Flickan

It does feel a bit empty behind the backs of the eight places at the bar. Since 16-seat Flickan downsized to 8-seat Flickan Counter Dining, the tables remain empty during dinner service. It’s a shame to think of all the pleasure that could have been had here, because the food experience is sublime, and the small kitchen team and ever-absent sommelier Daniel Crespi make everything come together in a tasty whole.

They’re not shy of banging on the big drum in the form of luxurious ingredients. Duck liver au torchon with onion rings and a thin slice of well-aged charcuterie between two toasted brioches makes a burger for hedonists, impossible not to like for duck liver aficionados. The heap of eggs from a German-farmed Siberian sturgeon adds lustre to the chawanmushi egg custard, along with ramsons pickled in apple cider vinegar and fresh garlic.

A succulent Norway lobster tail is brushed with butter flavoured with lemon pickle and then carefully blowtorched in front of the guests. But the kitchen can also conjure big flavours from more modest produce. Carrot is braised in butter, green juniper berries, dry sherry and crown dill flowers pickled in a salty and acidic brine, and served with a dollop of homemade cream and shredded house-hanged charcuterie.

Mushroom ravioli of wood hedgehog, yellowfoot, horn of plenty and roasted pumpkin are served with an unusually deeply-flavoured broth of chicken, dried cep, chaga, and fermented button mushrooms. Interestingly, a scallop plays second fiddle to yellow and red tomatoes preserved in salt, sugar, white vinegar and water. The dish is topped with coriander seeds pickled in white vinegar and a touch of Espelette pepper, grated frozen tomato and olive oil.

Daniel Crespi’s well-stocked cellar yields a nuance-rich champagne from Henriot, refreshing Mosel riesling from Wolfer Goldgrube, perfectly matured 1999 barbaresco from Giuseppe Cortese and golden yellow 2004 Viña Tondonia Blanco from Rioja. The wine menu reaches its climax with a judiciously oaked chardonnay from By Farr in Australia’s Victoria. The wines are all resplendent in themselves, but become that much better with the dishes they accompany.