Nour (Stockholm)

Nordic Japanese? Sign me up.

I had been intrigued with any restaurant in Sweden that features a truffle okonomiyaki (although not served at this visit) and puts a bottle of Hibiki on its home page.

What followed was a beautiful meal in an absolutely stunning location. Many restaurants shuffle you from room-to-room between snacks, the main event and sweets. This former home at Norrlandsgatan 24, now Nour, is the elegant, relaxed "private club" setting where you want to spend your evening.

The team is youthful and exuberant, especially in the kitchen. My only concern was when guests are taken through the kitchen on their way to the digestif room, the chefs have a deer-in-headlights, anti-social look about them. Perfectly fine. But, if they're going to bring diners through the kitchen, a little loosening up wouldn't hurt.

The snacks were beautifully presented with the standout being the quail egg with trout row. To have this in a five-star setting while seated on a couch in the first room, with an aperitif, was the epitome of casual luxury.

The supremely interesting "bread course" featured a fluffy milk bun to be dipped in vendace row and cultured cream. Vendace is such a lovely every-day product in Sweden, and here it's use is elevated.

The second preparation of pike perch skin properly shattered and derived much more flavour than other versions.

Venison, in two preparations, were knockouts. Anything over the Japanese charcoal grill is going to be a winner. But the seasoning here was on point. While the pepper in the main dish sparked the transition from delicate, clean flavours to an all out flavour bomb.

Unfortunately, the only misstep was the kakigori which lacked any discernable taste and felt "watery."

The meal rebounded with the raw milk flan and caramel. This was epically good in its simplicity, but also comforting.

Funny enough, I was spotted out the next night by a member of the team who came up and thanked me for dining with them. How lovely is that? I was even invited to join their party at a very popular night spot later on. If they are reading this now, please accept my sincere apologies for not going. I can no longer hang that late in the night. Which goes back to my comment about how young and enthusiastic this great team is.

Service at Nour met the moment and especially the setting. What a find Nour is. Now bring back the okonomiyaki please!

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