Restaurant P.A. & Co

Stockholm was bracing for a big autumn storm this past Monday evening (it ended up being mostly a little rainy). That evening I was out with friends at the movies and we decided to drop in at a restaurant afterwards to escape the rain and have a spontaneous dinner out. I chose P.A. & Co as it is a very popular restaurant and it had been a long while since my last visit. Have to keep myself updated!

P.A. & Co has been around for about twenty years and has long been a favorite restaurant among the locals with a loyal group of regulars. It is small and cozy with not a lot of space between tables, often fully booked yet retaining a friendly and laid back ambience. The menu is varied and changes regularly... though with some mainstay dishes that keep the regulars happy. I would describe the menu as a mix of French and Swedish cuisines with some international touches. According to their website, the menu is made up of both classic and their own recipes, all favorites of the staff & owner, and I would say that this is accurate.

The three of us opted for chèvre chaud salad, ceviche with tuna & king crab and traditional Isterband (lightly smoked sausage) for our main courses. For dessert we ordered Gino. I would say that it is paramount to a crime not to order Gino when you visit the restaurant. Gino is made up of diced strawberries, kiwi and bananas, topped with grated white chocolate, baked in the oven, and served with vanilla ice cream. While you will find Gino on the menus of many Stockholm restaurants... it was created at P.A. & Co! Another stellar dish that is often found on their menu is the traditional Biff Rydberg. Delicious!

P.A. & Co is located on a quiet side street (Riddargatan) in the Östermalm district, close to the hustle and bustle of Stureplan. It is very easy to get to from the Rival Hotel. Either by subway- four stops to Östermalmstorg station on the red line- or a 7-8 minute taxi ride. Booking a table is, however, tricky! They do not accept table reservations made in advance. Instead, you have to book on the same day... telephone lines open at 3pm. On the weekend you have to have a bit of luck on your side as there are a lot of people calling at the same time for a table that evening. If you are staying at the Rival, contact me directly and I can help you with this! If we are unsuccessful, then I can happily recommend Bistro Süd as a dining option. Same owner with a similar concept, menu and ambiance as P.A. & Co, but located just a couple of blocks from the hotel!
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