Free Lunch? No. Delicious, decently-priced Lunch? Hell yes.

I found out today that there's a little known of secret when it comes to lunch venues in the city. The secret in question is located in what used to be known as Finnair Stadium (now Sonera Stadium) and it's called FreshCo. I'd never heard of it, until the good peeps i work with suggested we go there for lunch today.

Honestly, when it comes to any kind of food served at a sports stadium, i'm all set to have my culinary hopes shattered by mystery-meat masquerading as a hot dog and a pint of beer boasting a higher percentage of plastic flavor than alcohol.

Which is why i was baffled by the awesomeness of this place. (Which, as i found out later, might be explained by the fact that the man behind it is none other than Jyrki Sukula himself). The decor is a little office cafeteria, but the place is light, spacious and clean. The lunch menu has a meat, fish and veggie option (from around 10-12e), all of which looked tasty (well, as tasty as some sort of hacked steak can look to a vegetarian). Or you can go for the salad buffet (9.30e). Personally, i've always thought salad buffets can be the biggest ripoffs and downers of the buffet world (it's like, meh, dunno what to do with all this semi-frozen sweetcorn, wilted lettuce and 20kg bag of onions. We'll call it a salad and charge them 12 euros). Well folks, on seeing the salad buffet at FreshCo, i take back that nasty assumption.

Not only did this one feature huge olives, croutons, toasted pumpkin seeds, marinated zucchini and chickpeas in addition to the standard salad fare; there were also little veggie Caesar sandwiches and Jerusalem artichoke tarts. Not to mention freshly-baked bread with a herby spread. There's also mineral water on tap, which is awesome. The salad bowls are big, too, so this is no skimpy little salad you're putting together, either. And if all that weren't enough, your nine euros will also get you tea, coffee or hot chocolate, accompanied by the dessert of the day. Which, today, was a dreamy, chocolate mousse and red berry kind of affair. Forget breakfast of champions - this stadium-side lunch is where it's at.

 
FreshCo, Sonera Stadium, Urheilukatu 5, 00250 Helsinki
 

Flow Festival 2010: Personal Highlights

1. Mr Husa's Polaroid Camera. I've wanted one of these for ages. Forget digital cameras and iPhones; this beauty, as unpractical in size as it is cool in terms of pics, is the only real media for festival documentation.

2. The XX. They had me at Intro. There was running, jumping fences and a lot singing and hugging caused by this gig. Romy Madley Croft, you rock my world.

3. Nakki Tehtaanmyymälä. Vegelihikset. Who ever thought someone would start making those? Best. Shit. Ever. 

4. Jallu shots at the bar. See #8 for elaboration.

5. Bajamajat. Especially the Mens'. Very little queueing on that side. Or in general, for that matter.

6. Interviewing people about their Flow-related Facebook status updates, which included (but were hardly limited to) 'is going with the Flow', 'varrella virran', 'is overflowing', 'antaa virran viedä', 'has an afterflow', 'is WOLF', etc.) Such clever wordplay.

7. Running into friends. And having celebratory, happy chance encounter drinks with each of them.

8. Managing to fish 147,5 euros worth of anniskelualue receipts out of my wallet on Monday morning. Which is weird, cause i remember telling most bartenders i don't need the receipts.

9. Surfer Blood. I caught a glimpse of them live at Coney Island some weeks ago, but missed most of the gig. This entirely made up for it. 

10. Biking home. By Sunday night i was actually doubting whether i could do it. Nevertheless, both the bike and owner found themselves at home on Monday morning, aching and semi-dead, but quite pleased with the weekend. In a state of post-festival afterflow, even. 

Trying to Hate Siltanen

I don't get thrown out of bars often. Granted, it may have happened once or twice, but it's not like it's an everyday occurrence. So ever since i almost got thrown out of Siltanen some months ago (a dramatic tale involving a birthday party, a snowstorm and some jaeger bombs) i've held a bitter and thoroughly justified grudge against the place itself, and certain members of the bar staff especially, whose textbook hipsterishness coupled with a  total ambivalence towards customer service have left me dumbstruck on more than one occasion.

