"Fika" is my favorite Swedish word. I came here for fika one afternoon after checking out the…read moreslopes in Åre Village next door. In addition to coffee, tea and pastries, this cafe also had fresh bread, a salad bar, sandwiches and soup. I ordered the lemon meringue and had a few bites of my sister's carrot cake. Both were delicious. This cafe is located in Åretorget which is probably the reason they named it Café Torget.

I have some friends that have been following Magnus Nilsson for a while now. After meeting him on…read morethe food conference circuit, they finally made the trip up to the remote flings of Sweden to eat there, and were blown away. Apparently some guy named Rene Redzepi happened to be there too : As they recounted these tales and told me over the course of time of the magnificence, I had plotted in my head my visit to this remote destination. Would I fly into Stockholm eat well there and find a small plane or car to head north? Would I go into Oslo, take a boat around the coast of Norway, reaching Trondheim then being shuttled over? Luckily Chef Nilsson has come to me, in a collaboration with Daniel Patterson of Coi, and I now recount this epic cooking. An acquaintance was at the same dinner, though much earlier had given a sneak peek, saying that the food speaks much of the chef's locality, the heritage, and the traditional ways of the wild where it comes from. We were excited. And with no further ado the night went as follows: Crackers and Dip - flax and mussel / brown rice and kale Earth & Sea - tofu coagulated with sea water, cherry tomato, fresh seaweed 2011 Txomin Extonuz Txakolina, San Sebastian/Getariako Oyster - smoldering redwood 2010 Claude Branger, Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine, Loire, France Young Turnip Cooked Under Decomposed Leaves - cultured butter 2006 Domaine Dujac, Chardonnay,Morey St. Denis, France Kohlrabi - tobacco, pomegranate, shavings and herbs 2006 Disznoko, Dry Tokajji, Furmint, Hungary Chantrelle - peas, meyer lemon, lovage salt 2010 Les Binner'Sauvers', Alsace, France Abalone - nettle-dandelion salsa verde, spicy breadcrumbs 2010 Rosesse, Feipu Dei Massaretti, Ligurie di Ponente (Riviera), Italy Cauliflower Cooked With White Soy and Vinegar - Whipped Cream and dark beer NV North Coast Brewing Co. 'Pranqster', Belgian Ale, Ft Bragg, California Emigh Ranch Lamb - chard leaves and stems, garum, rosemary 2007 Cabot Vineyards, Syrah, Klamath River, Humbolt, California Almond Ice Cream - wild bay, almond in various forms Passion Fruit Baba - honeycomb, shiso, white chocolate NV Bermejo, Malvasia Dulce, Lanzarote, Spain Candied Raspberries 2011 Cascina Ca'Rossa Brachetto, Birbet, Italy As predicted, the meal was completely unique. Now I've had a lot of cooking in Denmark, and that maybe the closest point of reference I had to the food. The French use the term "terroir" to describe something that expresses geography, geology and climate of a certain place. I can only say that chef Nilsson's food does exactly that. it is very personal to him,where and how he grew up and how he chooses to continue and interpret it. Im guessing that making your way to Faviken or vice versa is not an easy tastk but if you should make it happen, it promises to be a great experience.

Review of day 2 Breakfast:…read more Waking up early, memories of the Meal which ended just five hours prior still fresh, it was with GPS in hand that a lengthy jog around the Fäviken Estate got started, Järpen's landscape in full bloom during a time of year when the sun never really sets and nearly fifteen miles of gravel paths with a view of the mountains in Åre helping to build-up quite an appetite for what many traveling gourmands consider to be one of the World's great Breakfasts. Returning to the hotel for a warm shower and packing, the 09h00 meal followed by 11h00 check-out and a lengthy drive, it was once again upon arrival to the lounge that guests were led up to the same table they'd occupied the previous night, several familiar faces both amongst the guests and staff present with many items already in place forming quite a spread. Priced at a modest 250 SEK per person, this in addition to the 2000 SEK overnight accommodations actually a deal considering both location and what is offered, it was with complimentary Coffee poured that servers explained each item as light instrumental music played overhead, everything save for Honey-sweetened Juice made on-site and encouragement provided to start with a soft boiled Egg that was still warm. Moving next to a collection of Charcuterie and Spreads, the Trout Rillettes particularly memorable given initial sweetness that smoothly transitions to smoke, it was atop housemade Rye Bread that this as well as creamy Liver was spread while slices of Ham, Moose Heart and Cheese stacked better on Fäviken's Sourdough, though in reality all were probably best consumed on their own so that Bread could instead be saved for every last smear of Butter. Introducing two additional items after a Coffee Refill, tangy Yogurt with a thin skin on top nicely paired to chunky Cloudberry Jam, it was without finding much use for a lump of cured Fish Eggs nor Salt fortified with Seaweed that thick Porridge was plopped in a bowl, the lack of sweetness relieved by lots of Butter and nuttiness while warm Thumbprint Cookies offered a crispy rim and jammy center to finish.

Delicious place for lunch. It's a true Swedish meal. Potatoes were some of the best I've ever had…read more Everything was made locally. Wish I could come back but I'm just passing through

Checked out of Fäviken by 10h30 it was with a lengthy drive ahead that two guests stopped into Åre…read moreBageri for provisions, the sizable space fairly full considering a season of empty slopes but servers all pleasant and helpful while prices trend a bit lower than those for similar items in Stockholm. Open since 1984 and at this point a full-scale Restaurant featuring everything from Fika to Sandwiches and housemade Ice Cream, early hours additionally offering a grab and go table of Breads, Jams and Spreads, it was after lengthy perusal of forty-plus items that seven were selected, some including a particularly light slice of Princess Cake with a ribbon of Raspberry Jam never intended to make it to the car and most of the rest not surviving past the door either. Taking a seat in the dining room with loaded bag and tray, several other patrons opting for al fresco dining during northern Sweden's short Summer, it was as another happily worked her way through the aforementioned Cake that attention was shifted to a still-warm Cinnamon Roll, the lack of one spiced instead by Cardamom admittedly disappointing though the golden top and soft yet springy interior was excellent nonetheless. Finding a few items not previously seen elsewhere, one titled Havrekaka essentially a finely-ground Oatmeal Cookie baked crisp and drizzled in Chocolate, it was next into a second Järvsölak that teeth sank, the chewy Coconut base even better than that al Lill-Babs in Järvsö while the Chokladboll was similarly flawed by being all Cocoa and almost no Oats or shredded Coconut save for the outside. At this point with only a few half-items set aside, the fact that neither a filled Donut nor Pie with a sidecar of Vanilla Bean Anglaise was likely to travel well something that probably should have been considered earlier, suffice it to say that "saving the best for last" still proved to be a good choice despite being well-sated as the Custard inside sugared Dough was thick and rich without being too sweet while the buttery Shell full of toasted Nuts and Caramel was essentially a supersized Notknappare made even better by its creamy Condiment.

We always stop at this bakery. The food is always fresh and tasty, deserts are irresistible and…read morevery attentive personnel. Very cosy place.