My Swedish co-workers are a lively bunch. They were very kind to invite me to their team outing the first day I came in to work. And so at 5 pm, a very civilized time to leave work, off we went.
Our first stop was a restaurant in DjurgÃ¥rden, a pastoral area full of parks and museums, cafés and restaurants. The main attraction at Wärdshuset Godthem is the plank steak: a steak broiled on a bed of mashed potatoes atop a wooden plank, served on a hot copper tray. Since its inception in 1874, Wärdshuset Godthem has served 1.6 million plank steaks, with plaques to prove it. The wall in the foyer proudly displays numerous wooden planks proclaiming milestones from one hundred to over one million. My twisted American mind immediately thought of McDonald’s—“over one million served!”—a far cry from this staid old Swedish establishment.
As you can see, Wärdshuset Godthem is a charming, old world place with seasoned professional waiters who wear a waistcoat and tie. The atmosphere is a bit formal, a result of the regal, old furniture and just the sheer age of the place, I suppose. But a summer supper in Stockholm can never be too formal. With the sunlight streaming in through the large open windows, our dinner was more like an indoor picnic with really posh dinnerware.
Naturally, I ordered the planksteak, but neglected to specify my preferred level of doneness (medium rare, please!). I don’t care for cream sauces on my steak, so I ordered mine without the house béarnaise. Nonetheless, the steak was succulent and flavorful, basting the bed of mashed potatoes with its juices. The mashed potatoes were slightly browned from broiling, creating a pleasant crunchy contrast to the creaminess of the purée. The plank steak was fun to eat, and washed down well with a glass of Swedish beer. (More like half a glass. I do enjoy a good beer, but a full glass or pint is much too filling. Who has room for beer when there’s so much food to eat? Hmm… Swedish men, that’s who!)
With several more hours of broad daylight at our disposal, we followed up our meal with a visit to Gröna Lund, the oldest amusement park in Sweden. Gröna Lund includes typical fairground games involving shooting at something, or tossing a ball, earning points, and winning a stuffed penguin. (At a pistol shooting game, one of my hosts was surprised to find that I am a terrible shot. “You’re American,” he said, “you’re supposed to be good at this.” Amused, I replied that I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of the NRA.) It also features two roller coaster rides and several pubs (the park is frequented by people of all ages).
Stockholm is a beautiful city seen from the ground, but it’s marvelous to behold from a couple hundred feet in the air. The breakneck speed of Gröna Lund’s winding, loopy coaster is almost a distraction from the magnificent view of city and sea. Just when you think your liver fell out on that last sudden drop, up you go again, and out goes your breath because you just can’t believe the view. There’s something you won’t find at Six Flags.
We topped off the evening with a lovely little ferry ride around the archipelago. My colleagues kindly pointed out particularly noteworthy structures and their histories, which certainly enriched the experience. For those of us from the “new world,” almost every building in Stockholm is remarkable, in that the entire city is so very old and architecturally fascinating. It helps to talk to people who are intimately familiar with the history of the place, just to put everything into context.
After a really fun evening, we all went our separate ways at around twilight, or 11 pm. To all the guys on the Swedish team: Tack så mycket!
Nota bene: If you happen to go to Wärdshuset Godthem, bear in mind that the plank steak is enormous! I could have easily shared mine with a diner of a similar appetite.