However, despite this deep-seated disfavor, i'll confess that on equally as many an occasion i've found myself spending the sunny hours of a summer evening lounging on said restaurant's terrace with a cold drink in hand and a plate of food in front of me. Nevertheless, where the service disappoints, the food has yet to.

This Monday was no exception, when six starving ladies sat down for dinner. Siltanen brought in a new summer menu not too long ago, which features sandwiches, soups, salads and the like – with vegetarians taken into account too. Prices average about a tenner, which won't set you on the road to bankruptcy. Also, portions are a good size, so making a pit stop by the dodgy-looking hot dog cart on your way home won't be necessary.

I decided to go for Ali Baba's Feast, a huge platter of hummus, spicy pita bread, couscous, aubergine dip, taboulleh, falafel and tzatziki. I reckon this platter is big enough to share between two, but such was the magnitude of my hunger that i devoured it all single-handedly. Washed down with a pint of ice cold Crowmoor, it was gooood. Falafels were crisp, the spiciness of the bread was a nice touch and the hummus was delicious. It's worth mentioning, though, that this here Ali Baba comes laced with garlic, to the extent that you can still taste it two days later. In any case, well worth the 12 euros.

And though Anne's Galette sandwich probably featured more meat than bread, i had to take a picture just to document the ambitious presentation. I'm told that in addition to good presentation, the taste was also spot on.

So yeah, Siltanen, as long as you make food this good, i simply can't hate you, no matter how hard i try.

Siltanen, Hämeentie 13 B

Yesterday Was Gorgeous.

And a good day. Because of the small things. Strange dream of Quick Draw McGraw. Huge mug of tea in the morning. Biking to work in the sunshine. 'Mama, i wanna go surfing' blaring on the iPod. A laughter-inducing text message outlining drunken escapades of nights before. 

Lots of little things.  Somewhere in between recording a radio ad and having a power lunch at the Nepalese on the corner, i spotted a bunch of Mayday balloons. Meandering outside someone's window, stuck to the power cord, this flock of superheroes  and my little ponies left over from the previous weekend's mayhem made me smile. 

The sunshine persisted well into the evening, when a gang of hungry women decided to dine at Tori. The restaurant no longer serves alcohol, which, in the eyes of many, is a fairly sad thing. The food, however, is still good enough a reason to pay the place a visit. What's more, the kitchen was happy to satisfy my veggie burger-craving by whipping up a hearty tofu burger, even when it wasn't on the menu. 

At the end of the day, full of food and seriously sleepy, i biked home, still smiling, like some victorious urban cowboy riding into the beautifully pollution-tinted sunset of an urban cityscape. 'Yessir', i thought to myself, as the empty beer cans tumbled by in the dry evening breeze; 'it was a good day, this one'. Now if only yesterday could Quick-Draw-McGraw today's offensively frigid and thoroughly drenched ass.

Raku Ya in January.

Cold weather makes me want to eat. Eating is something i like to do in any case, but these last couple of weeks i've found myself heading out for lunch/dinner/second breakfast more than usual. Having two weeks off before starting a new job also means that right now i'm at leisure to enjoy super late brunches, long lunches and late dinners. Here's to enjoying it while it lasts!

On my list of 'places i wanna eat', Raku Ya had been in the top ten for a long while, but for some reason (probably more to do with budgetary restrictions than anything else), i'd never managed to go there for a meal. So when an occasion for a post-xmas family dinner arose, i convinced the fam the Japanese izakaya-style restaurant was something we should go for. High-end both in terms of its central seaside location and standard of neighboring restaurants, not to mention head chef Masato Ikeda's reputation, i had some pretty high expectations for Raku Ya.

The interior is of the restaurant, while not as sleek as that of Hotel Kämp's Japanese restaurant Yume, is pleasant. Our party of five was shown to a curtained, wood-finished booth, where we were asked to take off our shoes and given slippers to wear. Content in our comfy footwear, we proceed to order, going for some Asahi, Sake, and several different dishes to share. In izakaya-style, food is served as soon as it's prepared, which means everything is as fresh as possible.

