Other world's restaurants, part 1 of 2
The Flying Elk, Stockholm, Sweden, 2,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (18-08-2019 by Nenad Jelisic)
A new Stockholm-restaurant-disappointment again, but it is not as big as the one with the Matbaren, Mathias Dahlgren at the Grand Hôtel, which got 1,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP on my last visit, the third visit. I think that the problem with The Flying Elk's low rating lies in the fact that Björn Frantzén's small restaurant empire has become too big too quickly. So fast big that Björn has transferred control and management of his new restaurants to significantly less talented part-owners/managers. Then, their poor management and control has led to that cooks, sommeliers and waiters have stopped caring or that they had employed the cooks, the sommeliers and the waiters who would absolutely not be employed. I assert this because Björn Frantzén, one of Scandinavia's absolute best chefs, would never allow that the food, the wines and the service would end up on this level, 2,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP. It is a pity that it is so as I wrote because Björn is really passionate about food and cooking and it proves his relatively short and very successful chef-history. Björn took his first steps as a cook through the practice at the restaurant Edsbacka krog (Edsbacka Wärdshus) in Sollentuna, Sweden. Then he worked among others at the restaurant Chez Nico (Nico Ladenis, London, UK, three Michelin stars) and the restaurant Arpege (Alain Passard, Paris, France, three Michelin stars). In 2008, together with pastry chef Daniel Lindeberg, he opened the restaurant Frantzén/Lindeberg in Stockholm. The following year, the restaurant got its first Michelin star and two years later it got its two Michelin stars. In 2013, Björn and Daniel went separate ways and the restaurant was renamed to Frantzén. In 2018, the Frantzén became Sweden's first restaurant to be awarded three stars in Guide Michelin. In 2019, Guide Michelin confirmed the restaurant's three star status. Today, besides The Flying Elk and Frantzén, Björn also runs Catering Frantzén, Studio Frantzén, Corner Club and Gaston vin. In addition to all this, Björn has managed to write a book together with Daniel Lindeberg, see above, (Frantzén/Lindeberg, 2012) and a book together with Göran Lager (The Flying Elk, 2016) and two own books (Glow with Björn Frantzén, 2014 and Björn Frantzén prepares food for peckish diabetics and other people, 2017). To achieve all this and be 42 years old is absolutely incredible.
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London, UK, 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (18-12-2018 by Nenad Jelisic)
What food! What wines! What a service! What a sommelier! What a restaurant! I have difficulty to find words about how impressed I was when I visited this fabulous restaurant on the 2nd November 2018. The restaurant, owned by internationally well-known chef Gordon Ramsay, belongs to 1 of 3 London restaurants that have 3 Michelin stars. There can not be so many food interested persons in the world who do not know who Gordon Ramsay is. He has participated in many food programs such as: Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking, Hell's Kitchen, MasterChef, Ramsay's Best Restaurant, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, The F Word and this year came the Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back program. Since 1996, Ramsay has written 25 books. The latest book came out this year and it is called Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Fit Food. Gordon Ramsay's (Gordon Ramsay Group’s) restaurant empire has 35 restaurants and 7 Michelin stars, with restaurants from Europe to the United States and the Middle East. Of these 35 restaurants, 15 are in London. His internationally most famous and most exclusive restaurant is Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and it is his only restaurant with 3 Michelin stars. The restaurant was founded in 1998 when Gordon Ramsay was 31 years old. In 2001, the restaurant got 3 Michelin stars and it has retained them since then. The restaurant is decorated in a modern and elegant style. It is located on 68 Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea in London.
Marcus Restaurant, The Berkeley Hotel, London, UK, 3,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (18-07-2018 by Nenad Jelisic)
Marcus Restaurant at the 5-star The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge in London belongs to one of nine London's two-stars Michelin Guide restaurants. The restaurant is owned by the famous chef Marcus Wareing who in addition to this restaurant owns two more restaurants: The Gilbert Scott in the St Pancras Renaissance hotel in King's Cross St. Pancras and Tredwells in Covent Garden. Marcus Wareing had worked at among other hotel Savoy, Le Gavroche Restaurant and Gordon Ramsay Restaurant. Since 2014, when Marcus replaced the famous chef Michel Roux Jr., he is one of the main judges of the very tough and very TV-popular cookie competition MasterChef The Professionals. So far, Marcus has released seven cookbooks. Taking into account all of this, my expectations were extremely high, but unfortunately, I experienced that the restaurant was not near my expectations.
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.
Ritz Restaurant, Hotel Ritz, London, UK, 5,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (26-06-2015 by Nenad Jelisic)
It is the second time that the NJ Wines gives 5 NJP to some restaurant and we do this with great joy. Everything was perfect at this restaurant: food’s quality, food's taste, how the food is presented and looks, wine selection, decor, atmosphere, service and cleanliness. If you want to feel like a king for one day then you absolutely must visit the fabulous Ritz restaurant. The restaurant is located in one of London's most internationally known (if not the most known) and one of London's most exclusive hotels, Hotel Ritz. The hotel itself is located on Dover Street, very close to the very famous Piccadilly Circus.
Fischers Fritz (now called Charlotte & Fritz), Berlin, Germany, 1,5 NJP of 5,0 NJP (18-10-2014 by Nenad Jelisic)
Because of I can not visit dozens of restaurants in a big city for a short time, 2 to 3 days, I usually use, as one of my many sources, the Michelin Guide. The Michelin Guide states the following about this restaurant: "The elegant wood panelling, open fire and fine chandeliers at Fischers Fritz are somewhat reminiscent of the classic English style. While Christian Lohse's fish inspired cuisine, unforgettable for its use of high quality produce and painstaking preparation, clearly shares equally classic roots. It is not for nothing that the restaurant has been awarded two Michelin stars for the past seven years!". This description and very good reviews from other sources did that I visited the restaurant and since then I have wondered how the Michelin Guide could give two stars out of three available to it. If someone from the Michelin Guide reads this, I would appreciate it very much if you contact me and explain me how it happened when Fischers Fritz last time got the two stars.
NJ Wines
 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |