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FOOD AND DRINK

Eating out in Stockholm: A place in which to see and be seen

Riche Fenix is a bustling and trendy newly opened bar which is the cool younger sister to Riche. It's ideal for after-work drinks, a pre-dinner aperitif, or a post-dinner glass of wine and dessert, writes Lauren Abston in this restaurant review.

Published: 27 October 2023 09:16 CEST
Updated: 25 November 2023 08:13 CET

Eating out in Stockholm: A place in which to see and be seen

Scrumptious ravioli in a frothy mushroom cream at Riche Fenix. Photo: Lauren Abston

My friend Emelie and I arrive at Riche Fenix on a late summer’s day for after-work drinks after a walk through the city.

I am glad to know that it’s drop-in only, because it is absolutely the place to be on this balmy Friday afternoon, and it would be intimidating otherwise. Patrons are spilling from the neon red arches onto the sidewalk and street, mingling and laughing.

There is no name on the front, but we know it’s the bar from the quite scary, imposing stone phoenix carved above the doorway.

Not knowing where to go in the cavernous space, we push our way through the entrance, are kindly greeted by the bouncer, go past the standing room-only bar, and into the back room where we are welcomed by a handsome waiter with dreamy blue eyes and wavy dark hair.

He asks in Swedish if we want to just drink or eat and drink, and Emelie confirms we would like to do both, and he seats us at a two-top that feels reserved for just us.

Sitting down we look around. All of the decor details are impeccably thought out, from the modern sconce lighting and Matisse-like coasters to the polished light wood benches that evoke a modern diner experience and green marble terrazzo on the stairs down to the bathroom.

Emelie is Swedish, so the whole time we speak in Swedish to the waiter and he is patient as I stumble through my basic command of the language. The plan is to come for only one drink, but the food on the menu looks too delicious to pass up, so we order the fried zucchini blossoms and the tuna melt.

To drink, Emelie opts for a Peroni and I choose a Galipette cider, declining the offer of ice to go with it; I have found the distinctly Swedish trend of having ice with cider a custom of which I am not a huge fan.

The food is whisked out by a different waiter and is presented beautifully. We quickly demolish our spicy nduja and creamy ricotta zucchini blossoms, as well as the buttery tuna melt that is served with a side of quick pickled celery and paper thin red onions.

Still hungry, we order the mushroom ravioli. The rustic, hand-formed dumpling-like pieces that arrive in a frothy mushroom cream are heavy and filling.

The two women at the table next to us opt for lighter fare and have two green salads piled high with edible flower garnishes. They have ordered wine to drink, which is what I will do the next time I’m there, knowing the specially crafted wine list is worth a try.

We finish the food plates, which are quite small portion sizes, next our drinks and then we head outside to the still bustling Götgatan before we say our goodbyes.

I recommend dining at the older sibling, Riche, for a classic, elevated Östermalm experience, but I would more enthusiastically advise first trying out Riche Fenix for an atypical, hip and low-key fancy upplevelse (experience).

I really like that it is drop-in only as there are just a few nice places that feel as spontaneous in Stockholm. There are also good spots for larger groups of about six people to sit down.

You could arrive with more people and stand at the bar inside or at tables outside, but now only if you bring a warm jacket!

They also have a calendar of upcoming musicians and art displays that will be hosted at Riche Fenix, so it may be worth a look to see what’s happening before you decide to go.

Riche Fenix

Rating: Four stars

Location: Götgatan 40, 118 26 Stockholm

Price: Savoury: 65 to 200 kronor; Sweet: 45 to 110 kronor

Details: Closed Sunday and Monday. Tuesday through Saturday 4pm-1am

This review is the writer’s own opinion and the rating is based on food, service and ambience, with price and quality considered. Five stars: Outstanding on every level; a must go. Four stars: Excellent and recommend visiting. Three stars: Very good. Two stars: Good, but wouldn’t return. One star: Not great, do not recommend.

Lauren Abston moved to Stockholm two years ago from San Francisco. She loves exploring all the city has to offer, trying out new restaurants and bars with friends, picking up new Swedish words and learning how to dress for four distinct seasons.

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How to grow your own fruits and vegetables in Sweden

Know your growing zone

Sweden is split into eight different growing zones, known as växtzoner in Swedish, with one being the mildest zone in the far south of the country and eight being the harshest, in the far north.

The easiest way to figure out which zone you live in is to search your address on a digital growing zone chart like this one from the Swedish Garden Association.

There are two “bonus” zones too, which you’re unlikely to see on plant labels: zone zero, which refers to extra mild conditions in zone one, like a sheltered south-facing garden or the climate inside an unheated greenhouse, and the fjällzon or zone nine, which is found in mountain regions.

Lots of fruit trees can handle snow, for example, but not all of them will survive the winters in harsher, colder zones.

“Apple trees or fruit trees will survive snow,” British gardener and cider maker John Taylor, known for presenting Swedish gardening show Trädgårdstider (Garden Times), told The Local.

“You can grow all kinds of apples, pears, plums, cherries, we can grow edible quince in southern Sweden, so there’s a bunch of fruit trees which will survive, but it depends what rootstock they’re on – that’s called grundstam in Swedish,” he explained.

“There’s one rootstock called B9 that survives down to minus 40, because it’s from Russia, then there’s another called M106, and that probably doesn’t want to live in the depths of Norrland.”

