New Restaurant Takes on the Vikings!
And about time too!
The construction of a Viking village in Stockholm, have now succeeded in coming a little way further in the effort towards presenting Sweden’s ancient Norse cultural heritage to the general public and tourists.The Swedish pop-artist E-Type has open a viking-inspired restaurant in Gamla Stan (Old Town) in the cellars of Västerlånggatan 68.
It was not to be the port this time either, but instead a full-blooded Viking restaurant located in a unique and beautiful cellar on Västerlånggatan 68 in Gamla Stan –the very heart of Stockholm. And since food is after all one of life’s greatest pleasures – I must be at least some way towards attaining my goal 😉
November 4 was the day when I, together with my fantastic team of staff, quite literally threw open the doors to Sweden’s, and possibly the world’s, first restaurant focused entirely on the gastronomic and cultural heritage between 700–1100 – Aifur Restaurant!
Aifur, you may say? Yes, it means ‘the eternally violent’ and does not allude to my meek and peaceful persona but instead to the legendary turbulent rapids of the Dnjepr river through which many Vikings have sailed during out tight contact with the east. It is mentioned by Emperor Constantine Vll and illustrated on the picture stones from Gotland. But perhaps really the Slavic name, ‘The Insatiable’, may better suit a restaurant.
One of my Viking ships was also named Aifur when it was built 25 years ago.
Many of our staff have been kidnapped from the Birka Viking town – now in hibernation, and lying in wait for the onset of summer – so they can serve good food and drink whilst explaining about the food you are eating, and in fact just about anything else you may wonder about our forefathers.
Beneath the humble motto, ’so much tastier’ we have hoisted the sail towards a culinary springtime, bringing back tastes that have not seen the light of day for 1000 years.
And NO – I will NEVER give up the hope that one day you will be able to sail your Viking ship right into a Viking village – but this is truly a fantastic step in the right direction.
Welcome – if you dare!
From Martin Eriksson – alias E-type