Take Five – April
From Swedish cocktails to a Japanese design discovery in Milan and a hilarious new TV obsession about Hollywood, this month's picks take you on a journey – through places and time.
1. Röda Huset – a Friday night highlight
I had a wonderful Friday dinner with friends at Röda Huset, one of Stockholm’s most exciting spots right now. The drinks alone are worth the visit — all their signature cocktails are crafted from Swedish ingredients. The food, on the other side, leans heavily into exquisite Japanese flavors. We started with honey butter togarashi popcorn and some sake, continued with beef tartare with carrot, xo-sauce, onion and dashi mayo and finished with heavenly desserts like the smooth Okinawa black sugar soft serve and a bao semla with miso diplomat. Röda Huset has just opened a gorgeous new cocktail bar upstairs, where you can even try a cocktail tasting menu.
Röda Huset, Drottninggatan 85, Stockholm,
2. Spritmuseet’s Time Travel Dinner – 300 years of Swedish drinking
At Spritmuseet’s Tidsresan, you don’t just eat — you step into an audiovisual, historical experience where food, drinks and storytelling keep you entertained. You start in the 18th century with crisp knäckebröd and beer, move into the 19th with a sort of Swedish antipasto composed of herring, smoked reindeer heart, cheese and schnapps, continue to the 1950s with a hearty steak, party in the 1980s with the dessert classic Gino and sweet champagne, finally landing in the present with coffee and digestives from a host of small, Swedish producers of whisky, rhum, raspberry punch and more. Currently in Swedish only, but an English version is in the pipeline.
Spritmuseum, Djurgårdsstrand 9, Stockholm.
3. Time & Style – a Japanese gem
Japan is definitely having a cultural moment. The New York times T Magazine recently dedicated its entire Culture issue to the country, and wherever you look, Japan seems to be present. During my visit to Milan Design Week, friends introduced me to Time & Style – a wonderful Japanese brand combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. Their furniture, created by top designers like Peter Zumthor and Kengo Kuma, is all about clean lines, natural materials and timeless beauty. The Milan showroom – which, to be more exact, consists of three separate showrooms – is located in a beautiful building from 1800s, with original timber ceilings, a calm inner courtyard and multiple rooms to be inspired by.
Time & Style showroom Milan: Largo Claudio Treves, 2, Milan.
4. Beef tartare at Calle P
Beef tartare is one of my favorite dishes to order (yes, I had it twice in a week, see above) and at Calle P in Stockholm, they serve a great version. The classic combination of ground beef, Dijon mustard, egg yolk and capers is topped with parmesan and crispy Jerusalem artichoke chips, adding a crispy contrast to the rich flavors and silky texture of the tartare. Don’t skip dessert either: the banana cake with miso, caramel, and vanilla ice cream is the perfect, slightly salty-sweet ending.
Calle P, Mäster Samuelsgatan 42, Stockholm.
5. The Studio – the funniest show airing right now
Are we talking about The Studio enough? Because it feels like we’re not, and we really should be. It’s is a hilarious satire of Hollywood, starring Seth Rogen as a stressed, conflict-fearing studio head desperate for celebrity approval. But the no-filter PR Manager, played by Kathryn Hahn, has to be my favourite. The result is both funny and intelligent — probably the funniest new show I’ve seen for a while, and definitely the one with the most celebrity cameos.
The Studio is currently streaming on Apple TV+
