A Smorgasbord of Temptation in Stockholm : Balance and moderation are keys to surviving Sweden’s perennial battle of the bulge.

“You’re Americans, aren’t you?” our waiter observed. We asked how he could tell. “Americans always fill their plates,” he replied. Chastened, we decided to change our approach at Stockholm’s Operakallaren smorgasbord and dine as the Swedes do. While it is certainly an all-you-can-eat situation, it should not appear that you are indulging in world-class gluttony.

First and foremost, remember that small plates with small portions are the preferred style. Yet it is acceptable to go back to the serving table any number of times for various courses. Smorgasbord is typically a lunch ritual, which is perfect for travelers who can stretch their dining dollar by eating a large lunch and then an abbreviated supper. However, many meals begin with a small smorgasbord and the same rules of eating etiquette apply. Balance and moderation are the keys to perfect smorgasbord dining, although we found it almost impossible not to load our plates.

Operakallaren, in the Royal Opera House in central Stockholm, is famous for its smorgasbord. The popular dining room is filled with business people who dine alongside tourists, making reservations a necessity. Built in 1784, it was originally a cellar bar for the opera, but both were destroyed by a fire in 1892. The present building dates from 1895.

The first patrons in the reconstructed restaurant were reportedly shocked by the baroque decor. Huge crystal chandeliers, oak paneling and large windows offering views of Stockholm’s harbor were acceptable, but the murals were another matter. Oscar Bjorck’s paintings featured nymphs and satyrs in a degree of undress considered shocking during Victorian times. Playwright August Strindberg defended the murals, but King Oscar II quelled the debate by instructing the artist to paint vegetation in strategic places.

But it is cake--not painting--for which King Oscar II is often remembered today. A creation that bears his name--an unbelievably rich almond-butter cake--is found on the Operakallaren smorgasbord dessert table.

We prefer dining in the main room under the murals so that we can watch the action. But the glassed-in veranda is pleasant during nice weather.

Although smorgasbords have many similar dishes, the variety differs. What distinguishes Operakallaren is that each dish is made up in small quantities and placed on the table at the peak of perfection, and empty serving plates are constantly being replaced.

Begin with herring. Select from sweet herring with fresh dill, herring in cream or mustard sauce or, perhaps, pickled herring with allspice and bay leaf. Even if you think you don’t like herring, try it. The fish is fresh and briny. We chose two kinds: small rolls in a dill sauce and a spiced herring. To accompany the fish, we selected tiny boiled new potatoes and a piece of crisp bread from large rounds that are stacked on a wooden peg at the end of the table.

In order to properly taste each different herring, you need to cleanse your palate in the manner of a wine-tasting. So take some bread and butter and a couple of slices of hard cheese.

The traditional beverage with smorgasbord is beer, but if you are driving in Scandinavia, it’s wise to stick with mineral water. (Sweden enforces stiff penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol.) Wine is not considered a traditional smorgasbord beverage.

For the next course, we selected a delicately smoked gravlax, or cured salmon, that was sliced so thin it was translucent. We also ate wonderful smoked eel and a hard-cooked egg filled with a golden mound of bleak fish roe. Don’t miss this if you visit during the summer. The bright golden roe rivals the most delicate caviar and is almost as expensive. Large shrimp served cold are another option, but we noticed that many diners seemed to take shrimp as a separate course along with more bread and butter.

Next we picked from a selection of cold meats that vary with the season and the chef’s whim. We tried a chunky country pate and a velvety-smooth liver mousse. A spoonful of tart Lingonberry sauce was a perfect accompaniment. We also chose a plate of huge white asparagus served cold with sliced sweet red pepper in a vinaigrette. Also on the menu were thin slices of smoked reindeer, cold roast beef and a wild game pate.

The hot dishes came next, and perhaps the most unusual was Jansson’s Temptation: a potato casserole in which strips of potato are flavored with anchovy fillets, finely chopped onion, cream, salt and pepper. Something of a national dish, it appears on most smorgasbord tables. Traditional accompaniments to this include meatballs and small, fried sausages. We found this dish strangely habit-forming.

