A RARE BIRD

Text: John Fahlnaes, "Look at Stockholm" summer issue 1999

Swedish home-style food is currently being celebrated. Unlike the traditional food of many countries, that of Sweden has won popularity in many parts of the world. But preferably eaten in an historical environment.

If we imagine ourselves about 400 years back in time, in the 1600's, then the little city of Stockholm can perhaps boast having the most pubs per capita of all of Europe's cities. In the old town's winding alleyway, there was a public house, sometimes not larger than an average living room, at every passage. Almost all of these old pubs are gone today, but some names have survived to this day. One of these is Pelikan, which was most likely established in the 1660's by the gentleman Hans Cron. We don't know much about Pelikan from that time. Throughout the centuries the pub has changed locations many times and each time the new locale was built in the style of the time, although without entirely losing its old soul.

Today Pelikan sits on the island called Söder ("South") in central Stockholm. Built into a turn-of-the-century building, the pub, as well as its guests lives a good life in these Jugend locales. But today's Pelikan is not only a creation of its own ancient history. At the time of their construction, the houses belonged to the old restaurant Port Arthur, named after the fight between the Japanese and Russians at the place with the same name near Bering Strait. Pelikan did not move until 1960.

There is a very high ceiling in this house, at least six or seven metres. An artist has decorated the building with animal and plant paintings in Jugend style, "Art Deco", paintings directly onto the ceiling and walls. Wood panels cover the length of the wall's lower half, into which benches have been built. The building is not soundproof; according to one of the present owners, Marianne Svensson Landgren, it happens that choir group's visit Pelikan now and again to treat themselves to some enjoyable nourishment, and they can hardly resist the temptations to make their finely tuned voices heard and test the acoustics.

That's what it's like at Pelikan. The guests are of all types. Artists come here, as well as musicians and actors. You can also meet everyone from left-wing politicians to stockbrokers. Everyone is welcome. Throughout the years, Pelikan had it's share of regulars, often rather original characters, several of whom have become legendary.

If you go to Pelikan to eat, you'll be eating rather Swedish. Served here is traditional Swedish "home-style" food. There are perhaps now also those readers who have tried the traditional food of different countries and so doing become scared off by such attempts. Don't let that happen in Sweden. Our traditional food has become world-renowned over the years, smorgasbord being just one example. At Pelikan, you can try an SOS, which stands for "smör, ost and sill", or butter, cheese and herring, or fried pork with onion sauce. To be extra genuine, you can have a "snaps" with the food.

You can also go to Pelikan just to socialise, where the atmosphere is nice and unpretentious. A good and far to rare tradition.