Our go to to Persona, positioned within the prestigious Östermalm space of Stockholm, started with a pleasant wave from one of many workers as we had been welcomed by the arched façade of a sublime constructing at Torstenssonsgatan 11. From the second we stepped inside, it was clear that this wasn’t going to be simply one other meal, however a culinary journey completely aligned with the upscale environment. With a number of members of the group having honed their abilities at Frantzén, one in every of Sweden’s most famed and Michelin-starred eating places, we knew we may very well be in for a really particular expertise. In this evaluation, I’ll stroll you thru our night so you’ll be able to choose for your self whether or not Persona actually lives as much as its prime location in one in every of Stockholm’s most unique neighbourhoods.
The meals
Let’s start with the meals. We had the seasonal tasting menu titled ‘Summer with Monika’. We weren’t given a menu so that every course got here as a surpise to us, which was a pleasant means of doing issues, though I did after all request a duplicate (to not spoil the surprises, however only for the needs of this write-up).
Each course is described in only a handful of phrases punctuated by ahead slashes, even when the creation of the dishes isn’t fairly so simple as the menu suggests, so we started proceedings with “croustade / veal tartar / gribiche”, an fascinating and really scrumptious tackle a French basic, topped with white kombu.
Drawing its inspiration from South America, the “cajun tartelette / sweet corn / ranch dressing” was a flavourful Cajun tarte crammed with a lightweight and ethereal corn soufflé, drizzled with creamy ranch dressing. This comforting dish was not overly spicy however nonetheless supplied daring flavors to thrill the palate.
A showstopper in the case of seems is the “truffle choux / monbazillac / tête de moine” – a fragile choux pastry crammed with wealthy, earthy preserved winter truffle, elegantly topped with frilly curls of Swiss cheese to offer a shocking visible distinction. A drizzle of Monbazillac, a candy wine from Périgord, provides a luscious sweetness to a dish that was as pleasing to the attention because it was to the tastebuds.
A French basic – crispy pommes dauphine – was given a inventive twist in recognition of the much-celebrated Swedish midsummer with “pommes dauphine / truffle seaweed / matjessill” – designed to be eaten in a single chew and served with an earthy truffle seaweed and matjessill (Swedish pickled herring). This distinctive pairing of French strategies and Swedish flavours was introduced on prime of an eye catching, midsummer-inspired floral show.
After this course, we had been invited all the way down to the wine cellar. Instead of studying by the wine checklist, diners are invited to seek out out what fits them finest by dialog and an exploration of their likes and dislikes.
The cellar can also be the place you’ll be able to view the produce getting used within the menu is showcased in a refrigerated show.
Whilst we had been nonetheless within the cellar, we had been introduced with “foie gras / macaron / cloudberry” which captured the essence of French and Swedish culinary cultures by marrying the French delicacy of foie gras with the distinctive, seasonal and sweet-tart allure of Swedish cloudberries.
Back upstairs, “halibut / ajo blanco / sturgeon caviar / elderflower” featured a fragile halibut crudo served with a clean and creamy ajo blanco (a conventional Spanish almond and garlic soup) with floral notes from elderflower vinegar and an expensive contact of Ossietta sturgeon caviar from Poland. This dish proved to be one of many night’s highlights and complemented the halibut fantastically.
The “squid / XO / lumpfish roe / pine” was an modern noodle dish, that includes tender squid paired with a wealthy XO sauce and opulent lumpfish roe. The addition of finger lime launched a burst of citrus fantastically counterbalancing the earthiness of the pine.
At Persona, they be certain that their scallops are meticulously ready and delivered straight from Hitra, Norway, the place they’re harvested by hand, which works an extended approach to explaining why the “scallop / vanilla / caviar / tiger bread / tarama”, which options three of the chef’s favorite elements, was a powerful success. Norwegian scallops are thought of among the world’s finest, due to the chilly waters wherein they develop, imparting a novel sweetness and richness which positively got here by on this dish.
It was at this level within the proceedings that we loved schnapps and even a energetic rendition of a Swedish music from the ready workers, offering one other nod to Swedish midsummer, a time when Swedes sometimes drink schnapps and beer whereas indulging in crayfish alongside västerbottenpaj (a västerbotten cheese pie).
