Djuret, Stockholm, Gamla Stan *****
Feb 8th, 2010 by Håkan

Djuret from the outside. The alley, Lilla Nygatan 5, is located
in the Old Town, only minutes from the Royal Castle.

Picture proof: One of the best reindeer steaks I’ve ever had, (and honestly I have had a few).

Gutsy strategy: At Djuret, there’s only one dessert per week on the menu.
This week: A cloudberry tart with Italian meringue and vanilla ice cream.

Reminders of the Djuret concept are found everywhere in the restaurant’s
interior, for example this meat hook that doubles as a coat hanger.
I think it’s a rather bold move: A meat-only restaurant
The concept is simple but quite bold. At Djuret they serve one animal at the time. The entire menu consists of different meat paragraphs from the same animal, prepared in different ways. It’s bold and it’s refreshingly simple. It may also be good for business as I am now intrigued to return in a few week’s time to try the deer. Very few people are indifferent to this concept. I don’t know if I had been keen to try it if Djuret hadn’t been the bistro of one of Stockholm’s more prominent, (and Michelin-starred) restaurants.
Should you ever forget where you are…
They play with and around this concept wherever they can in the interior: Meat hooks with scales used as coat hangers. Lamps created with meat grinders as their base. Tables covered with meat charts. Everywhere meat. You are in meat heaven. And no, there are simply no vegetarian alternatives. The menu has three fixed items; deep fried pork rinds, a pata negra cured for 42 months and a Spanish sausage. Apart from that you’re at the mercy of the kitchen and what’s on the menu at the moment. So, the 10,000 Swedish Krona question is: Does it work? Will this concept fly?
The best reindeer ever…
It works. And it works well. I start out with the pata negra, (or the Jamon Iberico Gran Reserva 42 months as it’s more properly referred to on the menu). It’s hard to go wrong with that. But… then comes the steak from the reindeer’s rear (the top round) baked with green pepper gravy, broccoli, black currant jelly and potatoes… It’s one of the best prepared servings of meat I’ve tasted in a l-o-n-g time. It’s amazingly good. And the potatoes, prepared according to the famous Stockholm restaurant Hasselbacken, (just google Hasselbacken potatoes and you’ll get the idea!), are just as perfect. Note to self: Can’t remember when I last got this worked up about some potatoes!
And they top it with…
When the cloudberry tart, enforcing the northernly vibe, arrives under a layer of Italian meringue I’m surrendering completely to the Djuret kitchen and concept. Also, with access to the Leijontornet wine cellar with 14 000 bottles you can not go wrong. The cool and relaxed staff know their thing: Wines from the Rhône region were served during the reindeer weeks but our waiter recommended a Priorat wine, (need to check back on this), priced substantially lower than the Maison Tardieu-Laurent Hermitage Rouge that I was bracing myself for. ”It goes better with the green pepper gravy” was his simple motivation. It worked perfectly, thanks and it puts me in a good mood just writing this. Another plus: Djuret is a bistro, which in real terms means more sensible pricing, making the clientele less business boring. A warm welcome to Djuret. Those five stars are for you!
Opening hours Monday - Saturday:
5 pm 12 am (The kitchen closes at 10 pm)
Bakfickan Djuret
Lilla Nygatan 5
111 28 Gamla Stan
Stockholm
Sweden
+46-8-506 400 84
Reservations by phone from 12 pm.
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Themes spring 2010:
Reindeer calf and Rhône wines: January 25 - February 13
Red deer calf and mixed Bordeaux wines: February 15 - March 6
Linderöd pig and Priorat wines: March 8 - March 27
Spring lamb and mixed mature European wines: March 29 - April 17
Veal and mixed Nebbiolo wines: April 19 - May 8
Duck/spring chicken and Pinot Noir wines: May 10 - May 29
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