Ikea, which boasts surprisingly popular food courts globally, has launched three new dishes inspired by the similarities between Thai and Swedish cuisines—and they are more similar than you think. The new dishes, which include salmon steaks, noodles, and a smoothie, will only be available at the brand’s Emsphere location from now until July 31.

 

Though geographically far apart, Thai and Swedish cuisine have certain common threads. Both countries share and affinity for fermentation, a focus on fresh high quality ingredients, and a communal dining style that emphasizes gatherings of friends and family. 

 

 

The salmon steak with spicy mango salad (B269 or B199 for Ikea Family members) mimics Swedish-style lemon and dill infused cream sauce. Swapping out the typical salmon dressing, Ikea delivers a Thai tinge with some sweet and juicy diced mangoes and replaces the dill with some shallots. The firm unseasoned salmon steak works well with the vibrant tangy spicy yum dressing with a strong whiff of fish sauce in it.

 

 

Ikea has previously dabbled in recreating renowned Thai dishes before, but there is one that has remained untouched until now. Ikea’s “northern style” noodles are basically a run at khao soi (B129 or B99 for Ikea Family members). It replaces the flattened Thai egg noodles with fettuccine to maintain a similar noodle shape. They fry up some of that fettuccine for a crispy garnish—as would be custom for khao soi. To top it off, and we know you saw this coming, Ikea replaces the usual tender chicken drumstick with its famous Swedish meatballs (plant-based options for veggies are also available). It’s a good effort at some wacky fusion, but the pasta doesn’t hold the rich coconut milk-based curry as well as the Thai-style noodles.  

 

 

Wrapping up the limited-edition menu is a lingonberry yogurt smoothie (B79 or B69 for Ikea Family members). The berries are commonly found growing in the wild in the forests of Sweden and Scandinavia. They’re tarty and shaped similar to cranberries. They have a slightly bitter aftertaste, so it's common in Sweden to sweeten them during the cooking process. Here, the berries are mashed into a shake—be sure to mix the lingonberry jam at the bottom so you'll get a balanced flavor.