The Old Borough

The Old Borough is a pretty new pub in the area of Swords central. It opened in July 2015 and made a name for itself within the first months. The Old Borough has a well thought-out design that works around the limitation of being in an old building and the interiors of that building, without compromizing the old foundations. There is impeccable access for wheel chairs and for people who have a hard time walking in stairs.

The food is very good, with different focus every day. I went to The Old Borough almost every Thursday and Sunday for nine months and during this time, I discovered that, sadly, the food quality depends entirely on who is in the kitchen. I have had chicken burgers that were perfection and burgers that were dry and bland. I have had curries that are savory and spicy and curries in which I didn't get all the dishes and had to nag staff to get me the mising pieces.

As for beverages, The Old Borough ran a very nice Ale Festival in March 2016, which provided 55 different ales and beers from Ireland, Britain, Europe, and America. That diversity makes up for the fact that this Near-Dublin based pub does not serve Guinness and their whiskey selection is very thin.

The prices for food are really good, far lower than their competition along the same street and in central Swords. The alcoholic bevarages are very cheap and the food/drink deals are really good.

If you want a good place for a party or a filling breakfast, visit the Old Borough. The floor staff is service minded, the pub is well suitable for big groups, and the bottomless coffee, while a bit weak by Swedish standards, is good.

With its running charity affiliations and the themed weekends, this is a pub that is open to anyone who wants to watch sports, get a pint, or eat.

Easy Kitchen, Holiday Inn Åre

I've been coming to the village of Åre every Easter for as long as I can remember. My grandmother lived only an hour away on a farm that is now inhabited by one of my uncles. I find the way hotels and tourist attractions have popped up horrible, but I also understand the need to bring the tourists to the village. It is a ski resort after all.

While working at a grocery store not far from my uncle's house, I was treated to the Easy Kitchen restaurant at Holiday Inn Åre. It's a beautiful restaurant with dark oak details and finish, and soft, innovative light fixtures. The ramps, a nod at being friendly to the differently abled guests, were hard to spot and I nearly tripped on the first one. I hope those who use wheel chairs or canes are better prepared or there will be accidents.

This day, the lunch buffe was cooked cod, potatoes, oven baked chicken, and rice. Included in the price was a salad buffe and one glass of water or soda. Personally, I feel that if you charge what they do for food, the beverages should only be limited if they contain alcohol. One 2.5 dl glass per costumer is just being cheap, especially if it's water. 

The food was mediocre at best. The chicken was dry and under seasoned. The fish was watery and also under seasoned. The high light was the potatoes, but only because the rest was so bland. At the salad table, the only interesting bit was the cold cuts, though I have a hard time understanding why you need cold, boiled salmon at a salad table.

All in all, I'm happy we managed to get the "hillbilly discount", because I would never pay more than the 85 SEK per person we did pay for this food. It was just boring. So, if you can, find a nice local person to take you, and don't pay full price.