Chinese food has got a bit of a bad reputation in our part of the world, unfortunately. At best, you might think of a tasty, but predictable, "four small dishes" at a suburban restaurant with a red plush interior. That's not necessarily wrong in itself, but Chinese food can be so much more than that! Last Thursday evening, my old colleagues celebrated my departure and we took the opportunity to try Chinese fine dining in Stockholm.
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ShareChinese food in Sweden ...
Chicken with bamboo shoots or cashew nuts, four small dishes and fried banana with ice-cream - ok, but predictable and unexciting. And very, very far from the food served in China. But how did it get that way?
The first Chinese restaurant opened in Sweden in the 1960s, and the restaurants then spread during the 1970s. You can probably guess that Swedes were not particularly used to foreign food at that time, and that they had to adapt in order for the concept to catch on. My theory is that it would have been completely differently if Chinese food came to Sweden today.
... and in China
In China you are often served a bowl of rice and a small plate on which you can put food that you pick up from all the small dishes you order together. It is common to sit at round tables, and there is often a round disc in the middle where the many dishes are placed, which can then be rotated so that everyone can reach everything.
What about the food? Wow, there is a huge variety! You can get vegetable dishes, soups, dumplings, whole sliced fish on a plate, noodles, Peking duck, etc. etc. The flavours can range from mild to strong spicy or sweet. China is a large country, and there are of course great variations between the different provinces.
Chinese fine dining at Waipo
Last Thursday, my old colleagues and I visited Waipo restaurant on Drottninggatan in Stockholm (Update: The restaurant has moved to MOOD-gallerian). It is a nicely decorated restaurant with a calm atmosphere, and you come here to eat Chinese small dishes.
You can either order a 5-course tasting menu plus dessert (368 kr/person), an 8-course tasting menu plus dessert (458 kr/person) or simply order optional small dishes (about 55 - 115 kr/piece). We chose a vegetarian 5-course menu (the seafood dish could be replaced) and got to taste the following dishes:
- Mango and rice noodle salad with seafood
- Salad bowl with spring rolls and sesame sauce
- Salt roasted tofu in hotpot with chilli and spring onions
- Grilled aubergine with cashew nuts and hoisin sauce
- Grilled Portobello mushrooms with Chinese onions
If you want to try Chinese fine dining and experience delicious Chinese snacks, I recommend a visit to Waipo! What is your experience with Chinese food - in Sweden or abroad?
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Lennart says:
I have been to China twice and eaten good and strange food.
Dog and Snake among others.
We like to eat orange duck!
04 February 2017 - 7:09
mygodastefinest says:
Oh thank you for great tips!
We were just talking about it, best Chinese food here, so absolutely perfect!
Will try!
Have a nice weekend Hugs Jenny
04 February 2017 - 8:53
Matts Torebring says:
I fully agree with your description of a Chinese restaurant. You know the interior, the food, the decoration, the music in the speakers and the environment before you enter. Pretty much the same in all Chinese restaurants.
I am "environmentally damaged" and look at the crockery at least as much as the food. If I do not recognise crockery and cutlery, I sometimes try to lift the plate, even with the food on it, to see what I am eating on.
The food in the last pictures looks twice as good, because it was served on nice crockery. Have a nice weekend
04 February 2017 - 8:53
Ditte says:
I am very fond of real Chinese food after the years in China, was before too and unfortunately there are not many Chinese restaurants serving "real! Chinese food. And just four small dishes do not exist in China and the ice cream with fried banana is a more Swedish construction. We have visited Waipo a few times with Chinese friends and got good food. And they have a varied menu. Really good tofu is just so good. Your menu looked really good and I imagine it was too. Nice to be celebrated by friends with a good dinner.
As you write, China is a gigantic country and each part usually has its own food and it tastes better the further south you go.
I have learnt to cook some Chinese dishes from friends and occasionally cook them at home.
On Södermannagatan in Stockholm is an unassuming, small Chinese restaurant, "Fang Yuan Shi Wu, where we like to order take away. Very good and tastes as if you were in China. Two sisters run it. More of a hole in the wall place, but it is probably the best Chinese food in Stockholm in my opinion. Not a fine dining restaurant though. Restaurant "Hoo's" at Hornstull also offers good Chinese food as well as restaurant China on Ringvägen. (Many Chinese people go there) Also Xianköket on Frejgatan is worth a visit.
04 February 2017 - 9:55
Ama de casa says:
We had Chinese dining yesterday - delicious! Not so fine, perhaps, but on the other hand, our three-course meal cost 8.95 euros including half a bottle of wine per person 🙂 ).
04 February 2017 - 9:58
The travel dream says:
Oh, it looks so good. When I have met very wealthy people on my travels, who have travelled in between 15-170 countries, I usually ask which country has the best food. The answer? China! And I can only agree, they have such good food.
04 February 2017 - 10:36
Åsa says:
I'm sitting here drooling a little as I read.
04 February 2017 - 10:59
Christian says:
Must be tested! So far my China favourite is Surfers! http://www.matochresebloggen.se/2015/09/krogtest-surfers-stockholm-med-tips-om-godaste-ratterna-att-valja.html
04 February 2017 - 11:49
admin says:
Lennart, I have also been to China twice. I agree that there are a lot of good things, but also some strange things. I have eaten frog, sea cucumber and cobra in sweet and sour sauce. Orange is a good flavouring!
Mittgodastefinaste, great if our tip can be useful!
Matts, everything plays a role in the overall impression, both the decor and the crockery, for example. Not to mention service and treatment!
