The waving flags of the Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland, and Denmark outside of Scandinavian House (The Nordic Center in America) and their attractive window display showcasing Nordic finds enticed me to go inside and discover their boutique and Björk Cafe & Bistro. I was looking for a refuge for lunch in close proximity but away from Grand Central and one that allows me to explore other cultures through their culinary arts.

Lunch

On a recent visit for lunch, I ordered the Björk Duet, a combination of Färö Island salmon cured and tartare served with greens plus toast and crackers. I loved the tartare, and the lemon vinaigrette dressing was delicious and perfectly coated the salad. I complemented the meal with a glass of Chateau Laulerie Sauvignon Blanc and finished the meal with the Cafe’s Nordic take on a Creme Brûlée.

Another time, I enjoyed their roasted cauliflower with wild mushrooms and red pepper sauce. The aesthetics of the cafe and bistro are attractive, with well-appointed tableware, glasses from Orrefos Kosta Boda, and stainless flatware Vargen and Thor with a hammered surface and onyx color.

Next time, I plan on trying their Smörgåsbord, an appetizing mix of gravlax, herring, Jansson's Temptation (creamy potato casserole), salad, meatballs, lingonberries, pickled cucumber, and boiled potatoes and I will certainly finish the meal with Fika and cake.

Let us meet Ulrika Bengtsson, co-founder of Björk Cafe & Bistro.

Ulrika Bengtsson

I met Ulrika Bengtsson over a glass of Lingonberry soda. She founded Björk Cafe & Bistro with Sabina Lindmark in 2022. Ulrika was born in Värnamo and raised in Hyltebruk in the Swedish countryside. When she came to New York in 1989, she thought her stay would be short-lived as she based her notions of the States on the popular television show Falcon Crest of that era.

Instead, she fell in love with New York and its diverse culinary scene and stayed. At the same time, she longed for the home-cooked meals of her childhood in Sweden. She grew up on farm-to-fork healthy cooking with reasonable portion sizes. Her snacks came out of the vegetable patch, where she would pull fresh carrots and wipe them off on the grass before popping one carrot into her mouth. It does not get much fresher than that. Nostalgia became her source of inspiration.

Ulrika started her career at Aquavit and worked as the executive chef at the Swedish Consulate. In 1999, she opened Ulrika's, her first restaurant. Since 2006, she worked in managerial positions with the Roger Smith Hotel, Smörgas Cafe, Vive La Crepe, and Epicerie Boulud. During the pandemic, she created a subscription Swedish meal service called SweDISHnyc before opening Björk Cafe & Bistro.

Ulrika pairs her entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, and passion with grit and hard work. In addition to and outside of Björk Cafe & Bistro, she is expanding her brand. A larger kitchen with ventilation will allow for production. She will continue to promote Swedish culture through cooking, culinary retail items, Swedish roasted coffee, pickled cucumbers, preserved Lingonberries, crisp bread, and a beautiful Nordic tabletop. She foresees multiple locations.

This past May, the American Swedish Historical Museum (ASHM) in Philadelphia honored Ulrika with its Outstanding Achievement Award for her contribution to promoting Swedish cuisine and brands.

How did you choose the name of the restaurant?

Björk means birch, and we chose the name because it reflects our connection to nature, a core element of Scandinavian culture, and is not difficult to pronounce.

What is your favorite holiday, and what do you like to eat for that occasion?

My favorite holidays are Christmas and Midsummer. Usually, we eat the same traditional foods; herring, gravlax, Jansson's Temptation, and meatballs. For Christmas, we add ham, and for Midsummer, we include seasonally fresh strawberries and potatoes. It is a delicious way to celebrate.

What is one of your favorite dishes?

Pannbiff Med Lök multiple beef patties are cooked in the same pan with cooked caramelized onions simmered in veal stock. The first time I came back home to Sweden my mother served this dish and now it has become a regular dish when I come home.

How do you determine a healthy portion size?

Less animal protein not more than four ounces, and more vegetables.

What are your favorite sweets? Do you have any recipes to share?

I am not a sweet tooth person, but my favorite is the Kolasnittar. We sell them at Björk, and the Princess Cake is our customer's favorite.

Ulrika’s Kolasnittar

Ingredients

Half a cup of sugar
Half a cup of softened butter
Three quarters of a cup of all purpose flour
One tablespoon of maple syrup
One teaspoon of cinnamon
One teaspoon of baking soda
Half teaspoon Kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a large baking tray with grease-proof paper. Beat the butter and sugar until nice and fluffy, and add and beat in the syrup. Sift the flour, cinnamon, and baking powder. Then combine and stir the wet and dry ingredients together.

Divide the dough into two equal parts and roll them both out into long rectangular shapes around 25 cm long and 14 cm across. The thinner the dough, the crunchier the cookie. It might be easier to roll out the dough on grease-proof paper. Make sure to leave a little space in between as the cookies will spread out. Create a pattern by pressing down a fork all over the top of the rolled out dough.

Bake for about ten minutes until the cookie is golden brown and slightly darker along the edges. Do not over bake. Once baked, diagonally cut them immediately but gently without separating them. They will crack if you attempt to cut them after they have cooled, and they will be too soft to separate before baking.