Food

The Eating Guide to Gothenburg, Sweden

Sweden

To many, Gothenburg isn’t much to talk about and is often passed over as a sleepy unexciting city. But even sleepy cities have a certain appeal to tourists looking for a laid back holiday. With its quiet sprawling gardens, old school charm of the Haga District and benches overlooking sea views coaxing you to just sit back and relax, you might just feel like you’re selling short of Sweden’s second largest city.

Look forward to: Fish and seafood

Café Husaren

Where: Haga Nygata 28, 411 22 Gothenburg
What: Fika
For: Breakfast

There is one thing every tourist must do when they go to Sweden – get a fika. Fika is a Swedish culture where people grab a coffee and some pastries. What better place to grab a fika than Café Husaren. The largest cinnamon buns in the world can be found in this classic cafe with roots in the 1800s. You can’t miss it when you walk along Haga District, with its window display of tempting pastries, cookies and cakes.

Trattoria La Strega

Where: Aschebergsgatan 23B, 41125 Gothenburg
What: Risotto with breaded pike-perch fillet and sage butter
For: A treat

People who have been to Gothenburg must have heard of Trattoria La Strega. Garnering rave reviews on Tripadvisor, this restaurant went right on top of my list to visit. I even went as far as to make a reservation a few weeks in advance just to secure a spot. The rustic interiors and dark wooden tables resemble an Italian wine cellar. For starters, the Självinporterat meats is a good selection of cured meats. For the mains, I went straight for the owner’s recommended dishes, which was the pasta with king crab and risotto with breaded pike-perch fillet and sage butter.

Sjöbaren

Where: Haga Nygata 25, 413 01 Gothenburg
What: Cod fish
For: Cheap Swedish food

Located in the heart of Haga District, Sjöbaren prides itself on serving fresh fish and seafood from the Gothenburg harbour. Their lunch sets are a steal, which changes daily. The menu is small but expect quality food due to their careful sourcing of ingredients.

Mellow Cafe & Bistro

Where: Östra Klevgatan 4, 452 30 Strömstad
What: American Breakfast
For: A charming cafe 

Sweden is no lack of charming cafes that serve gorgeous breakfasts, and Mellow Cafe & Bistro is just one of them. The cafe is in Strömstad, a small town two hours away from Gothenburg. Think American style breakfasts with a Swedish twist. The menu is all in Swedish, but the friendly staff are more than happy to translate it for you.

The Eating Guide to Oslo, Norway

Norway

Amidst the Norwegian natural landscapes of endless fjords, towering mountains and pristine lakes, lies the vibrant city of Oslo. The capital of Norway is a city that boasts modernity, state of the art infrastructure and chic city dwellers. Despite the fact that it’s in late May, strong winds cutting through the streets is so common that most locals sport a leather jacket. On the other hand, I fear getting swept off my feet whenever I get close to Aker Brygge, the hip area for youngsters. To get warmed up, I escaped into the restaurants to try what the city had to offer.

Look forward to: Fish and seafood

Fiskeriet

Where: Fiskeriet Youngstorget, Youngstorget 2b, 0181 Oslo
What: Fish and chips
For: Seafood lovers

Fiskeriet needs no introduction. Locals frequent this tiny little shop that promises great seafood. Half of the shop is occupied by the fishmonger that sells fresh seafood. The other half is made up of bar counter seats and and a few tables. If you’re looking for a quick bite, swing by this place for their takeaway fish and chips. If you love seafood, all the more you should make a stop at Fiskeriet. The menu is small but is everything you can dream of if you’re a seafood lover. Choose from the classic fish and chips, bacalao or fish soup. For those who are into raw food, sashimi is also available accompanied with a generous helping of bread.

Olivia

Where: Stranden 3, 0250 Oslo, Norway
What: Norwegian Italian food
For: CBD crowd lovers

While you’re admiring the sea views of Aker Brygge, pop into Olivia, Oslo’s version of an Italian restaurant. Despite being a large restaurant, this place was packed since 7 in the evening. A mixture of businessmen having dinner, working women meeting up after work and the sound of wine glasses clinking; the atmosphere at Olivia is a good break away from rural Norway.

The food is a great example of how Italian cuisine can be redefined to suit the Norwegian taste. Spaghetti al Profumo di Mare is a seafood spaghetti with a lemon, buttery cream taste. Another dish to try is the Carpaccio di Tonno, which is a starter of sliced raw tuna topped with sea salt, rockets and olives.

The Eating Guide to London for £20 and Under

England

When I got off the subway in London’s city centre, it was a Friday and the beginning of a long weekend thanks to a bank holiday. I wandered into streets filled with red brick architecture, that looks like a scene from Notting Hill. The streets are littered with cafes and restaurants. Bars are filled with happy people holding a beer. They were having a great time just standing outside the bars and adding laughter to the street noise. Every cafe looks cool. Posters of musicals and plays filled the advertisement spaces.

If you come from Singapore (like myself), London seems like a terrifyingly expensive place to visit. Something that costs £10 is basically $20. Everything is a lot more expensive and being in the city, accommodations can blow your travel budget. That being said, London is a beautiful city, and one that shouldn’t be missed. Here’s a guide on three amazing places where you can have a great meal and not count your pennies afterwards.

Flat Iron Steak

Where: 17 Beak St, Soho, W1F 9RW & 9 Denmark St, Soho, WC2H 8LS
What: Flat iron
For: Steaks

This is one of my favourite place to get an awesome steak. If you have been blowing $30 and above for steaks, the pricing in this place might seem unreal. Flat Iron Steak price their steaks at £10. Yes, you’ve got that right. Before you start questioning the quality, this is not some mediocre piece of meat. I first heard of the flat iron steak from one of Jamie Oliver’s youtube videos. When I heard of the name of the restaurant, I just had to try it to see for myself.

The restaurant adds certain memorable touches to their customer experience, from the adorable little butcher knife you get to cut the steak to the popcorn that’s sitting on the table before you arrive. Now let’s get down to the meat. The taste of this particular cut rivals that of the famed Wagyu beef due to its marbling. I tend to judge the quality of a steak by first trying it on its own without any sauce. This steak is only lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. Perfect! This is the way every steak should be tasted. It is also recommended that we try the medium rare version, which I did and was totally blown away.

Vasco & Piero’s Pavilion Restaurant

Where: 15 Poland Street, Soho, London, W1F 8QE
What: Umbrian Italian food
For: Elegant Italian dining

I must confess that I was craving for authentic Italian food on my first day in London. Which is why, rather than trying local British food, I headed into this quaint looking restaurant that’s just off Oxford Street. The food at Vasco & Piero’s Pavilion Restaurant is exactly what I hoped for – true Italian cooking that creates simple dishes that brings out the flavours of its ingredients. The quality of the olive oil used is a testament to traditional Italian cooking values, and its flavour is impeccable. The restaurant focuses on Umbrian cuisine and sources most of its ingredients from this region of Italy.

Burger & Lobster

Where: 36-38 Dean Street, Soho, London, W1D 4PS (and more)
What: Lobster
For: Casual dining

Burger & Lobster is probably every Singaporean’s favourite eating place in London. Every Singaporean friend of mine who has been to London insisted I try this place. Made popular by its huge lobster priced at £20, everyone wants a bite of this juicy crustacean. You get to choose to have the lobster served steamed, grilled or as a lobster roll. Another popular choice is their humongous burger which is also priced at £20. This restaurant is packed at any time of the day and they have a strict no reservations policy if you’re a group of less than six persons. Be sure to come early to secure your seats!