(SPOT.ph) The day you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived, Spotters—yup, IKEA is finally opening their Philippine store today! Apart from their famous furniture, home accessories, and kitchen appliances, they’re also known for serving up seriously tasty eats from their in-house restaurants and bistros that make for great pre- or post-shopping fuel, but are also well worth the trip on their own. We got to have a sneak peek of IKEA Philippines’ dining areas as well as some of the items they’ll be having on their menu, but we hope these drool-inducing dishes from their locations around the world make an appearance in the Philippine store as well.
Also read: LOOK: Here's a Sneak Peek of the Resto, Café, Market + More at IKEA Philippines
Also read: SNEAK PEEK: Inside IKEA's First Store in the Philippines
We hope to see these IKEA food items in the Philippines sometime, too:
Butter Chicken
Who can resist chicken in a spiced, creamy sauce, especially with crusty naan and basmati rice to sop it all up? The Butter Chicken’s got your back. Available from their Canadian locations, it’s IKEA’s take on the British-Indian dish of the same name.
French Baked Lobster with Bacon and Cheese Baked Potatoes
Lobster in an IKEA? Yup, that’s right—in Hong Kong, anyway. Forget the supposed “rules” about not pairing seafood with cheese; here, lobster, bacon, cheese, and fluffy potatoes come together for a decadent whole that'll evoke the fancy-schmancy restaurant feels.
Chocolate Conspiracy Cake
With a name like that, it’s hard not to be intrigued by the Chocolate Conspiracy Cake—and your curiosity is rewarded as you dig into its layers of chocolate cake, mousse, and ganache. They’ve raved about it over at VICE, and it’s not hard to see why: Chocolate on chocolate is always a good idea, more so when there’s a harmonious play of textures involved.
Veal Kabsah
Regarded as the national dish of Saudi Arabia, kabsa is an uber-homey, one-pot meal that's got meat and/or veggies plus rice that's usually flavored with a heady mix of aromatics and spices. It's only right that their local IKEA also makes their own version—this time, with tender pieces of veal and a topping of buttery cashews for crunch.
Veggie Hot Dog
Granted, veggie-based forays into traditionally meat-based products tend to be polarizing. But IKEA’s Veggie Hot Dog—launched in 2018—is a great example of how to do it right. The hot dog itself is made with a blend of kale, lentils, quinoa, onions, and wheat protein, which come together for a nutty, earthy mix; as a sandwich it’s also served with crisp-crunchy toppings of red cabbage, spicy mustard, and fried onions on a soft bun. On the sustainability front, it sure doesn’t hurt that it’s got seven times less the climate impact compared to their meat-based counterpart.
Princess Cream Cake
Also known as prinsesstårta in its hometown of Sweden, princess cake is a well-loved dessert with layers of sponge cake, raspberry jam, vanilla custard, and whipped cream, all hugged by a layer of nutty, aromatic marzipan. IKEA, hailing from Sweden themselves, delivers a whimsical version that’s pink instead of the usual green, with a drizzle of chocolate on top for a subtle, bittersweet hint.
Christmas Ham
Available as part of IKEA Thailand’s Christmas menu, the Christmas Ham pretty much delivers all the signature flavors of the holiday on a plate. It’s got not one or two but three proteins—namely ham, pork sausage, and plant balls! It’s then served with green peas, mashed potatoes, and the ever-essential lingonberry jam.
Swedish Gravadlax
The Scandinavians, of course, are known to love their seafood, and one of the dishes that best showcases the great fish of their seas is gravlax, a.k.a. gravadlax or cured salmon. IKEA serves up an underrated but stellar version with buttery, dill-imbued fish, plus vibrant partners of mixed leafy greens, a spiced mustard dressing, and lemon; it was praised by the Business Insider, calling it “by far the best dish” at the cafeteria.
Caramel Nuts TUNNBRÖD
Over in Harajuku, IKEA has a line of dishes with tunnbröd—a classic Northern Swedish flatbread—as a base. Included are savory versions with meats, fish, and plant-based toppings; but there are also sweet versions that take after Japanese-style crepes! In particular, the Caramel Nuts TUNNBRÖD has us drooling with its combo of a sticky caramel sauce, chopped nuts, and a generous helping of lush whipped cream.
Hangikjöt
Hangikjöt is an Icelandic favorite of lamb that’s dry-salted or pickled in brine, then cold-smoked over a fire that's traditionally fueled by—wait for it—dried sheep dung. We’re pretty dang intrigued! IKEA in Iceland has the classic dish on their menu as one of their specials this month, where slices of the meat are sterved with potatoes, braised red cabbage, and green beans for good measure.
For more information, check out IKEA's website.
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