So, I finally pulled the trigger and made a reservation. Fäviken is a top notch restaurant located in the north of Sweden. I had to set the alarm to get up at midnight to make a reservation for March 19 next year. I am really looking forward to it. They only serve 24 people in total each night, so it's a small place.
If you have Netflix they have a show called Chef's Table, and they featured Magnus Nilsson (the chef) in season 1, episode 6. It's worth checking out.
I think we're gonna drive up, it's a 6 hour drive, and we're staying the night before heading back home.
Most interesting, and we only have to wait 7 mos. for the report. Place must be very special. You know I’m going to say it, don’t forget the pics! It almost sounds exclusive enough where you might not be able to. Nonetheless, enjoy. Can’t wait.
> Weber Genesis EP-330
> Grilla Grills Original Grilla (OG) pellet smoker with Alpha/Connect
> Grilla Grills Pellet Pizza Oven
> Pit Barrel Cooker (gone to a new home)
> WeberQ 2000 (on "loan" to a relative (I'll never see it again))
> Old Smokey Electric (for chickens mostly - when it's too nasty out
to fiddle with a more capable cooker)
> Luhr Jensen Little Chief Electric - Top Loader circa 1990 (smoked fish & jerky)
> Thermoworks Smoke
> 3 Thermoworks Chef Alarms
> Thermoworks Thermapen One
> Thermoworks Thermapen Classic
> Thermoworks Thermopop
> Thermoworks Square DOT
> Thermoworks IR-GUN-S
> Joule Turbo Sous Vide Circulator
> Searzall torch
> BBQ Guru Rib Ring
> WÜSTHOF, Dalstrong, and Buck knives
> Paprika App on Mac and iOS
Equipment
Primo Oval xl
Slow n Sear (two)
Drip n Griddle
22" Weber Kettle
26" Weber Kettle one touch
Blackstone 36†Pro Series
Sous vide machine
Kitchen Aid
Meat grinder
sausage stuffer
5 Crock Pots Akootrimonts
Two chimneys (was 3 but rivets finally popped, down to 1)
cast iron pans,
Dutch ovens
Signals 4 probe, thermapens, chef alarms, Dots, thermapop and maverick T-732, RTC-600, pro needle and various pocket instareads. The help and preferences
1 extra fridge and a deep chest freezer in the garage
KBB
FOGO
A 9 year old princess foster child
Patience and old patio furniture
"Baby Girl" The cat
Will be fantastic. Restaurants with Michelin stars are always interesting. Creative chefs, but they usually set the menu and you don’t get a choice. Enjoy whatever he is serving that night.
Yesterday we finally visited Fäviken. It is run by chef Magnus Nilsson. He was featured in the Netflix show Chef's Table, in season 1, episode 5. Go check it out if you haven't seen it.
This is luxury dining, they have two Michelin stars. The place is located out in the country side, quite far away from everything really. They only have 24 seats, so it's an intimate restaurant. As you can see from the original post I booked a table in september, so we had to wait almost 6 months.
The restaurant is an old but restored barn, so it's a very cozy setting. Even though the food and service is top class it doesn't
feel snobby at all.
We spent all Tuesday driving, it took 8 hours to get there. And then 8 hours back on Wednesday. But boy, was it worth it! I think this was one of my best restaurant and food experiences ever. The service was absolutely impeccable, and so was the food. Every tiny dish was so carefully thought out it was amazing.
Here are some photos and text describing our food trip.
The place from far away (as you can see it's desolate)
Since it was a long drive we stayed the night. You can also get a cab to the nearest village, but we thought it better to stay there. They have 5 rooms. It felt like a fancy hunter's lodge or similar.
Of course we started our evening in the Sauna, what else? Check out the view!
This is a place where you don't order, instead, you book an evening. They take care of everything, you just enjoy the ride. We were welcomed in at 6:30 PM in a lounge area downstairs in the barn. We were served champagne and some of their own charcuterie. Then they started serving dishes, one after another, at a well thought out pace. After 4-5 dishes we were moved upstairs to the loft where we were seated at tables. They had one communal table and a few 2/4 seat tables. I picked the latter, as I was there with my wife.
I was amazed at the almost military precision (in a good sense) by which the food was brought up and served. Every dish was announced with two quick and loud claps, followed by a brief explanation of what we were to eat (and how, if needed), in a loud clear voice. Most dishes were tiny, but that was good, since we were served 36 (!) in total. With a full wine/beverage pairing.
They had changed not only the size and order of the dishes, but also the timing in between, which effectively controlled the rhythm. It was utterly amazing! They made everything themselves. The butter, the bread, all pickled vegetables, the fish bouillon, you name it. What struck me was the complexity in flavors in every dish. Extremely well thought out.
Some of the staff in action (kitchen was downstairs, this was just the last prep). All tables were served at the exact same time. There were probably twice as many staff as guests.
We sat from 6:30pm to a little after 11pm, but time flew, we just sat there with smiles on our faces enjoying some incredible food.
Here are some photos of the food.
Juniper smoked scallops
King crab, grilled hot 'n fast. This was just perfect. Felt like they had SVed the crab inside, but no, it was just grilled. With 'almost burnt' cream (cream reduced in a hot cast iron pan until it thickens).
Oyster 'steak', the oyster was treated like steak. Fry it for a few seconds in a real hot pan, then remove. Outside seared, inside raw. To be eaten with the beech branches as forks.
Cups made of dried pig's blood, filled with fish eggs from trout. Delicious!
Here's a real tasty one: braised pig's head, that was then deep fried. With rhubarb on top and tarragon salt. Just incredible!
Here's a new take on quail's eggs. These were done Icelandic style. on Iceland they don't have too many trees, so they fire their smoke houses with sheep shit. So these eggs were smoked, then rolled in the ashes from smoke house sheep shit. It formed a hard crust, so we peeled them before eating them.
And here are some of the desserts. This first one was interesting. Bone marrow pudding, which was covered in rhum, which they set fire to. Then dropped a bowl of ice cream into it. A bit strange to eat bone marrow as dessert, but the flavor combinations were fantastic, it was real good!
Here's some home made candy. I liked the smoked caramel (small brown cubes).
We had some other smoked food: smoked veal which was fantastic. And smoked ham and smoked mousse heart.
I'm completely blown away at what some creative people can do with food. It was such an incredible experience it will take a few days to let it all sink in. A visit to Fäviken is almost a must for a foodie. Unbelievable! I've only shared a few of the photos, we had so many dishes my head was spinning after a while.
I finished it all off with a bourbon, named Rip van Winkle, 10 year old. I haven't heard of it before, but it was a good bourbon.
Rip Van Winkle is one of the rare bourbons from Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky USA. Not as rare & expensive as Pappy Van Winkle, but to me it's just as rare!
Lonestar Grillz 24x36 offset smoker, grill, w/ main chamber charcoal grate and 3 tel-tru thermometers - left, right and center
Yoke Up custom charcoal basket and a Grill Wraps cover.
22.5 copper kettle w/ SnS, DnG, BBQ vortex, gasket and stainless steel hinge kit.
Napoleon gas grill (soon to go bye bye) rotting out.
1 maverick et-733 digital thermometer - black
1 maverick et-733 - gray
1 new standard grilling remote digital thermometer
1 thermoworks thermopen mk4 - red
1 thermoworks thermopop - red
Pre Miala flavor injector
taylor digital scale
TSM meat grinder
chefs choice food slicer
cuisinhart food processor
food saver vacuum sealer
TSM harvest food dehydrator
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