At Operakallaren, the hot dishes also include eggs. We tried an omelet filled with wild mushrooms and small chunks of “beef a la Lindstrom,” which also is served as a separate dish that is another smorgasbord favorite. To make it, chopped beets, onion and capers are mixed with ground beef and cooked as small patties that are light and tender.

Not exactly in keeping with our new rule of balance and moderation, we also tried the roast reindeer, carved from a loin in thin slices. And just as we were about to quit, a waiter brought a tray of poached salmon steaks sprinkled with fresh dill. How could we say no?

Desserts occupy a whole table at Operakallaren. The selection is not large but each is wonderful. During the summer, you might find a small flat tart filled with custard topped with fresh wild strawberries from the countryside. The aroma and taste of the wild strawberries is something you shouldn’t miss. It is very different from common cultivated berries--sweeter and more intense.

And don’t miss the wildly rich Oscar cake. The recipe calls for huge amounts of butter, according to our waiter, who cautioned against a second piece. We didn’t listen and found out he was right.

Stockholm’s other great smorgasbord is Ulriksdals Wardhus, outside the city in Ulriksdals Slottspark. You can take the 540 bus from Stockholm, but a cab (about $25) or a rental car is the best bet. Dinner reservations are a must.

The grounds belong to Sweden’s royal family, but the restaurant is operated by Lauri Nilsson, who has built a reputation as one of the finest restaurateurs in Sweden. Ask to visit the wine cellar. It is of strikingly modern design, and the collection is exceptional, with vintages extending back to the 19th Century. Be sure to plan enough time to stroll around the grounds and visit the Ulriksdals Palace built in 1639.

The restaurant is in a Victorian wooden building with polished wood floors and huge porcelain stoves in many of the upstairs dining rooms. Flowers from the gardens are placed throughout.

The smorgasbord is a huge affair set on a long table overlooking the main dining room. Every day, chef Karl-Heinz Krucken prepares at least 80 dishes for the table and the quality is good.

In addition to a dazzling array of pates and smoked fish, the hot dishes included small rolls of fresh, locally caught sole stuffed with crayfish and covered with a delicate cognac scented butter sauce. Elsewhere on the table, a roast rack of lamb was carved into pale pink chops. Reindeer was served in small steaks covered with juniper berry cream. We also sampled a small veal steak topped with a slice of truffle. We only had enough room for a small dish of a tart local fruit with the fetching name “cloud berries.” We consumed the pale yellow berries with a dollop of heavy cream.

During the summer, you can spend the day in the area. Have a smorgasbord lunch, visit the palace and the grounds, attend a play in the Royal Theater--which dates back to 1650--and stay for non-smorgasbord dinner at the restaurant. The open windows bring the fragrance of flowers and forest into the dining room. The flag is lowered at sunset and everyone stands to sing the Swedish national anthem.

For a smorgasbord that’s different, follow the locals onto an overnight ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki on either the Silja or the Viking lines. Both ships can carry 2,500 passengers and offer a bewildering array of shopping, as well as restaurants serving smorgasbord. On Viking, the one-way fares, which include breakfast and the smorgasbord, begin at $63 per person--only slightly more than dinner at some restaurants. On the Silja line, the smorgasbord is $23 and the one-way fare is $114 per person, including breakfast.

The Viking Line’s new Cinderella offers six major restaurants, including the Buffet Baltic, where you can dine at an enormous--if not excellent--smorgasbord.

In addition to all the traditional cold and hot dishes, we found an Italian lasagna with meat sauce, plain roast chicken and roast turkey, carved roast beef and a variety of vegetables and salads that would be at home on any American buffet table. It’s a smorgasbord for an international group of passengers, but authentic enough to please even the locals. And you end up in Helsinki . . . just in time for lunch.

GUIDEBOOK

Where to Find a Smorgasbord

Operakallaren, Opera House, telephone locally 24-27-00.

Ulriksdals Wardshus, 1 Ulriksdals Slottspark, 171 71 Solna, phone 85-08-15.

Viking Line trips between Stockholm and Helsinki can be booked through Euro-Cruises: (800) 688-3876.

Silja Line can be booked through Bergen Line: (800) 323-7436.