Number 32 : Palace

Most visitors to Gothenburg have at one stage or another walked past Palace on their way through the city. Situated on one of the bridges over the water this restaurant is in a prime location. The restaurant was closed up until recently for renovation and having never been in before I thought it was high time to see what it had to offer.

The main attraction is the large sun-lounge on the front of the building. On a hot Gothenburg day it was quite pleasant to sit in the shade with a cool breeze running through, as the city life strolled by outside. The service was of a very high standard and the restaurant both inside and outside is quite exceptionally well designed. Sitting there it was very easy to drift back in time a hundred years.

The menu was select but it offered a nice selection of dishes. I went for the truffle risotto and it was very well done and nicely presented.
My only negative (and this is no fault of the restaurant) was that as I sat and ate my meal a few meters on the bridge were 2 buskers trying to out do each other, one with a drum and one with a recorder. Both of them played the same "tune" non stop for the whole duration of my meal. In this respect before you take your seat just have a quick listen to what music can be heard around you, maybe you like it, maybe you don't.

Rating: 8 / 10

Price: average  

Would I go back here? Yes

Address: SÖDRA HAMNGATAN 2

Link

Date of visit: Thursday 25th July 2013

Number 31 : Toro Blanco

I was pleasantly surprised by Toro Blanco. Situated at Kungstorget I thought maybe this place would be a cheap tourist trap but this was not at all the case. The restaurant was fresh and nicely designed and you are able to get good authentic food for quite a reasonable price.

I have learned with Tapas that sometimes it can be good to go for the chef's selection. For the amateur such as myself, when it comes to Spanish food trying to put a selection of dishes together that will complement each other is always a bit hit and miss. In this respect I find it best to put my trust in the hands of experts and also give advice about things you do and don't like.

I went for the vegetarian selection and was not disappointed. The food tasted good, was nicely presented and the service very friendly. Good value for money.

Rating: 6 / 10

Price: cheap to average  

Would I go back here? Yes

Address: Kungstorget 3 

Link

Date of visit: Sunday 21st July 2013

Number 30 : Targaz Bar & BBQ

This restaurant is next door to my gym and up until now I have avoided the temptation to go inside and eat. On this day though my resistance was finally broken. With the temperature hitting 25.c some food from the Middle East was too tempting to resist.

Greek and Persian food is what is offered at Targaz Bar & BBQ and there was a good mixture of specials and set meals to choose from. I chose a selection of vegetarian dishes and I found the food very appetising and fresh. The restaurant was quite nicely done out and large opening windows made it very cool even when sitting inside. The restaurant seemed to be a mixture of Middle Eastern expats and tourists which gave it quite a social atmosphere.

The food came quickly although the service was a bit casual. Young waiters and waitresses who gave the impression that their main priority was to have fun with each other rather than seeing to their guests, although having said that the waiter who served me was polite.

Rating: 6.5 / 10

Price: average  

Would I go back here? Yes

Address: Kungsgatan 34 

411 19 Göteborg

Link

Date of visit: Thursday 18th July 2013

Number 29 : Qué Pasa

For some reason I normally try and avoid Spanish food. Although for the most I am of a generous nature, when it comes to food I've never been so enthusiastic about sharing it if it is something I have specifically ordered for myself. Being vegetarian and when going out with three meat eating friends, each of us orders 4 or 5 Tapas dishes each.  My friends would then take great delight in picking and sampling from my vegetarian selection where as I am unable to eat any of their meat dishes...

Que Pasa was a spacious yet quaint restaurant in the middle of the city. There where a number of different rooms and outdoor areas to sit in, each offering a different style and ambience. Stone floors and candlelight gave it a rustic charm and it was quite a cosy and peaceful place to spend a Saturday night.

The food was delicious and nicely presented. With tapas the ability to choose and mix your own dishes means you can combine many tastes to great effect. The service was friendly although my waitress did not know much about the food I was ordering when asked (but I half suspect she was new to the job).

I would have to say that Que Pasa  is definitely worth a visit though and I may have been tempted to try more Spanish food in the near future.

Rating: 7.5 / 10

Price: average  

Would I go back here? Yes

Address:  Drottninggatan 29

Link

Date of visit: Saturday 6th July 2013

Number 28 : Thai Issan

I have often walked past this restaurant on Drottninggatan and this evening I decided to give it a try. I have visited quite a few Thai restaurants now in the past 7 months and in all honesty I am afraid to say that this one did not especially stand out.

I thought the decoration inside was nice. Very high ceilings gave the restaurant a grandeur and the setting felt "Thai" to some extent. The service was friendly with a smile and the food came promptly... although unusually for a Friday night there was not so many people dining, so I wouldn't have expected to wait long in any case.

The menu I thought was quite varied, although the food I tried was quite average and lacked taste. I did have a nice coconut juice juice to drink though which I enjoyed. A redeeming factor was that the food was quite cheap in general and I managed to have a starter, main course and a drink all for 130kr. 

Rating: 5 / 10

Price: cheap  

Would I go back here? Not really.

Address:  Drottninggatan 21, 41114 Göteborg

Link

Date of visit: Friday 5th July 2013