Grand Hotel, Stockholm

We were told by our concierge (at a hotel other than the Grand) that the best place to try out a full-on Swedish smörgåsbord was at the Grand Hotel. While The Veranda is one of the more relaxed of the Grand Hotel's restaurants, I was still glad I dressed smart casual (the dress code there seems more like very smart casual). The Veranda goes along the front of the hotel and is mostly window, so it was it was very pleasant to sit warm inside and watch the snow and the people go by outside.

The food was delicious and the service excellent. This meal was definitely the highlight of our visit to Stockholm.

Here is a description of a smörgåsbord from the restaurant's web site:

"The Swedish smorgasbord is the fruit of a long and proud tradition. Permit us to suggest how best to enjoy the wonderful smörgåsbord:

1. Think of the smorgasbord as a four to six course meal.
2. Do not overload your plate. Make several trips to the buffet and take a new plate each time.
3. Begin with the herring dishes. These are traditionally served with boiled potatoes, crispbread and cheese. Herring tastes best with a cool aquavit chased with cold beer.
4. Next, try another Swedish speciality, gravad lax, which is served with a mustard and dill sauce. Try the smoked salmon, preferably with a few drops of lemon.
5. Then we suggest a variety of salads, egg dishes and cold cuts of meat and poultry.
6. Now it is high time to try the hot dishes. Don't miss the Swedish meatballs with lingonberries.
7. To round off the meal, we suggest our famous desserts, especially the fruit salad, which is popular with many regulars. A cup of coffee and an iced Swedish punsch completes the meal."

Favorite Dish: I tend to think of the smörgåsbord more as a Swedish buffet. My daughter didn't go for the full buffet and instead ordered a lobster bisque for lunch, of which I had a sip. To this day, she maintains it is the best soup she has ever tasted, and I more or less agree. I had psyched myself up for this, thinking I was simply going to endure this tasting of local food, but amazingly, I really enjoyed it. I even went back for seconds of the raw herring, a sort of sweet sashimi sushi.