Interiors - January 2008

cuisine art
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“I believe I have a signature style more than
signature dishes,” explains Dahlgren, and so the
menus change daily according to what produce
is in season and, of course, based on his culinary
whim. At the intimate 36-seat Matsalen, Dahlgren
creates a refined menu that showcases luxurious
Swedish ingredients in dishes like raw and smoked
reindeer with Kalix whitefish roe, royale of celeriac
with fried langoustine tails and what is certainly
the most bucolic-sounding entrée the country
has ever witnessed: the taste of a Swedish cow.
Matbaren’s menu, which is decidedly more
casual and whose smaller plates are designed
for sharing among friends, offers a menu which
emphasizes a more international perspective
and is divided into sections: “From Our Country”
(where diners can choose among dishes like butter
-fried pike-perch from Lake Hjälmaren and veal
brawn from Småland) and “From Other Countries”
(think poached asparagus from Rhineland-Pfalz
alongside baked wild chocolate from Bolivia).
Yet Dahlgren doesn’t want to stray too far away

from his roots. He views preservation techniques
like smoking, curing and pickling as emblematic
of Swedish cuisine, past and present, and does his
best to incorporate them into his food.

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