Helsinki - Lappi Ravintola - Tender reindeer and elk, specialities from Lapland

Ever since visiting Salla, Lapland, for a dog sledding holiday some ten years ago, I got hooked on reindeer and elk dishes. This year, we didn't manage to get that far North, but Lappi in Helsinki offers a taste of the Arctic. The cozy woody interior felt just like Salla. We started with a salad of salmon followed by the roast elk and reindeer special that was just so tender and delicious. Although the dishes are expensive compared to prices in Salla, I guess the transportation cost and effort to haul down elk and reindeer meat to the South justifies the price. Check out the Helsinki page for more immer-gut-essen places.
http://www.lappires.com/

Helsinki - Manala - Dine in the underworld

The logo of this establishment is a devil, pointy tailed and wielding a pitch fork. Manala is the underworld in Finnish with food you can die for. Next to Finnish staples like sauteed reindeer, there are mouthwatering tapas albeit Finnish style. I truly regret I lost control and was so focused on dining that I totally forgot to take pictures. Please visit their website for a better impression. If Hades served food like this there would be droves trekking down there to stay.

https://www.manala.fi/

Helsinki - The Old Market Place - Smorgasbord of salmon, caviar and herring

Not only is this the place for a quick bite but it is also a place to indulge your taste buds. It's a Walhalla of food stores packed in one picturesque restored market hall. When making your way to the Old Market Hall, try not to get distracted by the food stalls in the open air market area on the harbor front. Steel your nerves against temptation. Say no to the aroma of fresh baked salmon and salmon soup and fix your sights on the goodies within this hall. There are cafés within the hall which serve tempting sandwiches, salads and steaming soup. However we stocked up at a fish stall, asking for numerous small portions of several types of smoked salmon (with caviar) and herring for an impromptu picnic on one of the market hall benches. This is probably the best way to taste a lot of seafood delicacies. For dessert, there's a chocolate stall that sells interesting delicacies like chocolate with salmiak (salty liquorice). It's also a good place to stock up on gifts like canned elk.

http://vanhakauppahalli.fi/en/

Helsinki - Seahorse - Beloved old eatery for sailors, locals and tourists

 

A relaxed old establishment located a bit out of the center. In the guidebook I had, the Seahorse was described as an old sailors' eatery. Maybe that was its past, but today the place is packed with local Finns, students, families, couples and businessmen. They must be used to tourists since their site offers a menu in Japanese. However on the evening we managed to get a table, we were probably the only ones talking English. The Seahorse serves seafood specialties as expected, but also serves classic Finnish dishes like meatballs, reindeer steak, herring and salmon soup. We didn't order the meatballs but I did spot them on the way to another table. The serving seemed to consist of only two but they were seriously over-sized. The grilled fish of the day on the table next to us also looked spectacular. I had the soup which had generous large chunks of salmon and a succulent reindeer steak with berry sauce. If you visit their website you can see an interesting page on the history of this place. They've been in business since 1934!

http://www.seahorse.fi/

Helsinki - Fazer and Stockman - Value for money lunch deal with fresh salmon

Prior to visiting Helsinki, friends warned us that it may be a challenge to find decent food spots with normal (German/Dutch) prices. Until we got our bearings around Helsinki, we kept running into numerous budget pasta and texmex eateries or nice establishments that were way out of our budget. However, taking a lunch break on a shopping trip in the Stockmann department store was a pleasant surprise. Not only does the department store have cafe's and food bars featuring local cuisine as well as fresh salads, pizzas and even sushi, but the 8th floor also features a Fazer cafe and cafeteria. If you want to go for the beautiful Fazer sandwiches topped with salmon and shrimp, knock yourself out. They looked lovely but were still a bit on the pricey side. We shopped further and stumbled upon Stockmann's lunch deal on the same floor. For about 10 euros, we had a large serving of soup, bread, fresh salmon with potatoes, a serving from the salad bar and a cup of tea. Later we finished our afternoon with an ice cream treat at the real Fazer cafe. If you're more of a cake person, this is also the place to go for a spot of afternoon tea.

http://www.fazer.fi/kahvilat-ja-leipomot/kahvilat--ravintolat/stockmann/fazer-8th-floor/
http://www.fazer.fi/kahvilat-ja-leipomot/kahvilat--ravintolat/karl-fazer-cafe/karl-fazer-cafe/

Bosbrasserie in de Sluis, Reindersmeer near Bergen, Netherlands

Perfect location to start or end the 8 km hike around the Reindersmeer lake. My friends and I prefer to end our nature hikes at this restaurant. It’s a bit difficult to walk at a brisk pace on a full stomach. Favorites here are the tuna sandwich, the schnitzel special, ice cream in the summer, warm fresh waffles with cherries and savory or sweet pancakes. Prices are reasonable with sandwiches and ice cream in the 6 euro range and warm meals costing about 12 to 15 euros. On a sunny day, there’s plenty of tables out on the terrace overlooking the water. This is also a dog-friendly establishment.