Buy plants local to you

An easy way to make sure the plant you’re planning on buying is going to survive in your zone is by sourcing it from a local plant nursery or garden centre, as they won’t sell plants that can’t handle the local climate.

“There’s a nursery in the north of Sweden and Finland called Blomkvists, they sell lots of fruit varieties which will survive up there,” Taylor said. “You can grow pretty much anything you want up there, just as we can [in Skåne, southern Sweden], but it will be different varieties that taste different and will survive the frost.”

You won’t be able to grow Mediterranean fruits like lemons or oranges in Sweden unless you bring them inside during the winter, although you should be able to grow peaches or nectarines in most of the country.

“The further up in the country you go, the further north you are or the further away from the coast, the harsher the climate becomes, so you might need to have them on a south-facing wall or in a greenhouse,” Taylor said.

Think outside the box

Although the growing season in Sweden may be shorter than it is further south, there are still a number of crops from warmer climates that do surprisingly well.

“People don’t really grow cucumbers outside here, I don’t think they realise that you can actually grow them outside,” Taylor said. “Tomatoes, too. You don’t need a greenhouse, you just stick them in the ground, they’re basically a weed – you’ll get so many you won’t know what to do with them.”

Sweetcorn, for example, performs well in a Swedish climate, Taylor said, although Swedes more often grow it as a feed crop for pigs.

You can also test things by trying to build a microclimate so you can grow things that are one or even two growing zones away from yours. Usually this is done by providing shelter from the wind and the weather using fences, hedges or by planting near buildings, as well as providing protection during the winter.

And if you’re pushed for space, look into companion planting, where you can grow multiple plants which complement each other in the same space.

One example of this is the “three sisters”: corn, climbing beans (or peas), and squash. The corn provides a support for the beans or peas, which anchor the corn in high winds while fixing nitrogen in the soil, while the squash’s large leaves provide shade for the soil, preventing it from drying out.

Don’t be put off just because you don’t have any outside space

Thinking outside the box applies to balconies too.

“If you’re in a built-up area, you will get reflected light from other buildings, so even if you’re on an east-facing balcony, you should be able to grow a lot of stuff. North is a bit more tricky, but east and west are probably better than south as you’re not getting hammered by the sun all day,” Taylor said.

You should be able to grow things like tomatoes, cucumbers and flowers, but it’s important to get hold of good soil and replenish it each year, so your plants have enough nutrients.

“Anybody with a balcony can grow pretty much the same that you can in a garden, you just have to get the soil up there and you always have to fertilise, the soil becomes nutrient deficient after one season.”

“But if you’re prepared to get the soil up on your balcony you can grow anything, even fruit trees. They will be smaller and stunted, and won’t give as much fruit – I’ve done it myself – so don’t see it as an obstacle, see it as a possibility.”

Kale and tomatoes growing on a balcony. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT

Take inspiration from Swedish growers

Thinking outside the box doesn’t mean that you should completely ignore what all your Swedish neighbours are doing. If you’re not sure what to plant in your garden or what fruit and veg you should try to grow, take a look at what other people who live near you are growing.

You might also come across some crops you’ve never tried before which work well in a Swedish climate, like Alpine strawberries (smultron), honeyberries (blåbärstry), wild garlic (ramslök) or sea buckthorn (havtorn).

This doesn’t just apply to varieties, but also where you plant them in your garden. Some crops need full sun, some work best in shade, and others, like asparagus, can grow tall and cast a shadow over your garden.

“You want a south-facing location for all fruit, and berries – check out what your neighbours are doing,” Taylor said.

If you don’t want tall plants to cast a shadow over other crops, see if you can plant them at the northernmost edge of your garden, while making sure that sun and soil conditions are still optimal. Blueberries, for example, need acidic soil to thrive, meaning you will probably need to amend your soil if planting in the ground, or even plant them in containers.

Think about what you want to do with your harvest

This may seem obvious, but it’s important to plant what you like to eat, too. If you hate the aniseedy, licorice-y taste of fennel, why bother growing it?

You should also choose the variety of crop based on what you’re going to use it for. Do you want to make pickles with your cucumbers, or are you going to eat them on salads? Do you want cherry tomatoes for snacking on, or big beef tomatoes for making sauces?

“Think ‘what am I going to do with my harvest’,” Taylor said. “Am I going to juice it? Am I going to preserve it? Am I going to make cider with it, for example?”

Apples, for example, can range from sweet eating apples to tart cooking apples, so make sure you do your research before you commit to buying an apple tree. Most varieties exist in English-speaking countries, so you should be able to search the name of the variety online and find some information in a language you understand, if you don’t speak Swedish.

“Patience is a virtue,” he added. “A lot of fruit trees are going to take two or three years, or even more, to give a harvest. So you have to have patience.”

Learn to deal with the Swedish weather

Many areas of Sweden along the coast or in the south of the country can get windy, which you’ll have to learn to deal with.

“How to deal with the wind? You can’t,” Taylor said. “We cannot affect this, we are powerless.”

“What you have to do is plant them in areas where there’s less wind, usually behind large buildings.”

Some plants simply won’t survive the wind, so either you plant them close to buildings, protect them, or accept that you’re restricted in what you can grow.

Make sure to provide supports for crops which will grow tall, like sunflowers, peas, beans and sweetcorn, and tie these down well or bury them deep in the ground, so summer storms can’t blow them away.

Listen to the full interview with John Taylor in The Local’s Sweden in Focus Extra podcast for Membership+ subscribers. Out on Wednesday, May 8th.

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