On your next visit to the Vasastan area of Stockholm, you might want to make a side trip to Paris by way of Brasserie Balzac. The lively, welcoming venue at Odengatan 26 serves up classic French cuisine, with a few Swedish favorites thrown in, features a traditional oyster bar, and has a French and international wine list that most eateries would kill for, all in a atmosphere that looks and feels like a bustling club in the heart of Paris. The space even features a ‘chambre separee,’ a ‘room within the room’ where you and up to nine of your closest amis can spend the evening with a wine cooler, special menu, and a sommelier to see to your desires.
Dinners at Brasserie Balzac include such favorites as steak tartar, grilled pork, duck, and mussels, with starters including foie gras and escargot, along with the oyster bar, and run an average of about 195-295 SEK. Weekday lunches feature set plates each day for 145 SEK that include a choice of meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes, along with an a la carte menu, and, of course, the oysters. There is even a weekend brunch starting at 12:00 Saturdays and Sundays that offers mid-day cocktails, a variety of eggs and salads, burgers, minute steaks, and desserts including banana splits, milkshakes and crème brulee. And, of course, oysters.
Brasserie Balzac can accommodate parties of up to 20 people, including menu planning, and they offer catering. They will even open and air your bottle of wine for you a couple of hours ahead of your meal if you request it.