Then it was finally vacation again. We always kick start the holiday with a road trip and this year the choice fell on Öland. On the way down we took the opportunity to visit Skövde, Jönköping and Växjö. This post is part one of four, all of which are about our trip to Öland. You can read part two and three here.
We started with a stop in cozy Sjötorp. There is a lot to see here such as the locks, cafes, restaurants, smokehouse, museum, shops, hiking trails and much more, but when we were on our way, it was just a quick coffee. If you want to know more about Sjötorp, you can read about it here.
The next stop was Skövde. It was noticeable that the holidays had started as the town was very quiet. After some searching we managed to find a very nice Italian restaurant called Mamma Mia. The name may not have been so reassuring but to our great delight they offered us an excellent panzarotti. After a short walk it continued towards Jönköping.
Jönköping and its sister city Huskvarna are really beautifully situated where they cling along the mountain side next to the shore of Lake Vättern. During the years when we rode a lot of motorbikes, we had a tradition of going for a ride around Lake Vättern every summer, and it's really something we can recommend. Askersund, Motala, Vadstena, Gränna, Huskvarna, Jönköping, Hjo, Karlsborg are all charming in their own way and well worth a visit.
We were a bit early so while we waited for the hotel room to be ready we took a short walk which ended at Lemon Garden, a cafe with a large selection of homemade ice cream, waffles, smoothies, juices and much more. Once in the room, one can only state that Clarion is always fresh and modern but often a bit impersonal. In other words, it is the exact opposite of the B&B in Linköping, which we will tell you more about in a later post.
The real reason we chose to stay in Jönköping this time was Izakaya Moshi. Izakaya actually means beer hall, but in the Western version has become a kind of gastropub where Japanese small dishes are served in a relaxed environment. We've had the place on the to-do list for several years, but for various reasons, it hasn't happened. However, it was well worth the wait.
Izakaya showcases Japanese cuisine at its best. They treat the carefully selected ingredients with the utmost finesse and combine exciting flavors in a very creative way. We started the meal with some sake, spicy miso edamame beans and fried corn. After the tasteful introduction, we unfortunately had to move to a smaller bar table when pure sin came from above. You might think that a city like Jönköping should be spared from that kind of weather phenomenon, but that's obviously not the case... 😉 After the move, the small dishes started coming in.
- Sashimi on the chef's choice of fish, wasabi, ponzu and gari
- Rimmed tomato with avocado cream, radish, cucumber and shallot
- Smoked tuna with mango and chili salsa, pickled mango and roasted green tomato
- Beef tataki with spring onion mayonnaise, pickled shallots, baked scallions and sesame crisps
- Japanese taco with fried cod, potato bread, red cabbage, yuzu & kimchi mayonnaise
- Gyoza dumplings with prawns, garlic, chilli & scallions
- Gyoza dumplings with mushrooms, sesame, garlic & salad bowl
To top it off, we also got a fantastic dessert in the form of salted caramel ice cream with popcorn, dulce de leche & licorice meringue. Everything was incredibly tasty and offered many new exciting flavor combinations. In addition to the flavors, they also had a nice relaxed environment and excellent service where they kept the perfect balance between personal and professional. Can also mention that they also offer a tasting menu for two or more guests as well as a real Omakase for eight to twelve guests. The latter is served in a secluded and very Japanese room.
The next day we went on to the food town of Växjö. The city's brightest star is, of course PM & Friends which boasts a place in the Guide Michelin but there are also many other little gems. In addition to all the nice restaurants, it is also a very scenic city with many cozy walking paths along parks and lakes. Worth noting is their new municipal building, which is not only beautifully designed but also stands for a completely new concept. The municipal building is also a station and "Växjö's living room" and the idea is that it will become a hub for both citizens and visitors. Well thought out municipal management! Before we went on to Kalmar, we also had an excellent lunch at King of India.
After a quick stop in Kalmar to pick up the key, the journey took off towards Köpingsvik. We had rented a barn that had been converted into a home and our slightly joking working name for it was the luxury barn... 🙂 It really was a quiet and beautiful place with rolling cornfields and chirping birds, which suited us perfectly. It is nice to have a quiet place to start from so that you can choose for yourself when you want to be crowded or when you want peace. After unloading bikes and packing, it was off on a journey of discovery, but you can read about that in Next posts.
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