Swedish, Norwegian, Danish restaurants?

[reservoircat]

I have traveled around North America from Miami to NYC to LA and Vancouver, and something has always nagged at me: why are there so few Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish restaurants? It's easy to find Cantonese, Szechuan, Vietnamese, Korean, Italian, Greek, Thai restaurants. French cuisine and American steakhouses are commonplace. I have found German/Bavarian, Ethiopian, Carribean, and Filipino eateries. But outside of Ikea's faux-Swedish cafeteria, I have never seen a Swedish restaurant. Same for Norwegian and Danish restaurants: do such places exist?

Is Swedish/Norwegian/Danish food not good? Does it not lend itself to restaurant menus? Or do these restaurants exist, but are just advertised poorly? Hmmmm...

[moahunter]

^Ikea is about it. I lived in Denmark for a while, and while there is some interesting food (like flatbread sandwiches, and Danish hotdogs with caramalized onions), I'm not sure there is much I would go to a resturant for. Generally the food gets quite plain as you get north in Europe. We could do with a good Danish bakery or two though.

Its a bit like why you don't see many Dutch restruants, but the butchers are fantastic (and cheese), all European countries seem to have their strengths.

[Chmilz]

Probably the same reason there's no "Canadian" restaurants in any of those same places you travel: nothing very unique about it, mostly a hodgepodge of the distinct menus found elsewhere

[Tony's Dad]

There's a nice little Norwegian bakery in Camrose called the Lefse House (not a restaurant, I'm afraid - more of a coffee shop). Check it out at http://www.thelefsehouse.ca/. I've never been there but have heard good things. There's a strong Scandinavian presence in Camrose. Perhaps this is a business idea for someone so inclined in Edmonton because Scandinavian food is good.

[glasshead]

Originally Posted by reservoircat

I have traveled around North America from Miami to NYC to LA and Vancouver, and something has always nagged at me: why are there so few Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish restaurants? It's easy to find Cantonese, Szechuan, Vietnamese, Korean, Italian, Greek, Thai restaurants. French cuisine and American steakhouses are commonplace. I have found German/Bavarian, Ethiopian, Carribean, and Filipino eateries. But outside of Ikea's faux-Swedish cafeteria, I have never seen a Swedish restaurant. Same for Norwegian and Danish restaurants: do such places exist?

Is Swedish/Norwegian/Danish food not good? Does it not lend itself to restaurant menus? Or do these restaurants exist, but are just advertised poorly? Hmmmm...

I would suggest the number of ethnic restaurants is directly proportional to the ethnic population. To my understanding, the proportion of Scandanavians in Edmonton, for example, would be significantly less than say Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian, Greek etc. So, it's not that the food is bad, but who's going to set up the restaurant and cook it.

[Blueline]

http://luxuryexperience.com/chefs_re...m,_sweden.html

[JJMorrocco]

A lot of the BC mountain towns have this type of restauraunt. Radium is one place that comes to mind. I know not much help if you live here and are hungry for that food.

[danimalrex]

Originally Posted by glasshead

I would suggest the number of ethnic restaurants is directly proportional to the ethnic population. To my understanding, the proportion of Scandanavians in Edmonton, for example, would be significantly less than say Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian, Greek etc. So, it's not that the food is bad, but who's going to set up the restaurant and cook it.

The areas around Camrose and Wetaskiwin are strong in Scandinavian heritage. It's been a while, but as Tony's Dad suggested, there are places in and around that neck of the woods that cater to those types of foods.

[Blueline]

A Swedish acquaintance "educated " us this past Equinox about the virtues, pomp and circumstance of the pre-menitioned delicacies (????) and accompanying Midsummer's Night activities
My head still hurts and I certainly would offer to hurl at record distances if forced to consume their favored preparations of the finny part of our world

[Dusty Bear]

Originally Posted by glasshead

I would suggest the number of ethnic restaurants is directly proportional to the ethnic population. To my understanding, the proportion of Scandanavians in Edmonton, for example, would be significantly less than say Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian, Greek etc. So, it's not that the food is bad, but who's going to set up the restaurant and cook it.

Why so few Ukrainian restaurants in Edmonton, then?

[glasshead]

Originally Posted by Dusty Bear

Why so few Ukrainian restaurants in Edmonton, then?

Uncle Ed's restaurant, taste of Ukraine, Shumka, Culina highlands, Granny's Ukrainian, probably more?

[debos]

Originally Posted by moahunter

^.

Its a bit like why you don't see many Dutch restruants, but the butchers are fantastic (and cheese), all European countries seem to have their strengths.

There are a few Dutch Pannekoeken restaurants dotted around BC but none here. Generally speaking Canadians wouldn't get to excited about traditional Dutch fare as it is far too similiar to other Germanic cuisine.

[moahunter]

Originally Posted by glasshead

Uncle Ed's restaurant, taste of Ukraine, Shumka, Culina highlands, Granny's Ukrainian, probably more?

You see lots of ukranian buffets as well (went to one in Nisku recently).

[richardW]

so what im getting from this thread is that if someone were to open up a Scandinavian restaurant in edmonton they would have the market effectively cornered. nice.