Lunch at IKEA

IKEA's cafeteria

With each day Beloved gets a little stronger, so we come up with small outings to get us both out of the house.  He can't drive yet, since it's his gas-pedal knee that got replaced and he is under the influence of pain meds (although that has decreased A LOT). His pain changes from surgery-related to exercise-related.  But his physical therapist assures him he is on track; all of this is normal.

Yesterday we drove over to IKEA for lunch.  We have been through the store, new to our metro area just this past summer, but we didn't know at the time that we were supposed to indulge ourselves in their cafeteria for their famous Swedish Meatballs.  With Beloved's Handicap Parking Permit we were able to park very near the elevator in the parking garage and make our way to the cafeteria without excessive walking all through the store.  

Cafeteria food cart

Although the streamlined designs of IKEA don't fit in well with my country-style of home decor, I've got to give them credit for clever and practical ingenuity in many areas.  This food cart blew me away.  I've never seen one before.  One cart will hold 3 large food trays, which makes the entire process so much easier when some in my party can't handle a tray and walking with a cane.  The people in front of us had a wheel chair, so this cart was good for them, too.  Way to go, IKEA!

Some of the cafeteria seating

We bypassed the high stools and tables in favor of regular chairs and normal-height table.  It's like they had something for everyone's needs.  That's hospitality and we all can learn from that!

The Swedish Meatballs Combo

The Swedish Meatballs Combo entree includes the meatballs with gravy, mashed potatoes, Ligonberry Sauce, a green salad, and a fountain drink.  The meatballs were good, although I think my mother's recipe is just as good.  It must be a Swedish thing to have a berry sauce to go with gravy and meatballs -- I find that a little odd.  

Pink Marzipan Dessert

Dessert is an extra charge, but they cleverly have you go past them first and of course we fell prey to their marketing strategy!  I chose the pink thing: cake on the bottom, a raspberry (with seeds) filling,  a creamy filling, more cake, and encased in pink Marzipan embellished with chocolate.  It was small, just the right size for somebody who's supposed to be minimizing her calories.

Chocolate Dessert

Beloved, who is also watching his food intake, rarely turns down chocolate- anything (making allowance by cutting back on something else, you understand).  This probably wasn't as heavy in the calories as it looks.  Cake on the bottom and middle, with 2 chocolate cream layers, and frosting on top.  Both desserts were delicious.

This was a pleasant outing, and the crowd was minimal compared to the number who show up on weekends.