Restaurang Farang

Pulling inspiration from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, Farang offers a modern take on the hot-salty-sour-bitter-and-sweet tastes of South-East Asia in a vibrant, upbeat setting. Having grown up with the likes of the now-closed Longrain in Sydney (from where I believe the initial concept for Farang was actually born), the flavours on hand and style of dining are nothing new to this jaded restaurant-goer. That said, our visit provided a very welcome break from the norm in Stockholm and gifted me with a reminder of home. You can take the girl out of Sydney but you can't take the Sydney out of the girl...or something like that.Dining is communal and dishes arrive as and when they are ready, meaning there is generally an exciting variety of things to pick over on the table. The a la carte menu is split between snacks, a selection of lighter dishes titled 'fresh', a series of heavier 'warm' dishes and finally dessert. Their signature soft shell crab & green mango salad stood out from the pack but the sashimi with black rice vinegar dressing and the shiso leaves with smoked salmon and rainbow trout roe were also great. As was the crispy braised pork, even if nothing special. The one true miss for me was the grilled rib-eye 'satay', which saw a perfectly fine, well-cooked slab of beef smothered with a cloying blanket of sauce and coconut cream, which made little sense on my plate or palate.All in all, a high energy dining experience that makes for a super fun and usually tasty night out. Longrain turned the Sydney dining scene on its head all those years ago with its high-end take on Thai food, aromatic cocktails and buzzing atmosphere. Farang stands out from the crowd in Stockholm and if it can bring those same vibes, then...long live Farang!