Every now and then, one bumps into the word Viking. The Vikings never seem to stop impressing us.
Here I will introduce you to another kind of Vikings, the siblings Clair and Kent behind the Little Vikings, a Cafe-Restaurant-Bakery located in the Bangkok-suburb LadPhrao. Here you will find the Viking Kent Ruqsapram behind the desk or stirring the pans, busy creating a choice of Swedish specialties or baking the most delicious cakes and bread.
Clair and Kent are the children of Swedish Astrid and Thai Odd Ruqsapram. For many of us Swedes, Astrid is a well-known person as she for 33 years, 3 months and 3 days was employed by the Swedish embassy. She formally held the title “Administrative Officer” but in German language I would have said, Astrid was “Mädchen fuer alles”, freely translated as “the person who has a finger everywhere”.
Dad Odd has a long history in hospitality as a Chef for hotels both in England and in Thailand. In Bangkok he worked for a large international hotel chain and later for a big seafood exporter to countries all over the world, including Scandinavia.
There is also the younger sister Joy, who is a hard working lawyer and legal consultant for a large firm in Thailand as well as a dedicated mum.
At home it was mainly dad Odd who was the Chef, but Astrid had to tell me the story when she had prepared and cooked a several courses dinner one evening and the 3 kids busted out; “Mum, can you cook?” “I had to show my family that I was not completely lost in the kitchen either,” Astrid said laughing. The kids were both surprised and impressed.
At Little Vikings you might expect mainly Thai and Swedish food on the table, but Kent is a creator with lots of fantasy and he brings a kind of fusion between Swedish and American food on the plates at Little Vikings.
“How come American food? I had to ask.
“Well, after having finished High School, I went to the King Mokut’s University Bangkok to study Environmentally Chemistry and later on, I took a Master in Computer Technique at the US DePaul University and from that time on, I found interest in American food,” Kent tells. During his years in the USA, he worked both as a Chef and a bartender and also as a restaurant manager.
At Little Vikings you will of course find the typical Swedish delicacies like Gravad lax (Marinated salmon), which Kent marinates himself, as well as the classic dish Meatballs with mashed potatoes and Lingonsylt (Cranberry jam). You will also find a delicious potato salad and ham, that taste exactly like we Swedes want to have our Christmas ham and last, but not least, Sister Clair’s Skagenröra, just to mention a few dishes.
“To bake is what I like the most” Kent admits. He makes many different cakes, among them the famous Princess cake, which Kent says is complicated to make, due to the Thai humidity. The top selling cake is the Cheese cake, but also the traditional Swedish Kladdkaka (a smudgy chocolate cake) has become extremely popular. Of course Kent also makes Semlor ( a flour bun filled with marzipan and whipped cream).
Kent’s signature cake is the Drunken Viking. I tried to get the ingredients from Kent, but he just smiled and said; “It’s a secret, but I can assure you, that this cake is like a “shot” as it is full of Bailey’s liquor, he revealed.
While mum Astrid and I were enjoying our meatballs, some Thai customers came to buy take away and some sat down for a coffee and cake, relaxing for a while.
Little Vikings is a cozy, unpretentious coffeeshop with small wooden tables and chairs in blue and yellow colors. The decoration contains mostly of Dalahästar (Dala horses) in many colors and Kent admits, that most of them are made in China, as well in Thailand.
Approximately 90% of the customers are Thai and many of them order online and the orders are delivered by Robin Hood. Until this date, I only knew about the fairytale Robin Hood, but Kent explained, that it is a company like Grab or Food Panda, but less expensive and more efficient.
Before I had to leave, Kent absolutely wanted me and his mum to have coffee and a piece of cake. We both would have loved to try the Drunken Viking, but we were too full, so decided to just finish off with a black coffee.
I promised to be back soon and to try a piece of cake. I did not go back home without nothing, I had a freshly baked bread and a fantastic homemade salsa in my bag.
I would really recommend you to pay a visit to Little Vikings in LadPhrao.
From Sukhumvit MRT station, it’s just a few stations, less than a 15 minutes drive to reach LadPhrao.
Do it, just because you are worth it!
You will find it here:
Little Vikings Cafe and Restaurant
95, 16 Soi LadPhrao 41 Yaek 8
Khwang Chan Kasem, Khet Chatuchak
Bangkok10900
Tel: 098 771 79 78
https://m.facebook.com/littlevikingbyclairandkent
Opening hours 8 am to 5 pm
