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Christina Britton with PA&Co profiles Peter Ahlm, showman and entrepreneur, and Örjan Ramberg, the great actor. Photography: Sven Britton

Christina Britton with PA&Co profiles Peter Ahlm, showman and entrepreneur, and Örjan Ramberg, the great actor. Photography: Sven Britton

Oh, what a party...

Claes Britton | Dec 8, 2006 | 0 comments

...indeed it was – and indeed it should be, as it was, after all, the 20-year anniversary party, no less, of Sweden's most mythological and trendsetting bistro, our beloved PA&Co, as well as the relase for our Obelix-stylee book PA&Co – More than a cookbok (Stockholm New Publishing) at that, held in here in “Stocktown“ on 25 November.


After lengthy trials and tribulations, we finally ended up at Combo, The PA&Co boyz' lunch and catering restaurant on distant Karlavägen further up in the Östermalm district. PA&Co itself was just much too small for this gig. Even in Combo, we could fit no more than a mere 500, having extended the Fire Department's permission by double. This ment we had to be extremely selective with the invitations – something that caused bad blood among many, many who took it as a grave insult not being invited, having been, at least in their own eyes, stone regulars at PA:s since the days of the Flintstones. Now only the juicy center of the hard core could be squeezed in, and still it was more that enough to jam pack the premises as well as the back yard – a fact that will tell you something about the greatness of this small Riddargatan joint. Word had spread through town that those who arrived late wouldn't be admitted, which ment that the place was full and punmping at full tilt from opening at 19.00 sharp. The dance was still going all out, with no signs of fading, when we left long after official closing time at 03.00. It felt like the night was gone in half an hour – the ultimate mark of a truly classic party. The Swedish expression ”Everybody was there” aquired a whole new meaning. The champagne, duck liver and oysters were flooding non stop along with the laughs and tears. The legend was born in real time. The feeling, as so often, was bittersweet – the years have not passed invisably – but who cared about that on a night like this? As our friend Pontus Rönn phrased it: ”The only criticism I have was that you hadn´t made T-shirts with `I was there´ printed on them.

”The best party ever”
- Uluc ”Bullen” Telmen, Stockholm's former club king and patron of the Half Greek Plus Turk bistro, speaking about his friends' and competitors' 20-year anniversary party.

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