of fun at first and then just annoying. By the time we got to the ground level and paid, we were all tired.  This IKEA visit should last me for quite a while.

I’d been hearing a lot about it and last night I finally made it to Orangeriet. Opened in July, this bar and cafe has quickly become one of the new hot spots in Stockholm. It’s located right on the water in Kungsholmen, directly adjacent to the restaurant Kungsholmen on Norr Mälarstrands kaj. And I have to say it’s cool. Melker Andersson always does a good job with the decor of his restaurants and this place does not disappoint in that regard, although my friend Tracy decided it was perhaps more Barcelona than France or Italy.

True to the idea of an orangery, there were lemon, orange and olive trees inside the conservatory like building. Inside, there was garden-style furniture mixed with rough wooden tables and brightly colored couches while bird cages hung from the ceilings. It felt both cosy and comfortable.

Tracy and I had wine and tried some of the sushi from the bar menu. It was good but not great. But the menu looked good overall, with a lot of appropriately Italian options such as prosciutto, salami and pecorino. While I had heard service was not so good, our waitress was friendly, fast and helpful. I definitely plan to go back soon. Since I’m still camera-less, you’ll have to check out the photos here: Orangeriet.

The Cape Malay curry at Chakula. Photos by Annelie.

With maybe a bit more wine, I could have almost convinced myself I was in South Africa. The food, wines and  decor  were all authentic. And the place was a bit rowdy as there were several big groups eating together. But instead we were at Chakula, an African restaurant in Kungsholmen. Adding to the atmosphere was a group of Swedish women who were there for a möhippa or bridal shower – all 10 were wearing African-style print dresses and headscarves in honor of the bride, who had recently been married in Cape Town.

We were there with our friends Annelie and Jaakko who had been there before. Since Annelie is South African, I figured there was a good chance the food would be good and it was. Chakula serves traditional home cooking from South Africa and Tanzania. We all had the tapas platter to start with and it had a tasty combination of flavors, including samosas, dates wrapped in bacon, sosatie and a shrimp and mango salad.

Bobotie or meat loaf at Chakula.

Thanks to all the big groups, we then had to wait quite a while for our main meals. I had the Mboga ya Africa Kusini or Cape Malay curry with red lentils, tomatoes and pumpkin with rice. It was also quite good. Both Annelie and Robert had the bobotie – South African style meatloaf – and we decided that Annelie’s version was better. Jaakko had the braai or grilled steak.

All in all, I would say that Chakula is definitely worth another visit. Read more about them at African in Kungsholmen.

Our first Christmas here, we saw it at the Östermalms salu or food hall. A special table was set up with a big steaming copper pot of blodpudding or blood pudding. I had no idea what it was and upon closer inspection, I could see that I wanted no part of sampling the thick and dark brown concoction with the odd meaty/herby aroma. Robert, of course, was all up for trying it.

This blodpudding was made from goose blood and was a traditional specialty from southern Sweden. I gagged even watching Robert taste the stuff and perhaps not so politely turned down an offer to try it. And for his efforts, the food hall people gave him a nice shot of snaps to wash the disgusting mess down with. (I would say that it was necessary.)

For those of you like me who don’t know what blood pudding is, it’s a type of sausage made by cooking blood from pig or cattle until it has congealed into a thick mass. I could not get around the look, texture or smell of it. I was reminded of our experience in reading an article in The Local about the Swedish foods most foreigners hate. Apparently, we immigrants love lax or salmon, meatballs, crayfish and cinnamon rolls.  We are not so happy about the blodpudding or surströmming. I think I pretty much agree with the list.

Last night, we checked out our brand-new surroundings in Kungsholmen. In just a few steps, we were on the water overlooking Riddarfjärden. After years of looking down on Mälaren from our cliff-top perch on Södermalm, it’s interesting to be actually right at the water — we could jump in if we want to. There are also several good waterfront restaurants not far from us on the water, including the restaurant Kungsholmen, Orangeriet and more.

As we have had drinks there but not dinner, we opted to try M/s Gerda. My gazpacho appetizer was nicely garlicky and the salmon I had for a main was also good. And since it was my birthday, I had the French chocolate torte with fresh berries and cream for dessert. That was definitely worth the calories!

