Gustaf Anders a good introduction to Swedish cuisine

Stephen Santacroce

Swedish food doesn’t appear near the top of most lists of famous

international cuisines. For many, exposure to Swedish cooking is

limited to the Swedish Chef on “The Muppet Show.”

Most of us have at least used the term smorgasbord, if not

actually eaten at one.

Gustaf Anders in South Coast Village has been serving an elegant,

continental menu featuring Swedish cooking for more than 10 years to

discriminating diners. The restaurant is consistently at the top of

most lists of the area’s best, so I was curious to see what all the

fuss was about.

Gustaf Anders is the collaboration of proprietor William Gustaf

Magnuson and chef Ulf Anders Strandberg. The restaurant is on the

backside of South Coast Village and is easily recognized by its

bright yellow awning. Inside, the restaurant pays homage to its 1980s

origins. The ceilings feature exposed ducting and pipes, all of which

are painted black, as are the ceilings themselves, creating an

art-deco industrial look. Furnishings are elegant, but understated to

the point of being stark.

Despite, or perhaps because of the cool surroundings, the staff at

Gustaf Anders is warm and friendly, eager to describe menu items or

offer selections on personal favorites.

The first thing diners will enjoy after taking care of the

requisite cocktail orders is a basket of fresh-baked breads and rolls

made on premises daily. The assortment varies, but usually includes

dense, chewy rolls studded with bits of onion, a sweet, thinly sliced

rye bread and some of Sweden’s trademark flat breads. If the quality

of the bread is any indication of the overall restaurant (and I

believe it is), then most diners will quickly realize that they’re in

for a treat.

Scandinavian countries are known for pickled and cured fish.

Gustaf Anders offers a tantalizing selection as appetizers, including

their famous graved lax ($11).

Graved lax is salmon that’s been wet-cured (usually in aquavit, a

caraway-flavored vodka) as opposed to smoked and then served chilled

and sliced thinly. At Gustaf Anders, it’s served with a sweet mustard

dill sauce that is the perfect foil for the rich, silky fish.

Gustaf Anders makes a point of noting that caviar is always

available at market prices and, to my surprise, serves one of the

best steak tartare ($18) in the area. Steak tartare may not be as

popular is it once was, given modern-day concerns about raw meat, but

it’s a true treat when done right.

Here, a mound of the freshest chopped sirloin is centered on a

chilled plate, surrounded by traditional cold garnishes such as

capers and chopped onion, and topped with a raw egg yolk.

Served alongside are mustard and hot sauce. The idea is to mix

some or all of this together, and scoop it up along with some of the

great breads. As I said, it may not be for everyone, but for

connoisseurs, it’s a rare treat (pun intended).

Another dish that’s not for all tastes is the parsley salad ($9),

the result of a shipment of parsley having been delivered to the

restaurant by accident, instead of the much-used dill. Instead of

disposing of the excess herb, chef Anders created a salad with a

handful of chopped parsley mixed with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and

cheese in a basil vinaigrette. The dish has a fresh,

palette-cleansing effect, but some will find the parsley

overpowering.

Salmon is a specialty of the restaurant, and the entree selections

feature the fish in traditional dishes such as salmon fricassee

($20), moist chunks of poached salmon mixed with a creamy dill sauce

and a tender bay shrimp. Poached salmon is also offered as a cold

entree ($18), served with creme fraiche and golden caviar.

Most of the traditional dishes sport names I couldn’t begin to

pronounce, but although they may sound foreboding, they boast

incredible flavor. One selection I enjoyed was chunks of beef

tenderloin sauteed in a stew with lots of red onions and accompanied

by small, creamy roasted potatoes.

I was less impressed with the grilled arctic char ($24). Char is a

mild-flavored, cold-water fish. It was served with a tomato cucumber

salad and citrus vinaigrette. The fish was cooked perfectly, with a

crispy skin and moist flesh, but the sauce had too much vinegar and

simply overpowered the mild fish.

The menu also features well-prepared non-Swedish dishes, such as

of rib-eye steak, filet mignon or pork chop ($20) served with either

a bearnaise, garlic or stilton sauce. Curiously, the restaurant

offers a 25% discount on any red wine that costs more than $20 with

one of these choices.

Speaking of wines, Gustaf Anders offers an impressive selection of

wines from around the world at respectable mark-ups. I was

particularly pleased to see a section of the list dedicated to wines

under $20. I wish more restaurants would do the same.

Although it’s easy to fill up on the great breads and wonderful

main dishes at Gustaf Anders, it’s wise to think ahead and save room

for one of the great desserts. Confections such as puff pastry filled

with bananas and whipped cream and covered with caramel sauce ($9) or

a sinfully light chocolate mousse ($11) are the perfect finish to a

meal, as is a slice of the traditional princess cake ($9) -- layers

of moist angel cake filled with jam and topped with a pale green

layer of marzipan (a kind of almond paste).

I’d be remiss if I wrote an article without mentioning the

smorgasbord that the restaurant offers during the Christmas season,

Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. This sumptuous buffet features

hot and cold traditional dishes. Everyone should try it at least

once.

Although I haven’t frequented Gustaf Anders, I understand the

accolades heaped upon this establishment. Magnuson and Strandberg

offer diners an elegant experience featuring excellent service and

wonderful Swedish cuisine at reasonable prices. The setting may be

austere, but the overall experience makes me want to visit often.

* STEPHEN SANTACROCE’S restaurant reviews appear every other

Thursday. Send him your comments at sdsanta@oc-dining.com.