La Bise Bistro

The first thing I noticed when I stepped inside was five bottles of Chartreuse on the bar. Not the same bottle five times, but different varieties. It's not a scientific measure, but I've judged restaurants on far shakier grounds, and a bar that takes the monks' herbal liqueur this seriously bodes well. The plan for the evening wasn't particularly grand, otherwise: a simple dinner after work, something warm, and then home.\n\nIn central Sundsvall you'll find La Bise, a French-leaning bistro. The name refers to the cheek kiss the French greet each other with, and the menu stays close to classic bistro cooking, with onion soup and meat dishes with classic sauces, but with the odd Nordic detail on the plate.\n\nI started with a French onion soup for 145 kronor, which arrived surprisingly quickly. It had a lovely acidity that lifted the broth, and the cheese on top was gratinated just as it should be. What I would have changed is the bread. It felt like a rather dense bread had been chosen, and with one that soaks up the soup better, plus another handful of onions, it would have been really sharp. The main course was a pavé of venison shank for 295 kronor, with chanterelles, parsnip purée, confit salsify, forestière sauce and blackcurrant jelly. That's a lot of components on one plate, but each had a job to do. The kitchen had worked deliberately with the acidity in the sauce, and the sweetness of the blackcurrant jelly pulled the other way, so that they met in the middle. It was a dish where I didn't miss a thing.\n\nI was welcomed by a man who was friendly from the first moment. He spoke a fair bit of Swedish, but we soon noticed that English came more easily, so English it was, and that didn't matter at all. The service was just as considerate all the way to the bill.\n\nLa Bise suits you when you want a proper meal after work in Sundsvall without it turning into a whole evening, and with main courses around 300 kronor, it lands where a weekday dinner in town usually does. If the venison pavé is still on the menu when you come, order it. The onion soup is a good start but not a must, and if you have room afterwards, you now know where to find Chartreuse to choose from.