This is a DESTINATION RESTAURANT. Truly indigenous cuisine.
Went for the Thursday pea soup and saffron pancakes. Sat at the counter where the owner/chef Peter Bennyson, with an open minded sense of humor, was willing to engage with my internal foodie.
The recipe for Swedish pea soup was different than the mushy kind my grandmother made. Whole peas (of a variety I haven't encountered in the US) swam in a salty both which I assume was made from the sausage and bacon cut up in the soup. Delicious but saltier than would be "politically correct" in the US. It was served with great butter, mustard and bread.
For dessert I had the Gotland style Saffron pancakes, which were, as Peter warmed more similar to pudding. The island of Gotland very early in its history attracted merchants from the whole Baltic region imports like saffron and rice reached the island and were incorporated in the cuisine. That is very evident in the Gotland Pancake, a pudding like indulgence made with round glutonic rice, cinnamon, almonds and saffron. It was originally eaten at Christmas, made from the leftovers of the traditional swedish Christmas rice porridge but later it also became common at anniversaries, weddings and funerals. Today you can eat this golden saffron pancake all year around since it has become a hallmark of Gotland and its tourism industry.
The Gotland Pancake is traditionally served with jam made from Salmbär, Peter's Pancakes were garnished with pickled (fermented in Swedish English) blueberries. The blueberries made the sweet dish salty. It took me a moment to like so much saltiness with my sweets.
I strongly recommend that tourists go there the authentic Thursday PEA SOUP lunch. You get a realistic glimpse into real Swedish cuisine at an affordable price. read more