Matbaren, Mathias Dahlgren, Grand Hôtel, Stockholm, Sweden, 1,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (05-11-2017 by Nenad Jelisic)
Mathias Dahlgren is a restaurant that is located in the beautiful and luxurious Grand Hôtel in Stockholm, which is located on Blasieholmen in the heart of Stockholm. It has been part of the Grand Hôtel since it was founded by the famous Swedish chef Mathias Dahlgren in 2007. The restaurant consists of two restaurants: Matbaren (that was established in 2014) and Rutabaga (formerly called Matsalen, name change took place in 2017). Matsalen got one star of three possible in the Michelin Guide in 2017. Both two restaurants are decorated in modern Scandinavian style. As far as the interior is concerned, I can say that the chairs (bar stools), in the Matbaren, feel very uncomfortable to sit in. Furthermore, it feels pretty crowded to move, and eat in the Matbaren. The menu of the Matbaren is changed 4 times (4 seasons) per year and the largest majority of the ingredients, which are used for dishes, come from Sweden.
This was NJ Wines (my) third visit to the Matbaren. The visit took place on the 2nd July 2017. The reason that I chose to visit Matbaren the third time was that the food was very good (5 NJP) both at the first and the second visit and that I hoped to impress my company. What has been very annoying all three times was the extremely bad treatment at the entrance to both restaurants (Matbaren and Rutabaga). I felt all three times very unwelcome, as I tried to force into someone private home. But unlike earlier, this time I have really had enough. The rest of the staff should also change their attitude to guests. I estimate that about 50% of the staff should not work at all in the service industry. But, I also have to admit that the remaining about 50% of the staff were very pleasant and accommodating.
The menu I tasted looked like this: 1. Charcoal grilled pig from Onsberga (truffle, cabbage and hazelnut), 2. Seared tenderloin of beef from Svartådalen (carrot, pimenton and sherry vinegar) and 3. Baked wild chocolate from Bolivia (sour cream, toffée ice cream and nuts). Both dish number 1 and dish number 2 consisted of over 80% of uncooked vegetables and less than 20% meat. The vegetables in both dishes tasted vegetables and in addition to that, the dishes tasted almost nothing more. Some sauce that would enhance the taste of both dishes was almost entirely lacking. That dish number 1 costs 295 SEK and dish number 2 costs 315 SEK, I have had a lot of difficulty to understand. That Matbaren requested so much paid for two bad and very small dishes (salads), which were served on small plates (salad plates), is beneath all contempt. In the dish number 1, the charcoal grilled pig tasted almost nothing, and it had almost rubbery texture. However, the quality, taste and texture of tenderloin of beef was very good in the dish number 2. Even my favourite dessert, which I greatly enjoyed at the first and second visit, did not taste like before, it was too sweet.
Last but not least, the number of wines, both white and red, which are sold per glass, should be much greater and 99% of wines should not come from France and Italy. There was only one wine that did not come from France or Italy, it came from Germany.