Djuret

This was about to be the third time I visit this restaurant. Djuret means "the animal" and the theme of the restaurant is to serve different parts from one animal and with that offer a selection of exclusive wines from an area that matches the food. These "theme" wines are always priced extremely low which is obviously an welcoming touch. This evening the wine theme was Côte-Rôtie and to give you an example; a bottle of 2005 La Turque from Guigal could be ordered for around 500 US dollars, must be the cheapest price on the planet? If you don't like Côte-Rôtie (who doesn't?) or you like me just feel for something else there's one of Sweden's biggest and best wine list to immerse in.
The meat for this month was not one, but three different ones; elk calf, wild boar and wild duck. They also have few a classics on the menu that shouldn't be missed.

We started off in the bar with a glass of Thiénot Brut Champagne and deep fried pork rinds with chili mayonnaise. Salt, crispy and fat, what a yummy start and the freshness from the champagne made it even better.

My dear friend and previous colleague David Svensson is now working at Djuret and he showed us to the table. Having this amazing sommelier around, I knew we were in good hands.

The ambience is very warm and cozy and I really like the old meat grinders they've transformed into lamps. The dark light isn't very favorable if you want to take pictures of the dishes, which you can see on the grainy photos below.

When seated we started off with 2007 Saint-Véran "En Crèches" from Daniel et Martine Barraud. An excellent, creamy and perfectly balanced white burgundy that caressed our mouths.

With the fantastic bread we got served butter, pork rillette and a lovely rooster liver pâté topped with figs and gherkins.

Next dish was so seductive with its rich, fatty flavors; a marrowbone served with bleak roe, pickled onions and newly toasted brioche. This marrowbone serving was ten times better than the classic "marrow bone with parsley salad" I was served at the 1 Michelin starred restaurant St. John in London. Don't get we wrong, that was a great dish too.
Fish eggs in general is not the best buddy with dry wine as its rich content of umami makes the wine taste metallic and bitter but if you round off these flavor with something creamy like bone marrow this will not be an issue. My god what a great combination and what a superb dish.

We continued with the Saint-Véran for the next two dishes but we also got a glass each of 2011 Riesling Trocken from Wittmann in Rheinhessen, Germany. This is truly an amazing entry level Riesling with an explosive, aromatic nose of peaches, white flowers and hand lotion. What a great palate cleanser!

On the table we got served two dishes; tartar of elk calf with pickled chanterelles, roasted shallot cream and Kavring bread croutons. The meat was a bit grainy and not a favorite. Maybe elk isn't the best meat to make tartar of?

In a totally different league was the other plate; confit baked cheek of wild boar, smoke baked heart of the elk calf and a terrine of the wild duck liver. This was served with variations of celeriac, grated truffle from Gotland and topped with an fantastic oxtail consommé. Wow, so yummy and the broth tasted like something cooked by my grandmother when I, as a kid, spent my summers in Tuscany.

With our next two servings of game I choose a bottle of 2006 Pagos Viejos from the great producer Artadi in Rioja, Spain. The wine is made from Tempranillo grapes from 50 years old vines that got a treatment in 16 months all new oak barrels. An elegant, serious wine with deep fruit and balanced tannins.

As main I ordered a variations of wild boar. The neck as sausage and the shoulder braised in tomatoes, game stock and white wine. This was served with Borlotti beans, a lemony polenta and gremolata. Tasty dish but a bit anonymous, especially when compared to the fantastic wild duck dish my friend ordered.

Confit of the leg and fried breast of the wild duck served with pickled Savoy cabbage, Jerusalem artichoke croquet, duck liver, chestnuts, apricots and wild duck jus. A magnificent dish, that had everything.

Dessert was excluded after this massive dinner. Instead we went for a guided tour in the wine cellar with David before we rolled out from the restaurant to the snowy, narrow street of Gamla Stan and walked home with a big smile on our faces.