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/