Waxin’s Summer Menu Offers Taste of Sweden

Waxin's in Palm Beach Gardens, FL
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By Gerry Barker

Photos by Gerry Barker


As you arrive at Waxin’s in Palm Beach Gardens, you are immediately aware of its Swedish heritage by the name on the building: Restaurang and Bar.

Waxin’s Restaurang and Bar


Pam and I are making our first visit to the Swedish-American restaurant, located in Alton Town Center off Donald Ross Rd., to try their new summer menu. The entrance is marked by a red carpet that leads through its beautiful outdoor patio — we’re feeling special already.

Once inside, we are greeted by Stephon, one of the managers, who seats us in the main dining room. The decor is Scandinavian contemporary, with art works depicting famous people placed along the walls. The darkened lighting sets the perfect mood, and there’s a modern light fixture on each table if you need help reading the menu.

Philip, our server, got us started with two of their signature cocktails. Pam went with “The Pink Potion” ($15) a mix of Butterfly pea flower house-infused gin, Italicus and Lillet Blanc, while I was drawn to “Always Peachy in FL,” ($14) with vodka, orange liqueur, lemon and house-infused peach syrup (it was excellent). True to its name, Pam’s Pink Potion came with a small bottle of acidity potion that our server mixed into her drink — Harry Potter-style — that changes its color. Fun, and a tip of the hat to the mixologist.

From a nice selection of starters, Pam decided on the Pata Negra ($24), which is Iberico ham from the Spanish black foot pig (hence the name), “aged for 36 months and served with Manchego cheese and bread crisp.” Sliced similar to prosciutto, she said the 36-month aging was worth the wait.

For me, I was intrigued by the “Heaven and Hell” salad ($25), consisting of “Buffalo chicken nuggets, mixed greens, queso fresco, strawberries, onions, apples and ranch dressing.” Maybe the “Hell” was the spicy buffalo coating, but I found this dish to be pure Heaven. The chicken was tender and delicious, and the ranch dressing the perfect compliment that really brought it altogether. By the way, the menu also includes suggestions on the best wine and spirits to pair with your selections.

Having never tried true Swedish cuisine, we were determined to order some Swedish-inspired dishes off the menu. That being the case, Pam zeroed in on “Cod – The Swedish Way,” (market price) baked with drawn butter, hand peeled shrimp, horseradish, fingerling potatoes, egg and dill. Staying with fish, I got the “Arctic Char,” ($32) served with fennel, broccolini, cauliflower, and Sandefjord sauce. Both arrived with beautiful presentations, and the taste matched. The fish was cooked perfectly, and I especially liked my grilled cauliflower, as well as the sauce, which was divine.

It’s also noteworthy they have a nice selection of steak dishes, along with classic Swedish meatballs. But since we don’t eat beef, we had to pass those by. Regardless, I have heard their steaks are rave-worthy.

Room for dessert? Always! So we opted to share the “Swedish Strawberry Cake” ($12), with vanilla cake, fresh strawberries, vanilla cream and whipped cream (amazing). But before it arrived, Stephon surprised us with a round of their “Hotshots” ($9) — vanilla Liqueur, hot espresso, and whipped cream — a Scandinavian creation that claims “one a day will keep the doctor away.” Sign us up for that.

Waxin’s, which opened in October, 2020, is a family-owned restaurant. The Waxins came here from Sweden in 2011, making their home in nearby Jupiter. Soon they’ll be opening new locations in downtown West Palm Beach and Naples, giving more people a chance to experience the culinary joy of Swedish cuisine.

On their webpage, the owners say, “We will do everything and anything to make you feel like you are a part of our family.” After one visit, we certainly felt like guests in a home who didn’t want to leave.

Plan your visit:

Location: 5300 Donald Ross Road, Unit 130, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
Hours: Sun – Wed 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm; Thur 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm; Fri – Sat 5:00 pm – 1:00 am
Website: https://www.waxins.com/

(Our thanks to Waxin’s for hosting us)

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