Restaurant: Ristorante Paganini Location: Väster Långgatan 75 Stockholm, Sweden Phone: (08) 406 06 07 Price Range: 118:- SEK - 248:- SEK

Number of visits: 1
Last visit before review: August 4, 2001

Randy had: Filet of salmon stuffed with chives, green salad.

Jeff had: Beef filet with mozzarella and pesto, potatoes au gratin.

We both tasted: Filet of lamb.

Rating 6 (of 12) Average

Randy says: The salmon was split down the middle and there were green leaves inside, but they weren't chives (as described on the menu). I'm not sure what they were, but there was a large whole scallion on the plate. There was also a grilled carrot and a grilled asparagus spear. The fish was swimming in a butter sauce and was completely devoid of any flavor. Instead of mashed potatoes that come with the dish they were kind enough to substitute a salad at my request. The salad was undressed and came with several kinds of lettuce including iceberg and whole mint leaves.

Jeff says: While we waited for our food we munched on individually wrapped thin crispy bread sticks which were in a container on our table. They were good and made the wait more pleasant. The beef was very good. It was supposed to be stuffed with mozzarella but at first I didn't see any. Later I noticed that under the pesto was a little string of melted cheese. The potato slices au gratin it came with were very good.

Randy says: The beef was very flavorful. The pesto was thick and a little sweet. I didn't see any cheese on the meat.

Jeff says: The lamb was yummy but a little under-done for my liking

Randy says: The lamb was deliciously flavored, nicely cooked, and tender.

Paganini is in the heart of Stockholm's Gamla Stan, or Old City, on a bustling narrow quaint street. There are so many restaurants on this and adjacent streets that it's hard to choose one. We chose Paganini because the menu looked good and there didn't appear to be too many people smoking inside. There is no non-smoking section, but one side of the restaurant is open to the cobblestone lane and we thought that might help with the air quality. Unfortunately we had to wait for a table, and by the time we got one many more people were smoking, including at tables right next to us.

The service was good, but the food was hit-and-miss. It seems like the chef worked equally hard at making the beef and lamb exquisite as making the salmon flavorless. The waitress had told us all three were good. Also, without warning Italian singers came through the crowded dining room serenading all (making it hard to have a conversation), and then collecting for the pleasure of their entertainment. Had we known at the start the mixed experience we were in for at Paganini, we would have tried one of the many other restaurants nearby.