La Ragazza Stockholm

La Ragazza is a casual fine dining restaurant in the middle of the old quarter, Gamla Stan. It started as an experimental kitchen but soon became permanent when the owner recognized the potential. It serves a mixture of Nordic and Italian dishes.
Now it serves 12-14 small dishes, some of them just a bit size spoon, some of them slightly larger. The execution is very good, the combination of flavors sometimes daring. Some of the dishes, however, are excellent.
The Noir de Bigorre pig in Paradise Nera jus gets served with bread and honey butter. But instead of putting the butter onto the bread, one gets instructed to put it on the pig where it melts. The bread then should be used to suck up the jus. A wonderful dish as the butter increases the already existing umami of the pig and makes it deeply succulent.
The Charcoal grilled Kabayaki eel is as good as some of the best unagi one can get in Japan. The sweet garum contains enough vinegar to add the needed acidity, the eel is cooked to perfection so it stays spongy and sweet. Some chanterelles and a pepper sauce complement the eel. A great dish.
The wine pairing is interesting with some sake woven into the line up, the highlight was the Rioja Alta 904.
This place serves excellent food at a reasonable price. The service is professional and very friendly. Make sure to make a reservation as it gets busy at times. There is also a small table in the kitchen, so for people who do not shy away from the warmth of the kitchen, this might be an interesting option.
Less