Sunday, August 22, 2010

Birthday Lunch @ IKEA

With its maze like set-up and kids' activity corners scattered throughout the store you can easily be forgiven for thinking Ikea was designed with only kids in mind. But that is exactly the beauty of it and what sets it apart from all other furniture stores. Both kids and the more mature in age will find something to hold their attention. For a family man like me it's heaven sent.



Let's get one thing straight though before I continue. I am not associated with Ikea in any shape or form. Having Swedish designed items in my house does not count! I paid for them with my hard earned cash. None were given to me for free. My whole family just genuinely enjoy the place.



I therefore did not think it odd that Yaya would request to have her birthday lunch at Ikea. Also, with a variety of reasonably priced meals how could I say no? $1 hot dogs anyone? But they are so much more than cheap reconstituted meat..



A must for a first timer are meatballs, gravy, mashed potato and chips. I don't exactly know how the Swedes enjoy theirs but that's the combination we like



One thing Yaya and I enjoy that no other family member seem to share is gravalax/gravlax (raw salmon cured in salt, sugar and dill). She started sharing my plate of a Swedish Open Sandwich as a toddler and has not stopped since.





Ikea is also one of the few places in Brisbane that offers bottomless drinks. Pay once and you can have as much lingonberry juice as you can handle.



There's also a variety of desserts on offer. To complete the lunch we shared some ice cream, chocoloate mousse, berry yoghurt and Swedish apple cake.



By the way, you can easily replicate the meals at home by getting the ingredients from their food store (follow an old post here).




Total bill, less than $30. Kids' smiles all around, priceless!





6 comments:

cusinera said...

Yeheey for Ikea! The TRIBE loves to it there too...hotdogs and meatballs are our fav! I usually stock up on the gravy mixes for the meatballs, everytime we go there twice a year:)
Did your little ones posed on the giant hotdog?

Tangled Noodle said...

Happy birthday to the lovely little fashionista! 8-)

I can't think of a more fun place to have a birthday meal that IKEA. It's been ages since I've been there - I love their soft serve ice cream (and the meatballs, too, though not together!) But I will definitely try that gravlax plate next time. 8-)

Anonymous said...

Hard to go wrong with Ikea ei cusinera?

And yes, we have pics taken with the giant hotdog! Kids' just can't help themselves... ;)

The Beancounter said...

Thanks once again TN! Hahahaha, meatballs and ice cream...my 12 year old has probably tried the combination...and loved it! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

The Nomadic Pinoy said...

Ikea is where I fell in love with Swedish designs including those famous meatballs. Some of my home furnishings came from there.

The Beancounter said...

Hello there Nomad! Isn't it amazing how Ikea stuff seem to fit any sort of household?