IKEA's Swedish Christmas Julbord -- any good?

[Big Bad Voodoo Lou]

IKEA is advertising a Swedish Christmas Julbord on December 10th, 2010, which looks like an interesting all-you-can-eat smorgasbord for $9.99. I like a lot of these foods and I'm curious about several of the others.

"Assorted Herring, Gravad Lax with Mustard Sauce, Smoked Salmon w/Horseradish Sauce, Whole Poached Salmon, Hard boiled Eggs with Shrimp, Swedish Cucumber Salad, Red Beet Salad, Swedish Potato Salad, Christmas Ham, Liverwurst Pate, Assorted Cheeses, Meatballs and Lingonberries, Prinskorv Sausage, Red Cabbage, Boiled Potatoes with Dill, Jansson’s Temptation, Lussekatter, Crispbread, Thin bread, Dinner rolls, Swedish Rice Pudding with Almonds, Assorted Desserts, Glogg, Coffee, Tea & Fountain Beverage"

Have they done this in years past, and has anyone gone? My wife doesn't share my enthusiasm for the IKEA restaurant (I love the meatballs!) or smoked and pickled fish and sausages in general, so I may have to go it alone.

[Eat.Choui]

I enjoyed the Julbord last year!

I went to IKEA last week and saw gingerbread cookie dough. I have never notice it before. Has anyone tried it? Is it good?

[HillJ]

I've only seen the gingerbread toffee and it was excellent.

[HillJ]

I love the IKEA food markets! The offerings varying alot store by store but the prices are unheard/low and the quality is surprisingly good. I only learned about the food court & market when a friend took me there to look at their fabrics. I left with a few dozen jars of fruit spread and became a regular visitor after that. http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_CA/IKEA_Foo...

[mucho gordo]

Who eats at a furniture store???

[Cathy]

Me. As well as most others replying to the original post.

Other stores which have good restaurants: Nordstrom, Nieman Marcus, Bass Pro Shops.

It's akin to the 1950's, when stores wanted you to stay inside, eat and continue shopping.

[roro1831]

I've been know just to go there to eat if in the neighborhood

[mucho gordo]

Thanks, Cathy. I was aware of the other stores you mentioned (and a couple you didn't) but, I honestly had no idea that Ikea was in that category.

[buttertart]

A very discriminating Swedish friend eats there every chance he gets.

[yfunk3]

Ah, is this a rhetorical question? Similar to "Who goes into a thread about IKEA food just to badmouth IKEA food?" :o)

[L987]

try to find someone els to go with, because the whole thing with julbord is that you sit down with friends and family and eat and have a good time. If the food is prepared right and seasoned well its probably gonna be great, most food is probably their own ready made products like the meatballs, the herrings and the smoked and gravad salmons. And the mulled wine (glögg) is probably the kidsverson made of blackcurrant juice insted of real wine..

[Big Bad Voodoo Lou]

Heh, I know that if I'm able to go at all, it will have to be a solo mission. All of my friends either keep kosher or think most of that food would be gross (or both).

[Cathy]

Never have I had gross or bad or old or tasteless food at Ikea. We have been going for lunches, dinners and coffee/snacks since the first store showed up in the US (1993-ish).

Plus, I don't think they have a fryer. It's kind of healthy.

Yes, they serve those bitty shrimp for sandwiches and have bacon for breakfast. So the kitchen is not kept Kosher. But that practice limits a lot of restaurants.

Given the choice, I'd go to Ikea over almost any chain.

[monpetitescargot]

it could be real wine. i know the ikeas in europe serve wine.... so, maybe.

ikea really does have pretty good food. the premade herring products can sometimes tend towards saltiness (but it is a preserved fish product, so...) and their gravad lax tends to be more fishy than i like (but you cannot beat the amount for the price) but oh man... their preserves/jams are awesome... the gooseberry... cloudberry, etc. i also enjoy their turnbrod and halakaka breads. pretty yummy! at times, you can find some interesting cheeses, also.

[GraceW]

I believe--although this is a mere inference--that they have not done this in the past. I am actually considering going just for the experience of it. It isn't often that you get to try all of those different dishes for $10.

I am sorry that last post was somewhat less than productive for you. Recently I shopped at IKEA and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the lox plate. Also, I bake from scratch often.. so I couldn't help but also order the Chocolate Overload cake. Seriously it was better than some of the cakes I have made from scratch or ordered from upscale North Shore bakeries.

I'd say go for it; it's bound to be an experience, regardless.

[Cathy]

We have done the Christmas breakfasts which had a smaller Julbord and did a full Julbord at the Ikea in Burbank. But that was years ago. Now there is an Ikea closer, in San Diego, but they have not done a Julbord that I know of.

The food in the restaurant has always been good; I have tried everything and all the items you listed for the Julbord sound delicious and I really don't see a way they could be messed up. It sounds like a menu we have had at our home.

I'd go to it.

[mannycoon]

IKEA San Diego had a Julbord last year. It was good.

[CharlieKilo]

IKEA.

IKEA?

Is this a real question?

[Big Bad Voodoo Lou]

Yes. Have anything useful to contribute?

[roro1831]

Yep, try the food there sometime, it's surprisingly better than food at most food chains. The Swedich meatballs are great.