Hemma Fine dining like in Scandinavia

You should feel at home with them. At home - that's what the Swedish word Hemma means. Mikael and Igor come from Småland, the picture-book beautiful region in the south of Sweden (home and source of inspiration for the author Astrid Lindgren).

The two Swedes have been working in the Viennese gastronomy scene for a long time. Now they have fulfilled their dream of opening the first Scandinavian restaurant in the city (and probably in the country). "We thought, let's not be so egotistical and offer not only Swedish, but Nordic cuisine in general," Igor says with a laugh.

Meaning: lots of fish, game, fresh berries. Depending on the season, there are seasonal specials such as asparagus, but this is, of course, also interpreted in a Scandinavian way - for example, with mackerel and egg salad as a greeting from the kitchen.

The chef at Hemma comes from the south - Croatia, to be precise - but was introduced to Scandinavian cuisine by Mikael and Igor through family recipes and research trips, so that he now masters all the classics to the best of his ability.

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For example, the creamy Kräftsoppa with shrimp, which is served as a starter. Or the Västerbotten cheese paj - a spicy tart with plenty of hard cheese from the northern Swedish region of Västerbotten.

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For the main course, there is tender pink roasted venison, lamb with wild berry sauce, and of course, the biggest export of Swedish cuisine (next to cinnamon buns): the meatballs Köttbullar. And they are made in three different ways from veal, game and fish.

There are also Kanelbullar (as the cinnamon buns are called in Swedish) made according to a family recipe, but only in the afternoon when the classic fika is served at Hemma. The Swedes are coffee-crazy, "seven to eight cups a day are completely normal," says Igor.

Especially fika, the afternoon coffee break, is celebrated: With cinnamon buns, cardemummakaka (cardamom cake) and, of course, lots of coffee. As a sweet finale in the evening, there is rhubarb with tarragon and parfait with chamomile ice cream, which tastes like a trip to the flower meadow.

Scandinavian-elegant minimalism reigns in the back room, where dinner is served. The front part of the restaurant is furnished with blue velvet sofas and golden floral wallpaper and becomes a bar later in the evening.

At the very end, Mikael, who has worked as a bartender for many years, then conjures up a Ragnarök on the table - a cocktail that steams like an Icelandic volcano when prepared. The ingredients: Cherrywood smoke, Swedish whiskey and cloudberry jam. Scandinavia to drink.

Verena Carola Mayer

Author Vienna and Berlin