Ditte, I know you know a lot about Chinese food! Thanks for the tips on restaurants! I have been to Hoo's at Hornstull many years ago. I remember that the food was good, but the decor was a bit "dining room"-like. Then I've had good Peking duck at Mooncake too. Thanks again for the great restaurant tips!
Ama de casa, you really can't complain about the prices in your neighbourhood... !
Travel dream, glad you hear so many people mentioning China as the best food country! For me, China is also at the top, along with France perhaps ...
Åsa, don't drool on the keyboard now... 😉 Surely Portugal is not full of Asian people...?
Christian, I think you should do that! 🙂 And thanks for the tips!
04 February 2017 - 12:34
Mr Steve says:
Interesting thoughts on Chinese food.
I only know the traditional "four small dishes in a restaurant with a red plush interior". Waipo, on the other hand, has a lot of interesting things to offer.
04 February 2017 - 12:59
Across the board says:
Chinese food is very good, even though we've never been to China 🙂.
04 February 2017 - 16:04
Isabel says:
Oh that looked SO good! I love Peking duck and what I have eaten when I have been in China but in Sweden it is quite difficult to find good food I think.
04 February 2017 - 16:39
Ruth in Virginia says:
Now my memory got a boost. I remember that Berns Salonger
had a Chinese restaurant, when I lived in Sthlm 1947-51. Checked and
found that Berns opened Sweden's first Chinese restaurant in 1944.
I like Thai food better than Chinese, but then I haven't eaten at many up-scale Chinese restaurants either.
Off topic - Are there Mexican restaurants in Sthlm? I ate at El Sombrero,
when I was home in 1966. Nice place.
04 February 2017 - 18:08
Lena in Wales says:
Wrote a long comment and dropped everything! Trying again.
I was there in the 1970s when Chinese restaurants came to Sweden. How fantastic it was, so exotic and different. At that time, there was hardly anything other than Swedish food. Besides, we didn't have much of a restaurant culture in the country. And it was cheap too.
I have never eaten Chinese food in China, but Swedish, British and Spanish Chinese food varies a lot. Just like with pizza and Indian food. Indian Balti, for example, was invented in Birmingham. It's probably not that authentic.
Glad you brought up this topic!
Have a nice weekend!
04 February 2017 - 18:15
Ruth in Virginia says:
"Tjo-litta-maik"
My first love used to say that when something...
extra fun had happened. That sounds like fun, doesn't it?
04 February 2017 - 18:18
admin says:
Steve, I can eat that "regular" Swedish Chinese food sometimes too and think it's perfectly ok, but it feels a bit unfair if you think that Chinese food can't be more than that, because it can! 🙂
Nowadays, food from all corners of the world can be found everywhere, even though it may be more or less "customised"...
Isabel, I agree that it is difficult to find good Chinese restaurants in Sweden. Ditte gives some good tips in the comment above. I have also had good Peking duck at the Mooncake restaurant in Stockholm.
Ruth in Virginia, how interesting! I did some reading before writing this post and also found that Berns served Chinese food very early (it said the 50s where I read but it may not be completely correct) and then it said that the first specialised Chinese restaurants opened in the 60s, so I wrote that. But maybe it was even a little earlier! Either way, Chinese food came to Sweden very early! What fun that you can tell us about this! And yes, there are Mexican restaurants here. In Stockholm there are probably restaurants from all corners of the world, it feels like 😉.
Lena in Wales, how nice that you remember when Chinese restaurants became common here! And that it was perceived as so exotic and different! It's amazing what we have today, with food from all corners of the world!
Ruth in Virginia again, haha, you can almost hear it! Good expression! 😉
04 February 2017 - 19:09
BP says:
Couldn't have said it better! We stopped eating Chinese food many years ago here at home because, as you say, it was adapted to our rather "cowardly" taste buds. Abroad we like to eat Chinese food, as it tastes "Chinese" and brings in the different Chinese cuisines.
But I must say that I am impressed with Waipo, which I have not been to. Many thanks for the tip:-)
PS. Hoo's is a bit too "sticky" for my taste, but Xian on Frejgatan is a goldmine. DS.
04 February 2017 - 19:29
Miss M says:
WOOW !! that looked magically delicious !!!
04 February 2017 - 19:37
Mum C says:
Likes Chinese food, but has never been to China.
04 February 2017 - 21:48
Marina says:
It's great that you can get "real Chinese food" in Sweden. I, like so many others, thought for many years that the food served in restaurants in Sweden was the same as that eaten in China, but now know that this is not the case. The first time I ate "real Chinese food" was many years ago in London, and was so disappointed that there was nothing fried on the menu...
05 February 2017 - 4:08
admin says:
BP, thanks for the tip about Xian on Frejgatan (which Ditte also wrote about). We have not been there ...
Miss M, it was too! 🙂
Mum C, it's good that you can get Chinese food outside of China, even though it can be difficult to find good Chinese restaurants ...
Marina, I probably thought so too, until I went to China for the first time. Then I was 23, so it's a few years ago 😉.
05 February 2017 - 7:37
Birgitta in Umeå says:
Chinese food is very good. I often make it at home and have a large wok. I cook the ingredients in batches because they need high heat.
But Chinese food should only be eaten in China!
My son got married in China and I just "had" to go there. For 10 days I ate only good food. The best food is in China.
At the wedding, there were over a hundred guests and I had been told about Chinese food: on the Chinese table, there should always be ONE MORE dish than the number of guests. Now there were not a hundred dishes, but there were many.
09 February 2017 - 13:41