FIKA SWEDISH CAFÉ AND BISTRO OPENS SECOND BRANCH Following the opening of their first branch on the corner of historical Arab Street three years ago, Fika launches its second branch 19th April 2012 at the heart of Singapore’s luxury hotel belt. Located at Millenia Walk, the new branch features all the homemade Swedish signature dishes the café has become known for, as well as several new additions. On the menu, are items that you’d find in many cafés in Swedish cities – from a platter of pickled herring served with rye bread and a boiled egg, to the chilled rosehip soup and fresh salads served with shrimp, leeks, olives, mustard and Swedish roe. For mains, perennial favourites include juicy meatballs served with potatoes and lingonberry jam or the Swedish beef hash served with a sunny-side-up and sliced beetroot. New on the menu is the Fika Plank Special, a ‘wooden plank’ filled with tender grilled barbeque ribs, mashed potatoes, and grilled tomato with cheese. For those looking for a light meal, the savoury crepes come highly recommended, stuffed with juicy shrimps, smoked salmon, mushrooms, roast beef or grilled chicken. Or look into the great selection of openface sandwiches with toppings like meatballs, smoked salmon or shrimp and egg. Of course, when tea time swings by, delight in some authentically Swedish sweets in the form of pancakes served with ice cream and strawberry jam, homemade chocolate balls and cinnamon buns or the hallonkräm med mjölk, sweet Swedish raspberry cream, served with fresh cold milk. SWEDISH DESIGN SENSIBILITIES The décor for the new Fika – which means gathering with friends and family over coffee in Swedish – was intended for guests to feel comfortable, with cozy, clean, naturally-lit interiors. "Both café’s were designed to give you a full Swedish experience; the first one to feel like a country home and the second as a chic city home. Instead of replicating the country-style interiors of our first branch in Arab Street, we decided to go with a nostalgic Swedish midcentury feel. I studied photos from the 50s and 60s of the interiors of cafés as well as the homes of my parents and grandparents and used that as inspiration," said Joakim Smidhagen, co-owner of Fika. "There are many Scandanavian mid-century designers as Arne Jacobsen, who designed the egg chair and Stig Lindberg who designed the Bersa ceramic pattern for Gustavsberg that help me plan and design elements to add to Fika’s Swedish charm," he added. Above the bar, hangs a wooden konditori sign, which means 'old style cafe' in Swedish. Joakim designed this as it reminded him of a charming cafe in his hometown of Sundsvall where his mamma used to take him and his siblings every Sunday afternoon in their childhood days. A WELCOME ADDITION The new outlet fills a void for authentic Swedish food, complementing the wide variety of cuisines available in the upscale mall. The lunch sets are designed to allow those working in the nearby offices to have a quick, yet hearty meal, or even hold lunch meetings in a comfortable setting. Also, it is one of a few food establishments in the area that serves halal food. At night, the café stands out, with its warmly-lit interiors, offering respite after a hard day’s work.