We started with Aquavit cocktails. I ordered the white cosmopolitan while he had the spicy mango martini, very typical drinks for us. Aquavit tastings were also available in a variety of flavors, including coriander & dill and fig & cardamom.
The house bread was served with a delicious salmon mousse spread in addition to the conventional butter. It was creamy, flavorful, and a nice way to begin the meal. I started with the herring sampler and he had the venison tartare. The herring plate came with three tastings: pickled, lemon, and honey mustard cured herring, served with a few slices of Swedish cheese and a fingerling potato. The pickled herring was my favorite of the three - very clean and the acidity balanced the saltiness of the fish perfectly. The lemon and honey mustard were a bit overwhelming, but still very tasty. The cheese, which tasted a bit like white cheddar, was a surprisingly effective palate cleanser and calmed down the sour tartness of each bite.
For my entree, I had the seared cod with potato and leek stomp and grilled asparagus. The stomp, which is akin to a mash, was delicious, creamy, and coated the cod nicely. The asparagus added a needed crispness to the plate. Overall, it was a very tasty dish, although the flavors were not particularly new. His schnitzel entree was also quite good, but not anything exciting.
Our desserts were a very nice surprise. It's been awhile since we've had desserts worth mentioning. I had the Arctic Circle, a goat cheese parfait that was nearly frozen but still creamy. It was served with a lingonberry sorbet and salted pistachios. The entire bite was refreshing and just sweet enough. The pistachios added a fun textural contrast, and the salt really brought out the sweetness of the lingonberries.
I'd like to try the more extravagant dishes of the main dining room, but I appreciated the simple presentations of this meal. The space was cozy yet elegant, and the tasty, clean flavors of each dish made this a great bistro-style dinner.
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