The architecture of this establishment is also rather clever. The building straddles the old canal locks thus affording it unobstructed views out over the canal on one side and the lake on the other side. Both ends of the building feature a permanent exhibit on the local wildlife.

http://www.bosbrasserieindesluis.nl/

Koln - Ludwig Museum Restaurant and Cafe - Great lunch deal!

Just around the corner from the central station, this restaurant café of the Ludwig Museum offers a surprising lunch deal. For under 10 euros, we enjoyed roast pork with lashings of sweet savoury sauce served with delicious roast potatoes. The meal even included one non-alcoholic beverage. On a sunny summer day, diners can sit out on the terrace which is tucked away in the back of the museum. Despite the proximity to the station and the heavy traffic, the restaurant provides an oasis of tranquillity. You don’t need to pay museum entrance fees to lunch here.

http://www.ludwig-im-museum.de/

Koln - Brauhaus Fruh - German brewery classics

This is a great place to hunker down for down-to-earth traditional German cooking. My favourite is the formidable eisbein, boiled pork shank served with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. They also have specialities such as herring (seasonal dish) or raw tartar steak served with fried onions, cream cheese and herbs, And of course they have a number of dishes featuring sausages. A good warm meal costs between 10 to 15 euros. Since I’m not a beer drinker, I can’t say much about their main product. Yet judging from the litres being consumed by other guests, I think their beer is also excellent. On a personal note, I forgot to photograph my eisbein. By the time I remembered, all that was a left on my plate was the bone. I did take photos of the salad with herring and the steak tartar with fried onions...but the photos don't quite convey how good these two dishes were. If you're in the area of Koln and the cathedral, just give this place a try. 

http://www.frueh-am-dom.de/brauhaus.html

Den Tol, Velp, Netherlands

Forget regular pancakes with melted butter and maple syrup. This restaurant redefines pancakes as fine dining in a beautifully styled setting. Den Tol serves savoury and sweet pancakes in candlelit ambiance.

The pancake I was served had a delicious crispy crust and was filled with pork loin chunks in pepper cream sauce. All their speciality pancakes like the one shown here are served with a side salad.

Prices were also reasonable with simple sweet or savoury pancakes in the 10 euro range and speciality pancakes in the 15 euro range. They are also located in Beuningen and Plasmolen, both near Nijmegen.

http://dentol.nl/

ABC American Buffet Corner, Velp, Netherlands

Crazy buffet combination of 9 buffets: grill house offering everything from steak to spare ribs, fish grill with all kinds of fresh sea food, Chinese wok and buffet, Sushi buffet, Salad bar, Soup bar, Bread counter, Italian buffet with fresh pasta and pizzas and a seriously huge sweets corner with cakes, ice cream, fresh fruit, pancakes and waffles made to order and even cotton candy.
This is especially suitable of large groups where there's no agreement or compromise possible between the different tastes. Here you can keep both vegetarians and carnivores content. Meat and potato people can dine next to the adventurous types who don't scare away from sushi. Beware of sugar-induced hyperactivity when you bring along kids. They will usually entrench themselves in the dessert section alongside sweet-toothed adults.
You do need to reserve. All you can eat including non-alcoholic beverages is about 26 euros.
http://www.abcrestaurants.nl/

Khan, Mongolian - Chinese Wok and Buffet in Goch, Germany

Large selection of meat, fish and vegetables as well as Chinese dishes. Includes special items such as kangaroo and scallops. Very affordable. All you can eat for 14.90 euro per person. Drinks are charged separately.

I posted this earlier without a photo. This evening after enjoying yet another dinner with friends, I finally remembered to take a photo. The buffet on the left features Chinese dishes, dim sum, fruit and dessert. The buffet on the right offers a huge selection of fresh vegetables, seafood and meat for the Mongolian grill at the far end. This is the fresh wok buffet which allows you to heap a plate with your favorite vegetables and seafood/meat topped off with your choice of seasoning (freshly chopped garlic, ginger, red peppers and a choice of sauces). When you're finished assembling your wok plate, you simply hand it over to the wok chef standing at the grill. Moments later, the sizzling hot wok meal is brought over to your table.

http://www.khan-goch.de/