A dinner on Kungsgatan has often meant a soulless visit to the big American hamburger chain, or, worse, a plastic-wrapped sandwich from a convenience store. The street is a culinary no-man’s land; despite its central location, it hasn’t managed to attract a single ambitious restaurateur.
Until now. In April, Ahlbom, the family-owned company behind Storstad and Hotellet, opened Bistro Rigoletto just next to the cinema with the same name. The restaurant fetches its inspiration from the Paris of the 1950s: it aspires to be a large, lively eatery with well-made food and a casual atmosphere.
The interior design is the work by Stylt Trampoli, known for its conceptual “storytelling” approach to restaurant design. It feels a bit like a theatre set, which sounds a bit artificial, but in this case is not entirely wrong given that the restaurant in fact is a part of the cinema.
Black and white tile floors, floor- to- ceiling windows (which on warm nights open towards the street) and Thonet chairs, the classic components of the Paris bistro, are all there.
In some ways, a restaurant visit is a sort of a play in itself. You’re there for a fun evening, to be entertained by the chefs, the waiters and the other patrons. A great night doesn’t just consist of a full stomach and a plate of food delivered on time.
In this regard Rigoletto ticks all the right boxes. The space is filled with Stockholmers of all ages, couples and groups of men and women; some stop by for a glass of wine after work, others for a girls’ night out or a bite of pre- or after-cinema food. The waiters keep a cool, professional track of the tables and recommend wines and beers with calmness and poise.
The restaurant features generous opening times: food is served from 07.30 to 01.00, and menus change throughout the day, from breakfast to special night dishes. We visit Rigoletto for a quick dinner before a movie, and order from the · la carte menu, which is all classic bistro fare: oysters, snails, steak tartar, fish casserole. What’s nice is the wide variety of food on offer: you can either order a large main, or a smaller one, and there are many dishes to choose from.
The grilled veal with arugula, parmesan and lemon (225 kronor) and the steak sandwich with cornichons and horse radish (185 kronor), both served with french fries, turn out to be great choices; generous in size, appetizingly presented, tender and fresh.
The desert menu is equally traditional, but we skip the creme briole and go for a lemon mousse with pear creme and mint granita, and simple poached peaches with fresh berries, peach sorbet and sabayon (both 95 kronor), which both get high marks. Not too sweet, but with clear taste of the ingredients.
Bistro Rigoletto takes no table reservations, and at least on our visit, that worked out fine. Stockholm has definitely needed this centrally located, reasonably priced restaurant where you can just pop in without any advance planning – and leave with a smile on your face.