Our Södermalm apartment has been stripped of most of our belongings and furniture. We still have a few things to take to the Salvation Army — anyone need a sofa bed, hutch or bookcase? Our friends Nici and Roger helped us inaugurate our new temporary apartment in Kungsholmen last night with a glass of wine and then we had dinner in the new neighborhood at the Texas Burger Company. (They made a pretty good burger, I have to say.) And then since it was such a nice night, we came back over to Söder to enjoy the view from the balcony and ended up staying the night on the sofa bed. It just seemed right somehow. For now, we need to do some final cleaning and wrapping up and then we start a new life in a new part of town. The adventure will be good.

The chipotle burger at the Flying Horse in Vasastan.

In what must be chapter 15 of my search for a good burger at a good price in Stockholm, we met Nici and Roger for dinner last night. Our latest spot was a new pub called the Flying Horse in Vasastan (bar).

We all had the chipotle burger as the waitress assured us it was the best burger on the menu. (She probably told the next table it was something else.) With great hope, we all took a bite. But the verdict: the burger  was only OK. Roger rated it a 3 out of 5. “The burger was average, more like something from a  street grill. But as the place is a bit new, maybe it just needs some time.” I will say that the fries were pretty excellent though, crispy and tasty.

But on a night at a bar with world cup action on, we had to ask that the TV be turned to football from the wedding TV channel featuring more than you ever wanted to know about the upcoming royal wedding. There’s something not right that we had to ask for soccer at a bar!

Jacob's Creek wine in a box.

Box wines don’t get a good rap in the US. If you went to a party and someone was serving a box wine, they would disguise it by pouring the wine into a decanter. Box wines were always looked upon as subpar and even something to make fun of. (Maybe that view has changed in the years since I’ve lived here?) But in Sweden, box wines are looked at as both a good value and an easy option for carrying around this time of year to the archipelago and to BBQs and picnics. Much like the Swedes themselves, they are practical.

We were at a friends house last night for a BBQ (it’s the season after all) and hostess Marie Louise wanted us to try Jacob’s Creek’s first wine in a box called Three Vines, which is a mix of  Shiraz, Grenache and Tempranillo. As Marie Louise is a wine expert who works for Pernod-Ricard, I tend to trust her choices, even when they come in a box. I have to say, this wine was tasty and had a flavorful blend of grapes – it’s definitely a good summer option. You can ask for it at Systembolaget or order it here: vinguiden.

And I have to add one funny story about wine in a box: Robert grew up in Australia where box wines were common. On long field trips on the bus, kids would bring along the emptied and cleaned out “moon bag” or the silver pouch inside the box. Apparently, once these bags were blown up with air, they made great pillows.  I love it!

With a little help, Robert selects his tequila choice at La Neta.

Mexican food in Stockholm? I found it! Or at least I’ve found the best I’ve had here yet. You may remember my recent posting about how much I miss quality south of the border food and if not, see American comfort food. Good Mexican food is hard to come by in this town and my posting led a number of readers to say that to have good Mexican food, you need to have some Mexican immigrants making it.

Lo and behold, we went to La Neta the other night. And Mexican immigrants are making the food in this taqueria. There is nothing fancy about the food or the place itself. It’s Mexican-style fast food, a la Chipotle in the US and you order at the counter and food comes out on plastic plates. The dining room is bare bones with wooden benches and chairs. But we were all pretty happy with our food – I would say it’s a great place to go for lunch. By the way, it’s located in Norrmalm at Barnhusgatan 2.

Zanne and tacos.

Under the tents at Gården Bar & Grill.

There’s nothing better than enjoying a drink outside on a sunny evening with friends. Last night, I checked out the brand-new hot spot in town: Gården Bar & Grill (see Gården). It’s located in Norra Bantorget in the gardens just in front of the Norra Latin school and the Clarion Hotel Sign. And it just opened last Thursday.

Like any new spot in Stockholm, it seems this place is instantly popular and we waited for about 20 minutes at the bar before we got served. But the location is fabulous and I like the set-up under the tents and next to the fountain. Although we did not eat, we checked out the menu and it includes traditional favorites such as lax and toast skagen. When we tried to order one of the burgers at the bar at about 8.15, we were told they were all out of food! I definitely want to check out the place again though as the burgers are being grilled outside.

Jessica and Zanne in front of the bar.