Kock och Vin

Bobby and I visited two 1-Michelin star restaurants during our visit to Göteborg. This post is about the restaurant Kock och Vin. The meal began with a palate cleansing cold drink of cucumber with dill oil. We then moved on to several different starts, including this cured chuck steak.

Then we had blue mussels with sego and parsley. I loved the presentation.

And this really wonderful 'pie' with smoked herring cream and lingonberry powder. This was so tasty! No pictured is the starter of fried rye bread with tomatoes, anchovy and onion.

We then moved on to the first course: mackerel lightly pickled in gooseberry vinegar with a gooseberry compote, sour cream, and very cold watercress (that's the green powder in the photo). The mackerel was really lovely, and the tart gooseberry compote really complimented the fresh fish and earthy watercress. All of the above starters were served with a 2011 VDP Reisling from FP Buhl (Germany).

The second course was mushrooms with unripe currants, a fresh cream cheese made with goat cheese, and steamed scallions. Again, we really loved this dish, especially the goat cream cheese. Luckily, I am liking mushrooms more and more (especially chanterelle!), so I was able to fully appreciate this dish. This course was served with a 2011 Sauvignon from Jermann (Italian). Bobby and I both LOVED this wine; I'm hoping I can find it in Copenhagen!

The 3rd course was an interesting concept - unwanted ingredients! This is catfish, which was a bycatch for another fish. It was served with 'garden cabbage', which is normally a weed in Sweden. So unwanted fish and unwanted vegetables, served with Swedish roe and peas, was a fun dish making use of unexpected (and to some, unwanted) ingredients. Talk about being resourceful! This was served with a 2001 Chemin Blanc from Muzaïk in Pithon-Paille, Anjou (France). The wine is bio-dynamic and aged in oak barrels for 10 months.

The 4th course was our least favorite (though it was still well cooked): langostine with beets, hazelnut and 'Swedish herbs' (the server didn't know the English names for them). I like langostine, but I don't think it's the best vehicle for big flavors. This was served with a 2012 Whispering Angels Rosé (goofy name, and just an ok rosé) from Caves d-Esclans (France).

Pardon the bad photo. We had to use the flash and I think that is my elbow's shadow  :)  The 5th course was perhaps our favorite: chicken hearts with potatoes, tarragon, fried oyster mushrooms, and a horseradish cream. The chicken hearts were delicious; not at all gamey nor chewy. The horseradish cream could have been a bit spicier, but it was nice to have the richness to counter the mushrooms. This great dish was served with our first red wine of the night: 2011 Tête de Lard Rouge from Saumur, Put Notre Dame (France).

Our 6th course was lamb with tomato, garlic flowers (which tasted a lot like capers), boiled turnips, and celery. Lamb can sometimes be too gamey for me, but this dish was not gamey at all. Perhaps the acidity of the tomato helped to cut some of the richness. Whatever it was, it was lovely. It was served with a 2011 Langhe by Elio Altar-Viticoltore from Nebbiolo (Italy). Bobby and I have gotten more and more into full-bodied Italian reds, and this one did not disappoint.

The 7th course, the cheese course, was an interesting combination. A soft and creamy Swedish cheese (I can't remember the type of cheese) was served with thinly sliced celeriac (celery root), mustard and sunflower seeds. It was an odd combination, but tasty! It was served with a Pommeau de Normandie by Louise de Lauriston (France). The Pommeau smelled quite a bit like sherry, but was very sweet and apple-y.

And time for the desserts! The 8th course was really fun: roasted carrots, carrot sorbet, dill, and freeze-dried fennel! The server made the freeze-dried fennel at the table. She had a giant mortar with fennel root bits in it. She then added liquid nitrogen and used a pestle to mix it all up. Though the whole dessert was made of root vegetables, it was really sweet and definitely tasted like a dessert. It was also a good reminder of the fun flavors available in the upcoming fall. This was served with a 2007 Chenin Blanc from Clos Du Bourgh in Vouvray (France).

We ended with my favorite summer fruit: raspberries. This 9th and final course was a raspberry sorbet with rose jelly, fresh rose petals, and fresh cheese ice cream. This was so fresh and delicious, and was served with a nice sweet red wine called Malvira from Birbet (Italy).

Overall, we had a wonderful dining experience at Kock och Vin. The service was great, the food was really wonderful, and the wines were quite nice. The price was also a bit cheaper than a comparable meal in Copenhagen. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Göteborg.