~ Curious Charlie ~

IKEA Swedish Julbord Dinner at Richmond 2014 @ Thursday, December 18, 2014

Today's adventure lead us to IKEA, and with the conclusion I'm so looking forwards to seeing the US Version. Read more to find out why, actually that's in the next post.

When you think IKEA, you think DIY furniture warehouse. And for me I think day trips - yes I will take pictures of everything! But I promise not to buy anything I can't carry :P which isn't much, considering I can't even hold my 1L drink bottle. Fortunately IKEA delivers. :)

We went to the "Julbord" dinner which translates into Christmas Table, a Swedish buffet/all-you-can/will-eat. I remember seeing the ads back home and it was crazy cheap. Though here it's $20 for an adult Ikea member. We did research the event first and set expectation. The event went from 5.30-7.30pm, and we got lost on the way, as the entry was hard to find, but we got there at 6pm and checked in. It's fine.

Oh how I've missed the cafeteria style, I thought we'd get trays but not tonight. There was two lines, and within 15mins we was at the front. These pictures were taken at the end of the event hence there wasn't too many people around.

The options were less varied than expected. We sampled everything that didn't contain pork (no sausages, meatballs, leg of ham). I've always wanted to try the meatballs, but alas it contained pork (last time I got sick, yes in the restaurant). There was well the pork stuff above, mash, chips, macaroni pasta, veggies and salmon. To accompany it there was gravy and a red berry sauce.

I do love salmon, ham no.

Dinner Rolls

A fun idea would be to make a mini sub, with smoked salmon and cheese.

There's also salad too, but that was more of an afterthought.

I prefer self-serve and this dish was too big for me! I ate all except the pasta, which I'm certain was designed for kids. Everything was good, nothing stood out. I really liked the salmon with mash and berry sauce. The fries, no review on that as it was under everything and soaked in the gravy.

Salmon Fillet (LAX FILÉ) with Mash, Veggies & Lingonberry Jam (SYLT LINGON).

Drinks in the fridge weren't included in the offer, but unlimited soda and coffee was. Including Lingonberry, which looks like cranberry but is not tart, it doesn't have a strong taste. To me this is well, just a soda. Nothing special.

Spaces to Sit

Round two, or rather the second course, was salads. The beetroot and egg salad was nice, and the your basic salad, though it had no dressing? There was also matchstick veggies which were still frozen...

If you book as a group you can get a table reserved.

Christmas Pudding was very rich, as always, but yummy. I was very full but we got this! Because I'm strange I'd also like to say I got the last one. :P This one was served warm, and located in the bain-marie (that's the thing that keeps food warm, it's silver and metal). I would have liked to add some berries on top and mint, but we didn't have that on hand.

Those are not rum balls or snow balls, it's SÖTSAK KAKAOBOLL, an chocolate oat pastry rolled in shredded coconut. Next to it is SÖTSAK DAMMSUGARE, a pastry with almond paste, marzipan coating and chocolate dipped ends. And I can't find the tart.

Fourth course and the final was true dessert (le beau suggested I blog about it as the third), which I know goes before the cheese platter and wine to conclude the feast. I had two chocolate like things, a bland tart (or rather bland after the chocolate coated treats). We'll talk about the cookies later.

I'd like to sit by the window but the view is just metal roofs.

Marinated smoked salmon (LAX NAJAD) was served with two sauces marinated herring in sour cream (SILL GRÄDDFIL) and marinated herring w mustard sauce (SILL SENAP). Thanks Sally, that slimy brown/latte fish is herring.

BRÖD MJUKKAKA

Soft wheat bread. A bread type from the north of Sweden.

Serve as an open sandwich with optional toppings.

~~Third~~ Fourth course was le beau's adult choice of dessert, with cheese and pastries/breads that were unfamiliar. There was only one type of cheese which was cheddar but with a lighter taste. We also had smoked salmon, which I developed a taste for over the weekend, which was served with two sauces. We have to come back to buy salmon!

Ginger thins (PEPPARKAKOR) a traditional Swedish Christmas cookie. Today eaten all year round. Serve as they are with coffee or tea, or with blue cheese and wine. This was great! We'll be back to get a box.

I think this was the menu, though I don't think there was herring?

Why does Santa have a local accent?

Ikea has pretty cheap food (dine-in) we'll be back. Here's the menu. Shall be back for a dish with salmon, they offer set dishes, though I'd like to pick my own again. How would that work? Build your own dish? Like a bento! That'll be fun.

Service was very good (the same guy served me each time) and as soon as you left the table someone would clean up and remove your plate and wipe the tables. This happened between each course as we didn't leave our bags/coats at the table.

Overall a enjoyable evening where I think I ate too much. Satisfaction evaluation? I'm satisfied, not delighted (a challenge). I thought there would be a larger variety. But everything was good. Not at a level where le beau asks where we should go for dinner, but at one where if we spend a day at ikea we'll eat there.

Afterwards we went exploring.

This is so true, because the only stuff I bought was from the food hall which is at the exit.

Will you be attending IKEA's Swedish Julbord next year?

IKEA Richmond Restaurant & Café on Urbanspoon

RMIT Newintstudents said... on December 18, 2014 10:39 AM

the brown fish is herring

Curious Charlie said... on December 18, 2014 5:21 PM

Updated, thanks Sally.