KOL & Cocktails in Helsingborg, charcoal-grilled wagyu, plenty of energy and Dom Pérignon at Swedish prices

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The place and the atmosphere

KOL is centrally located in Helsingborg on a charming street, and you feel the energy the moment you step inside. There is a bit of a nightclub vibe to the place, the music is on, and the guests have often made an effort with their outfits. The seating is comfortable, with plenty of space and large tables, so it never feels cramped even when the house is full. The noise level is high, that is worth knowing, but honestly it works well, precisely because the atmosphere is what it is. It is not the place for a quiet evening, but then that is not what you come here for ;-)

Sharing is Caring

The concept at KOL is simple. You order meat, fish or both and add a selection of side orders, and everything arrives on large wooden boards and in small cast-iron pans, so you share across the table. We went for their sharing menus, which require a minimum of two people. Mixed Meat at 399 SEK per person consists of dry-aged club steak from their own ageing cabinet, pluma of Iberian pork and rack of lamb. Mixed Wagyu at 845 SEK per person is Japanese A5 sirloin, flap steak and zabuton.

And let's say it plainly: Mixed Wagyu was clearly the highlight of the evening. It is simply something you have to try if you are at KOL. Alongside, we had the Halibut from Chef's Choices, which on the menu is seared halibut with cauliflower purée, brown butter, mushrooms and herb-tossed new potatoes.

The sides

Sides are a big part of the experience here, and we did not hold back. Béarnaise and pepper sauce came with the meat, along with tomato and mozzarella salad, crispy artichoke with truffle and parmesan, truffle and parmesan croquettes, potato gratin and a truffle risotto. The sides are priced between 39 and 49 SEK each, so it is easy to build a whole buffet of little pans in the middle of the table. A small note: with that many sides on the table you fill up quickly, so order a little at a time.

Desserts and espresso martini

We finished in the After Grill section of the menu. We ordered two Apple at 135 SEK each, which is apple cake with almond, vanilla ice cream, oat crunch and caramel sauce, a Chocolate at 135 SEK with chocolate pavé, blackberry sorbet, chocolate mousse and crumble, and a crème brûlée at 129 SEK with raspberry sorbet and crumble. Plus a couple of extra scoops of ice cream at 39 SEK each. And of course you cannot be at a place called KOL & Cocktails without finishing with an espresso martini, so we ended up with four of them at 155 SEK each.

The wine and the champagne

Then there is the wine list, which is one of the reasons we keep coming back. We ordered a bottle of Dom Pérignon at 3,195 SEK, which sounds steep, but with the Swedish krona exchange rate the restaurant price is actually around what the bottle costs at a Danish wine merchant. So we have occasionally made it a little tradition. On top of that we had a Meursault at 1,400 SEK and a MacMurray at 845 SEK with the meat.

Service

The service is good and competent. It is young people running it, but they come across as sharp and well trained, and they know both the menu and the wines. There is pace, as there should be in a place with this much energy, but we never felt forgotten.

Price and the exchange rate

The bill came to 10,228.50 SEK for the whole evening - that was for 4 adults and 3 children. It is an expensive place, no point hiding that, and the champagne clearly accounted for the biggest share, but at a price we are happy to pay. As a Dane, you really do get a lot for your money in Sweden right now, and that goes for wagyu, wine and desserts alike. So my recommendation is: make the most of the exchange rate and order what you would normally steer clear of at home.

Children and booking

You absolutely must book a table, that is not up for discussion at a place as popular as this. There is not necessarily a proper children's menu, but with bread, olives, chips and the many sides there are still plenty of options for children. And KOL is, incidentally, a really good place to start a night out with friends, because the atmosphere is already well under way before you get up from the table.