Googly eyes and killer food are about all you can ask for in a restaurant. Södermalm's newest eatery, Bauer, offers both.
Immediately to the right of the Slussen subway exit on Götgatan, Bauer
is located where the old neighborhood pub, Krönet, used to be. The
Spanish-inspired menu has a big focus on bite-sized dishes in the form
of tapas and cheese plates.
When you step inside the door, you'll be greeted by several
larger-than-life cartoon figures, including a bear, an owl, a giant
pink mouse and a yellow square smiley. A three-letter word is the most
apt description of this new watering hole: F-U-N.
Designed by interior graphics duo Dizel&Sate, the quirky characters
create a youthful atmosphere with their goofy smiles and hint of animé.
Slobodan Zivic explains that each icon represents a particular emotion.
“We wanted to illustrate different pleasures and senses — tastes,
visions, thoughts, dreams, flavours, sexual pleasures, nightlife,
parties,” he says.
The pink mouse was inspired by the quintessential rodent himself,
Mickey. Zivic cites a quote from Walt Disney: “I only hope that we
don't lose sight of one thing — that it was all started by a mouse."
While most restaurants wouldn't do well to flaunt a mouse, in this
case, it adds a lot of charm.
My favourite is the insomniac owl, which Zivic says symbolizes
nightlife. It's a bit more understated and elegant than the other
characters, although the underlying humour is still there.
The allusion to Berlin is also apropos, as the decor in the main room
combines a gritty, unfinished feel with a touch of elegance; raw MDF is
juxtaposed with ornate moulding that was probably part of the original
architecture. It creates an interesting lounge area that also doubles
as a gallery space.
As for the food, the tapas, which range between 45-55 kronor, stole the show. The ajo blanco
(asparagus soup) was definitely worth writing home about, but even so,
it wasn't the best thing on the menu. When I sampled the bacon-wrapped
dates, my boyfriend mumbled rather grumpily: “You look like you just
had an orgasm, and I didn't have anything to do with it”. (I don't
think anything more needs to be said about that).
Having had our appetites fully satisfied by the orgasmic dates, we
opted to skip the main courses, which were a bit pricey at around 250
kronor per person. Here you can expect fusion fare, including butter
fried jumbo pollock, roasted duck breast coq au vin, and beef angus.
Our only real complaint was the service. The staff were friendly but
forgetful — it took 30 minutes for our server to bring bread, and only
then after we reminded her twice, by which time the asparagus soup was
cold. (It's a good thing I was preoccupied by my dates).
All in all, Bauer deserves a big thumbs up on everything from the decor
to the bacon-swaddled figs. It provides an alternative for people
wanting to avoid the hype of Stureplan but who are still seeking a
little something different. It's casual, yet cool. Stockholm needs more
restaurants like this — in other words, places that don't take
themselves so seriously.
Address:
Götgatan 15, Stockholm
Phone:
08-640 08 20
Opening hours:
Mon-Fri 16:00-01:00
Sat-Sun 15:00-01:00
Originally published on 13 March 2008 on www.thelocal.se.
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