Lilla Ego -Unpretentious - Hip - Swedish
This small neighborhood restaurant boast just a few seats and each one is highly coveted.
If you want to experience the refreshingly nonchalant yet elegant cuisine of Daniel Räms and Tom Sjöstedt, be sure to book in advance.
While you might snag a shoulder-to-shoulder spot at the counter with a view of the kitchen, the best seats are at the large window in the cozy dining room, styled like a French bistro.
On a summer evening, we cycle from our Old Town apartment to the Vasastan district.
Here, the tourist hotspots of Gamla Stan feel far away.
Turn-of-the-century Stockholm townhouses line Västmannagatan, where only a discreet black awning and a few marble bistro tables hint at Lilla Ego’s presence.
We wonder if the name "Little Egoist" suggests that Stockholmers want to keep this fantastic, unpretentious restaurant all to themselves, hidden from tourists.
The team and the two owners, Tom and Daniel, run this sought-after little place with calm precision and cool attitude.
They deconstruct classic Nordic dishes into surprising, artful forms that seem effortlessly crafted in the open kitchen.
The lamb stew we order appears as a compact, crispy-coated sphere on a bed of skinned, semi-dried tomatoes and pickled artichokes, looking almost like a sumptuous dessert.
Eating it reveals a delightful explosion of textures and flavors.
The smoked herring with poached egg yolk, sauerkraut, and browned butter hides under a crispy white dome of grated milk, defying all traditional expectations.
The hand-cut ox tartare comes in a modest bowl, leaving the spotlight to its "side" - delicate artichoke chips and ginger-pickled rhubarb on ponzu mayonnaise.
We end the evening with perfectly brewed coffee served in an old-fashioned copper pot, which contrasts with the "Lilla Ego’s Dream Dessert for Two," a vividly pink and green art piece straight out of Alice in Wonderland.
This blend of cozy neighborhood charm and thrilling food interpretations rightly makes Lilla Ego a Stockholm favorite.
