LUX Stockholm is located in Lilla Essingen, a short taxi ride from the hubbub of the city centre. A former Electrolux canteen, it is an unusually cool setting for a Michelin starred eatery and yet seems to suit Lux’s quirky style and adventurous take on food.

On entering we noticed a lack of young diners in the restaurant, odd perhaps considering the inventive, contemporary cooking; however when you remember the location and hefty prices it makes more sense. All food and eating out in Stockholm is expensive so you can imagine, fine dining is extortionate.

The tasting menus are recommended and are available in a 6 or 9 course option. You do get your money’s worth as Lux are very keen on amuse-bouches and we were treated to numerous tasters from the chef before the actual meal commenced. Tiny savoury profiteroles, micro salads, miniature mouthfuls of soup all arrived, immaculately presented and uniquely arranged. I was impressed with the clever design and polite tidiness of the food, but although the plates always looked beautiful the food on them didn’t always look appetising.

Chef Henrik Norstrom is not afraid to be bold and brave in the kitchen, defying convention to create technically sophisticated food with lots of flair. He uses almost exclusively organic, unusual and locally produced ingredients. Without a menu I would not have been able to guess some of the fascinating dishes placed in front of me. Between us we tried almost everything from the tasting menus:

– Dill flavoured herring from Gothenburg with cockles from Grebbestad, pickled gherkin, garden sorrel and sour cream

– Parsley simmered langoustine from Fjallbacka with Ivergard’s parsley suede, parsley cream and steamed crayfish parcel

– Lightly smoked and blackened reindeer from Overtornea with Ivergard’s broad beans, fried chanterelles, cress cream and pickled green cabbage

– Tomatoes from Hornudden’s garden

– Fir tree smoked mallard from Vastmanland, Ivergard’s fennel, pickled currents, black pudding biscuits and ginger

– Juniper berry fried roe deer buck from Sodermanland with cep, salt pork, parsley suede and chicken crisp

– Cream ice cream made of autumn raspberries from Stenhuse farm with hazelnut cream, almond milk and frozen coffee mousse

– Garden chocolates and marmalade

The fish courses were the most radical: some raw, others cooked lightly and served with eccentric choices of vegetables and pickles. Intriguing for the palate but not necessarily comforting. The meat was more hearty, we particularly enjoyed the deer, a lovely flavoursome cut of meat cooked to perfection with a salty rich and delicious sauce and served on a bed of soft sweet vegetables. Dessert was a lovely contrasting dish with red fruits and silky smooth mousse.

The service was good but I was disappointed not to see more smiles from the waitresses, they all looked a little glum and absent.

Lux Stockholm offers exceptionally attractive experimental food that pushes the boundaries of Michelin starred cuisine whilst showing off Stockholm’s finest produce and traditions.

More information here: http://luxstockholm.com/

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