Food mile, six restaurants in one afternoon

We have been to a number of similar events but this was the first time with the Food Mile. It may not have been optimal conditions as the weather gods decided to give us almost twenty degrees cold but we still felt that we wanted to give it a chance as we really like the concept of food and walking.

You can also read our old posts on Moveat and Wine&Walk that have a similar approach.

The first thing we noticed was the difference in administration. This organiser was mainly responsible for advertising and selling tickets but left the practicalities to the restaurants. This meant in practice that it varied a lot from place to place, some had chaos while others managed it perfectly well. However, I can imagine that it's almost a requirement given that they arrange a large number of events across the country and it would take a huge organisation to manage it in detail at each venue.

The same applies to the food: some had a high level of ambition while others focused on what was easy to prepare for 250 people. It was somewhat unclear whether the latter was due to the choice of restaurants or whether it was more about the organiser's approach. Considering that this is an excellent advertising opportunity for the restaurants, it is still strange that not everyone takes the opportunity.

We started at Bakgården which was a surprisingly positive experience. They offered a sourdough pizza with homemade hazelnut cream, blueberries, raspberries, grated chocolate, roasted hazelnuts and vanilla ice cream. Fantastically good! The venue is also nice with a warm and rustic feel. We might have preferred a food pizza as it was our first stop but it was still hard to complain about something so good. We have not been here before but from what we understand, all their pizzas are vegan which is not so common in little Karlstad.

The next stop was at Hörnet. Unlike most, they had really thought about both food and administration. This meant that everything flowed smoothly both in terms of table placement and serving. They had also prepared a slightly more advanced dish with herb-baked beef fillet, red wine reduction, beetroot puree and a potato and chanterelle terrine. Definitely the most delicious of the whole trip. We chose the wine they recommended, a Valpolicella Ripasso, which was mainly a "social" wine, which made it perhaps more suitable before than with the food.

The next stop was Oliveriet. There are many Italian restaurants in Sweden but most of them are a sort of Swedish adaptation which usually results in lots of cream and overcooked pasta. Oliveriet, on the other hand, has managed to create a small neighbourhood restaurant that is just like they are in Italy. Simple, stripped-down décor, heated Italian discussions and most importantly, a passion for the ingredients and the craft of food.

In addition to excellent food, they also have a small delicatessen, gelato, wine tastings, theme dinners and much more. They also have a restaurant in Kristinehamn and we attended an event there some time ago. It was a real highlight as it became a "wine journey" where they not only talked about wine but also food and culture.

As you probably already know, this is one of our favourites in Karlstad, so we were a bit surprised that they didn't serve any of their signature dishes. They offered a lentil soup with pancetta, the Italian equivalent of pea soup with pork. Although the dish itself was simple, the owners made it interesting by explaining how in Italy it is traditional to eat this dish on New Year's Eve as it is said to bring good luck and prosperity in the coming year. By the way, that's one thing we like about Oliveriet, they take the time to talk to the guests which makes you always feel welcome.

We can also note that it is like everything in Italy; Even though we in Sweden have a similar food tradition with a lot of "bonnamat", we have an incomparable ability to neutralise everything that happens to taste something. When we have a waffle with Bullen's Pilsner sausage in boring sausage bread, the Italians have a soup that may be simple but is made from excellent ingredients, which still makes it flavourful.

The next stop was Vin & Deli or rather, it was supposed to be the next stop but since the small restaurant was packed, we moved on. In the summer months it would certainly not have been a problem but waiting forty minutes in the bitter winter cold was not an option.

However, the second attempt was much more successful as we were able to wait indoors. The place has rather dim lighting, which in combination with the dark furniture and wood gives an exclusive but at the same time cosy feeling. I read some time ago that Karlstad does not have a wine bar but I would say that this is probably the closest you can get. We've been here a few times before and one of the things that really stands out is the owner's desire for everyone to have a good time.

The food was a charcuterie tray with tasty delicacies from more southern latitudes. The tray may look big in the picture but it was actually a few small bites rather than a full meal. The food was accompanied by an excellent wine in the form of ...

When Taco Bar first came to town, we were a bit surprised that they had such good soft tacos despite being a bit more of a fast food chain. For some inexplicable reason, they did not highlight this but instead offered a sickly boring and tasteless hard taco that 7-Eleven could have made tastier. We drowned our sorrows with a really good drink which still made the stop successful. Why be depressed when you're having such a good time?

The last stop was at Frost. The restaurant has been around for a long time and has always been good throughout the year. It may not have so much that gives it character or personality but at the same time we have never been dissatisfied when we have been there. To summarise it, it might be, good but a bit boring.

As you can see in the picture, they hadn't put much work into the presentation and unfortunately the dish had probably been on heat all day which made the meat a bit tough and boring. Our guess is that both the staff and the food were a little more alert at the beginning of the day when everyone involved looked a little worn out.

Even though it was twenty degrees below zero, it was a beautiful winter day. It was probably fortunate that this was the case as it would have been difficult to carry more clothes at this type of event. As for the experience itself, we had a really nice afternoon. There were a few peaks and valleys and perhaps a little chaos, but on the whole we were very satisfied. We may sound a little critical in our judgement, but the question is whether it is not largely because this organiser is fairly new to the market. When they have warmed up a bit, Matmilen will surely maintain at least as high quality as other organisers. But on such a cold winter day as this, nobody can be warm in their clothes...?