Perhaps the first thing that draws the dedicated gastronome’s attention to Stockholm Syndrome is the name of the cafe itself. While it might seem obvious that this particular establishment — nestled in the eastern belt of Bogor, West Java — offers Swedish cuisine and pastries, potential patrons might be tempted to wonder why such an eatery had to be named after a condition in which hostages develop an emotional and intimate bond with their captors, a phenomenon that found its origin in the Norrmalmstorg robbery that took place in Stockholm back in 1973. 

The name might not necessarily be appetizing to a layman's eye, but according to the cafe's cofounder (and native Swedish) Samim Zarin, there is a special reason why "Stockholm Syndrome" is a perfect name, after all. 

"Sometimes life holds you hostage," said the 33-year-old restaurateur to The Jakarta Post on May 13. "So, at that moment, you can choose from two mindsets: either you're a victim or you fall in love with life and enjoy it."

Stockholm Syndrome is that and more — a labor of love borne from the founders' desire for independence and self-actualization. With the tagline “Swedish Cafe Culture in Bogor!”, Stockholm Syndrome serves up Swedish cookery, bonbons and refreshments with the hope that diners will form an emotional bond to the cafe not unlike the infamous psychological scenario.

Soul-searching

The genesis of Stockholm Syndrome was rooted in what Samim jovially described as a "mid-twenties life crisis". At the time, even though he had "a good job, a good career, an apartment and my car", he could not help but feel he was losing his vigor in life. Moreover, the ongoing stagnancy that was his life in Sweden made him feel apprehensive about the future.

"Everything was going well, you know? But I just felt like I could see my life too far away, like, ahead of time. I could see my life five years down the road, and that was not something that made me feel alive. 

“So, it came from, like, basically these philosophical questions, like, 'What is all this about? What am I doing here and what do I want to do?’" Samim reminisced.

Believing that it was time to shake things up, in 2014 Samim decided to "sell everything" and relocate to Japan for the next two years — a soul-searching excursion that also led him to his future wife Imelda Aprilia, an Indonesian who hails from Bogor. Once their relationship grew more serious, in 2016 Samim decided to follow his wife and "start a life" in the Rainy City.

During their early years as a married couple, Samim and Imelda helped out the latter's family who, at the time, operated a relatively small food-and-beverage business in Bogor. After contributing to the operational expansion of said business for the next three years, the couple decided that it was time to launch a business of their own, especially after familiarizing themselves with the Bogor market and the nooks and crannies of running a culinary shop. 

Long story short: Stockholm Syndrome opened its doors to customers on Feb. 1, 2019.

Homey Swedish

To Samim's surprise, opening up a Swedish cafe in the city posed fewer difficulties than initially imagined. Turns out, Indonesians are pretty open-minded when it comes to trying out unconventional, foreign cuisine.

"The market in Indonesia is very, very interested in new food," he said. "Like, people love Japanese, Korean, Western, German, whatever you can think of. There is really no discrepancy in Indonesia; everyone likes new food! So we were a bit hesitant, but at the same time, we knew that most Indonesian people welcome new things. They're not super nationalistic, like, they only eat Padang or rendang or soto or whatever it is. They're actually willing to try." 

Over time, Samim observed that Stockholm Syndrome has consistently made itself known not just in Bogor, but also in Jakarta. The cafe's Instagram account has collected more than 12 thousand followers so far — "organic" popularity for which he credited the regulars and patrons of Stockholm Syndrome, who have been more than willing to spread the word. As a result, Samim divulged that 50 percent of the cafe's customers are now out-of-towners.

"We intended this place to give you an experience, and that experience translates into postings, pictures, word of mouth and reviews," he explained.

Such an experience, first and foremost, began with the cafe's menu. While Samim and Imelda have always made sure the Swedish meals that Stockholm Syndrome offers are as authentic as possible, ultimately, the former remarked that even in his home country, it is difficult to pinpoint what a so-called “authentic” Swedish cuisine looks like considering how Sweden itself “is very integrated with a lot of different cultures nowadays”.

He continued: "If you go to Sweden, there are a plethora of different foods that are not Swedish, but Swedish people themselves love: kebab, pizza, pasta, tacos, rice dishes, Chinese, Thai food."

That said, there is typically a "homey" quality to whatever foods endear the native Swedish — an elemental facet that serves as the all-encompassing theme of the Stockholm Syndrome's menu. One of the cafe's more "homey" dishes — and also, one of the cafe's signature plates — is the Swedish meatballs, also known as köttbullar. The meatballs are complemented by mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, pickled cucumber and lingonberry jam — the latter is a type of berries that is a staple of Northern European cuisine and typically grows in the Arctic tundra.

"It's a very homey, daily kind of food that is available to everyone [in Sweden] because the ingredients are basic and we don't need super-refined ingredients to make it happen," explained Samim.

When it comes to the Swedish pastries, Samim would personally recommend the Swedish pancakes — also known as pannkakor — and the cafe's traditional semla, a cardamom-cream bun with sweet almond and cardamom filling, whipped cream and icing sugar. 

For the vegetarians, Stockholm Syndrome has recently partnered up with Green Rebel Foods by offering a selection of plant-based meals and coffee. For the caffeine lovers, the cafe's Midnight Romance — a cold brew concoction with peach, brown sugar and milac on top — is not-to-be-missed.

Besides the menu, Stockholm Syndrome doubles down on its "homey" vibe via the cafe's architectural design. The cafe offers an open-air space that is influenced by the exterior designs commonly found in Bali and Yogyakarta, evidenced by how the space is adorned by palm trees and calatheas, complemented with rattan-made furniture and "earthy" wall accents.

Samim believes that the "lush" ambiance the cafe exudes is "also something that hits home with our customers. They really feel they can spend their mornings here, they can work here, they can eat here, they can bring their family."

Swedish takeover

In June of this year, Stockholm Syndrome is set to participate in a month-long culinary event called "The Swedish Month" at the Coldheart BEC outlet which is situated at the M Bloc Space, Jakarta. For the event, Stockholm Syndrome is collaborating with Muhammad Aga, a barista and the winner of the Indonesia Barista Championship 2018.

"I think it might be interesting for the readers to know that if they can't come to Bogor in June, we will actually be popping up at M Bloc," said Samim. To boot, approximately ten years from now, Samim "would love to" expand the cafe's operations to Jakarta; Bandung, West Java; Yogyakarta and Bali. 

Nita, a 43-year-old freelance writer and a regular at Stockholm Syndrome, applauded the cafe's unique name and the spirit that it conveys to her and her fellow customers.

"The place itself is very welcoming and very private. There's a back garden and people cannot see us from the outside if we stay in the garden. And the price is reasonable. I like this place," she remarked.

She also specified that, out of all the dishes being served at the cafe, the Swedish meatballs and the pancakes are her personal favorites.

"The elements complement each other; it's a mouthful. How do you say it? Ngenyangin [filling]!" she concluded, laughing.

Stockholm Syndrome opens everyday starting from 9 a.m. and opens for private parties as well. Pets are welcomed. For more details, including reservations, check out its Instagram @stockholmsyndromebgr.

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