The “västerbotten chawanmushi / crayfish / trout roe” is a fragile steamed egg custard infused with västerbotten cheese, accompanied by tender crayfish, sakkiwash trout roe, sea buckthorn oil and really fairly crown dill. This dish represents a French chef’s inventive interpretation of Swedish traditions in a contemporary, Japanese means – wondefully creamy with the sweetness of the crayfish balancing fantastically with the delicate brininess of the trout roe.
The “chūtoro / foie gras / kampot pepper / black radish” which adopted had a meltingly tender texture that’s attribute of this particular minimize of bluefin tuna, while the fermented black pepper sauce gave the dish an additional layer of depth and richness.
The “beef / chimichurri / shiso tempura” featured essentially the most scrumptious and succulent wagyu beef, complemented by a vibrant and zesty chimichurri sauce, topped with a crispy shiso tempura. This stunning fusion of Latin American and Japanese flavours labored extraordinarily nicely and made this a stand-out dish for me.
The “tiramisu / truffle / px / gavotte” is Persona’s modern tackle the basic tiramisu, enhanced with a French contact. This fashionable interpretation encompasses a crispy gavotte from Brittany, harking back to a fluffy crêpe, served with a cold-infused espresso ice cream made out of sustainable Ethiopian espresso beans, in addition to a mascarpone cream with a crunchy praline made out of almonds and a cookie crumble. Finishing the dish are slivers of summer season truffle and a PX syrup from 1947, which supplies an fragrant, candy and aged essence, changing the normal wine present in a basic tiramisu. The endresult is an distinctive mix of flavours and textures, which is absolutely saying one thing since I’m not usually a giant fan of tiramisu!
Before our remaining course, there was a quick interlude – a novel alternative to have interaction our senses. We had been introduced with a crimson field crammed with a number of small bottles containing a secret choice of spirits, encouraging us to discover aromas and flavours we’d have in any other case ignored. Identifying and distinguishing every delicate observe proved to be far tougher than you may think!
Our final course, “cardamom croissant / tarte soufflé chocolate / cannelé,” was an beautiful amalgamation of candy treats. We had been introduced with three small bites; a cardamom croissant representing a pleasant fusion of French and Swedish pastry traditions, and a novel twist on the basic croissant with the fragrant heat of cardamom; a lightweight and ethereal chocolate soufflé tart which was splendidly wealthy and decadent; and a canelé, a beloved basic from Bordeaux.
The chef
Chef Louis Cespedes brings with him a background that features stints on the prestigious Frantzén and Adam & Albin. He is Frenchman who has honed his abilities in a few of Sweden’s prime kitchens and at Persona, he showcases a menu that highlights daring flavours with creative presentation, reflecting a deep respect for elements and a culinary philosophy is centered round a dedication to creativity and excellence.
Sadly Louis was away on the time of our go to, however it was a pleasure to see his group at work within the open-plan kitchen that takes centre stage within the restaurant, creating memorable eating experiences that resonate with visitors lengthy after they depart.
The atmosphere
Persona’s inside has been designed by Erik Bratsberg, himself impressed by mid-century Italian design, who has created a welcoming but refined eating surroundings. The use of calming inexperienced hues and pure wooden not solely present a way of rest, but additionally one way or the other evoke a reference to nature and Sweden’s altering seasons. It’s an intimate environment with a energetic buzz of chattering diners and an eclectic combine of latest music, that offers approach to a soothing ambiance that’ feels welcoming and never too stuffy.
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The price
The tasting menu is priced at 2,100 SEK (roughly $200 at present change charges).Wine pairings vary from 1,600 SEK to the ‘Dreams’ pairing (wines discovered on the highest of want lists) for 7,500 SEK.
The remaining verdict
At Persona, we had been handled to a really particular eating expertise. Here, the menu combined wealthy Nordic traditions with fashionable culinary improvements, balancing glorious presentation with delicate flavours. As our expertise drew to a detailed, we had been requested to smile for the digicam. We thought nothing of it on the time however, to our delight, we had been introduced with a Polaroid as we left— a beautiful souvenir to mark a really memorable night.
Disclosure: Our go to was sponsored by Persona and our journey was kindly supported by Visit Stockholm.
Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has labored within the journey trade for greater than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED journal. In addition to different awards, the weblog has additionally been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Telegraph.
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