Little Asia in Lund

Written by Hayu Hamemayu

What do you miss the most when you’re living far from home? For me, it’s 3Fs: Families, Friends and Food!

Coming from a country known for its distinctive and rich-in-flavour foods, there are times when I crave for a little taste of home in Sweden. Lucky for me, there are some Asian speciality shops and restaurants in Lund where I can find remedy whenever homesickness strikes.

Of course it’s not apple to apple if we compare them with the shops and restaurants back home, in terms of stock and variety. But it’s still good to have them here. Especially now, when travelling overseas is not recommended and visiting your family back home is not a reasonable option.

These places can help you bring a bit of taste of Asia to your kitchen:

Lokchan

Little Asia, food sanctuary, heaven on Earth, you name it. This place is by far the most complete Asian shop in Lund. In addition to Indonesian foods which are rare in Sweden, they also have Thai, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Malaysian and plenty more.

Visit their shop on Klostergatan 14 K, and there you can find various gems ranging from Okonomiyaki sauce and Gochujang to instant noodle and seasoning for Rendang, an Indonesian beef stew, normally served in a meal set called Nasi Padang. Nasi Padang is one of the most loved comfort foods in Indonesia. It’s so popular and tasty, a Norwegian singer even made a song about it (check it here).

Kött & Spices

Located in Stora Södergatan 8, this shop sells foods mostly from South Asia. So, if you’ve been wondering where to get samosa or Red Label Tea for an Indian style milk tea, this is the right place to get them in Lund.
They also sell fresh vegetables and fresh meats, but the highlight, for me, is their South Asian collection.

Fengsson Dumpling

This tiny restaurant is very well-reviewed in Trip Advisor despite its secluded location on Winstrupsgatan 1. It’s actually not too far from Lund Central station but since it’s located in a kind of basement, the diner is not too noticeable.

However, if you pass by the area during lunch time, the queue outside is usually quite long so you will hardly miss it. In terms of taste, I’m not a food expert but I think this place sells the best dumplings in town!

Mui Gong

On their website, this Chinese restaurant writes: “What we are doing is to change your impression about Chinese food in Sweden.”
I don’t know what they mean by that, but personally, I think the Asian foods sold outside their original countries are often adjusted to a certain level for marketing purposes. Most of the times, Asian foods are reduced to merely wok and fritters.

That’s not the case with Mui Gong.

The spiciness in their food is authentic and they have more than just protein coated in fried batter. My favourite dish in the restaurant is the homemade tofu.

Changs Kök

Another tiny diner in Lund specialised in Sichuan foods. Only open during lunchtime (11.30-14.00) and mostly serves to take away. As many other dining places in Lund, they have a vegetarian option as well. This place is quite famous among students due to its tasty flavour and affordable price.

In addition to the list above, supermarket chain like ICA and Willys also have an Asian section. However, the choices are much less and they are mostly home brand or western versions, not Asian brands.

So, if you want to explore a bit more and experience a glimpse of Asia in Lund, those places are definitely the must go.

About the author

Hayu Hamemayu is a Lund-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Jakarta Post, Media Indonesia, Kompas, Majalah Kartini, and Indonesia Travel Magazine among others. A traveller mommy by nature and random thinker by inclination, she keeps memories in her Instagram @hayuhamemayu and writes her everyday stories in her blog.