Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Sweden
Restaurant of the Month, Sweden
A space for origin With the utmost respect for quality ingredients and a no-fuss approach to accessible dining, Portal Restaurant has become a much-loved, vibrant local in the heart of Stockholm’s Vasastan. By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Markus Crépin Sundström
that with me. I also work very closely with suppliers, we grow our own vegetables at Ingarö in the archipelago, and the food we serve is very much based on these quality ingredients.”
When Klas Lindberg was tipped off about the old Chinese at St. Eriksplan in Stockholm coming up for sale, he immediately saw potential. It boasted high ceilings, huge windows and a great location – but it would require lots of work. “My old ice hockey buddies came along and chucked away about 62 tonnes of stuff. I can’t say I wasn’t stressed when I realised how much work was involved, but it feels good now to know that the restaurant is in perfect nick and we’ve only got ourselves to blame if something goes wrong,” says the chef.
With everything from the interiors to the food on the plate, Portal Restaurant aims to provide a relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable experience. The décor is soft, the service friendly and relatable. “It doesn’t challenge you too much – we want to provide an atmosphere you can rest in,” says Lindberg. “Same in the kitchen: we’ll play around with and try out new things, but it’s all with a safe base. With extremely qualified staff, we can provide a holistic experience with snacks, starters, mains and desserts in addition to well-matched drinks, all at very sympathetic prices.”
Inspired by Småland Portal Restaurant opened its doors last summer, serving 92 guests on the first 102 | Issue 100 | May 2017
night and presenting a deeply considered interior with beautiful details and soft hues. Having stripped the venue back to its bare, original state before filling it with design items from his home county of Småland as well as locally sourced quality ingredients, Lindberg talks about his restaurant as “a space for origin”, also using Rörstrand china originally produced just up the road. “We’ve decorated the big windows with original 1950s lamps that I’ve been storing in my attic for years, just waiting to put them to use in the right place one day,” he explains. “We’ve put a lot of thought into this. My childhood home is right between the Kingdom of Crystal and the furniture design hub of Småland, and I’ve brought
An accessible local The holistic experience means that service starts for lunch, with the restaurant