Restaurang AG, Kungsholmen, Stockholm ***** (2nd update)
Mar 2nd, 2011 by Håkan
Q: What is it? A: An ambitious yet friendly restaurant place where you’ll worship meat in many forms and variations. Already good from the beginning, it has evolved into one of Stockholm’s very best restaurants.
A massive meat refrigerator for curing meat is the first thing you
will see when entering AG. And that’s a good sign of things to come.
Bleak roe for starters. In Stockholm, that isn’t exactly a daring choice. On the 2nd visit
I went for the Jamon Iberico. The next time I’ll go for the garlic-fried softshell crab…
...and here it is: The famous garlic-fried softshell crab. Possibly one of the better appetizers available in Stockholm at the moment.
The Porterhouse steak. One of the top-5 pieces of meat that I’ve been served in Sweden.
It’s also the size of a family pizza. Don’t panic – this dish was invented for two people.
It’s very simple: Just a piece of meat, some spinach and a hash brown.
Honestly, that is all it takes to make a grown man happy. Well, almost.
Here’s one for all you carnivores out there:
Let’s start somewhere else: When Rolfs Kök opened in 1989, it quickly became the gold standard for a modern Swedish restaurant; an open kitchen, a very un-snobbish approach to cooking and a shaker-inspired interior. In 2003, the Rolf sold the restaurant to Johan Jureskog and Klas Ljungqvist. An already very good restaurant was taken to an even higher level and was selected for the Bib Gourmand list in 2006. As Johan and Klas took over the Allmänna Galleriet, they entered a different league – Rolfs Kök has 55 seats, their new restaurant has 120. In the previous Allmänna Galleriet, food was never in focus. That has now changed. Their focus becomes obvious from the very moment you enter: Meat.
Your dinner is hanging from a meat hook.
You see it when you’re still walking up the stairs; large chunks of meat, cured behind glass. This is a bold move in Sweden, were some 15% of the population between 15 and 24 years claim to be either vegetarian or vegan. Bar area to the left. Restaurant to the right. Service minded staff. The white tiling on the walls is from the 30s, when silverware was crafted here. It’s a raw industrial space that many an Art Director would sell his grandmother for. But more importantly, Johan Jureskog’s team of chefs delivers.
The word was out about the burger.
The much talked about burger is made from Mr. Jureskog’s secret recipe, (which involves some extra fat). On my first visit I tried the Porterhouse steak. It’s a massive house dry aged side of beef. It’s a dinner for two. It’s one of the five best pieces of meat I’ve had in Sweden. Along with some creamed spinach and a hash brown it’s just very simple and very… perfect. After that first visit I’ve followed the restaurant’s suggestions and therefore attacked a) the entrecôte on the bone with Caesar salad and baked potato, b) numerous burgers, c) Waguy-beef and d) (drumroll) the entrecôte ”Grand Cru”. It’s fair to say that the style is rather… rustic. But don’t confuse that with simple or sloppy. Visiting AG has been a pleasure throughout and these days the team has turned into a well-oiled operation, fully capable of handling 120 guests with a smile. In fact, they have elevated their game, even from the previously high level, and this consistent delivery places Restaurang AG in the very top of Stockholm’s restaurant rooster. There’s five of them up there. Five stars. And they’re well deserved.
Restaurang AG
Kronobergsgatan 37
S112 33 Stockholm, Sweden
+46-8-410 681 00
Open: Monday-Saturday 5.00 pm to midnight, Sunday closed.
Click this link to book yourself a table at Restaurang AG in Stockholm!
In it's previous life AG was known as the place that you won't find if you're not in-the-know. Today, red neon signs are guiding the visitor to where it's at. The restaurant is located on the 2nd floor in this industrial building in the Kungsholmen area of Stockholm.
Not bad. AG's potent burger ”Jureskog Style”, reinforced with some extra fat. To be more precise, they put marbled beef in a hot pan, where the meat says goodbye to its tasty fat, which in turn is mixed with the burger-meat. This is then topped with the Danish cheese 'Sorte Sara', a semi-matured creamy cheese that make the burger look almost glazed. Be prepared to find the ketchup being of the smokier kind and the mustard-mayo delivering an extra edge.
LATEST VISIT:
Ladies and gentlemen: Entrecôte 'Grand Cru'. Meat the way it should be. Cured to perfection. Served with just a few goodies, (salad with parmesan, some fried tomatoes and bearnaise), on the side.
No mistakes: Penfolds Bin 707, a cabernet sauvignon that balances between powerful and elegant, matching the entrecôte brilliantly.