Our Special sushi platter (29.50 e, pictured above) received good reviews from the pescatarian's of the family, and i'd rate the inari nigiri as some of the best i've had in Helsinki. The Ebi Furai (13.90 e) - giant shrimp tail deep-fried in batter, served with lime mayonnaise and a chili soya sauce - was also a favorite, owing especially to the chili soya sauce.

The Ebi Udon (14.90 e, japanese wheat noodles and deep-fried shrimp in soy broth) as well as its veggie counterpart, my Yasai Udon (13.90 e), were just filling and hearty enough to satisfy the appetite. Plump noodles, tasty broth and fresh veggies. Not complaining, although i'd still rate Wagamama's Udons above these.

In terms of price, Raku Ya is above average, but then again, the food is too. For good Japanese in Helsinki, this is the place.


Raku Ya, Eteläranta 14, 00120 Helsinki

Swimming and Eating Helsinki in the Winter.

My sister and i decided to spend some quality time together yesterday. This quality time would commence with a leisurely swim at the swimming hall on Yrjönkatu, after which we would proceed to have lunch somewhere nice. 

Situated right in the center of town, down an alley from a street corner, hidden from view, the Yrjönkatu swimming hall is one of the oldest public pools in Finland. Built in 1928 and completely renovated in the 90s, it still retains most of its original character. In addition to the classical architecture and historical significance, a noteworthy fact is that the pool is open to men and women on alternate days, and most people swim in the nude. As far as i know, this is the only public pool in Helsinki (perhaps even Finland) where alternate dates for men and women and nude swimming are the norm. 

Neither of us had ventured here before, and both of us were slightly apprehensive about the whole explicit nudity thing. Which really is strange, considering the Finnish sauna and summer house mentality, which dictates that nudity is only ever a couple of beers away and never something out of place. It's just that this seemed so...public. Further investigation was required. 

And so it was that around midday we found ourselves outside the swimming hall, shivering in the cold and inspecting the sign by the door. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays are reserved for women. Glad we picked the right day. We pay the lady at the counter (this must mean that the entire staff also works alternate days) and head to our lockers. The interior is beautiful; there's a lot of light and the ceiling is high. Classical arches frame the pool, the saunas and showers are at one end, the elevated changing space (i won't say changing rooms, cause there weren't any - it's all one big space) and lockers surround the pool. 

Old ladies, mothers and young women glide through the water. Almost everyone is naked. It only seems strange for a while (like one of those dreams where you're naked, except that in this one everyone else is), then it just seems natural. We leave our stuff in the lockers and head for the pool. There's something of days gone by in the whole experience; it feels like a different time far away from the cityscape of commotion outside. Very serene. I was rather impressed. Enough so to maybe take this up on a weekly basis. 

Famished after swimming, we decide to head to Kallio for some Thai food. We tread through the freezing cold towards Lemon Grass, a tiny restaurant that serves delicious food at a very affordable price. Lunch is served between 11-15 and will set you back 8-10 euros. We warm our frozen digits with steaming cups of tom yum soup and slowly start to regain control of chilled limbs. We follow this up with a veggie & tofu green curry, which is a perfect blend of fiery spice and creamy coconut. Lunch is rounded up nicely with a plate of fruit and a cup of tea. We both agree that the food is pretty awesome and also really good value for money. 

Slightly sleepy, seriously well-fed and happy with the days activities, we pull on scarves, hats and gloves; venturing out into the cold to take on a city that is full of these great places. Helsinki, happy advocate of explicit nudity and provider of great veggie thai fare, i love you. 

Yrjönkadun uimahalli, Yrjönkatu 21 B, 00120 Helsinki

Lemon Grass, Kolmas linja 12, 00530 Helsinki

Dansan Sushi Bar.

The most recent addition to Helsinki's gradually growing sushi scene opened its doors some weeks ago on the corner of Annankatu and Uudenmaankatu. Dansan Sushi Bar is a small venue with big windows, clean, simplified decor and a handful of tables. The place is open for lunch and dinner, and was fairly busy on a weeknight. 

Food-wise, the inari and maki veggie set i ordered fell short of delicious but was definitely tasty, a notch above average. My non-veggie dinner date was of the same mind. We both wondered at the seriously sweet soy sauce, though. The best part of dinner, however, was the miso soup, which  was hearty, slightly spicy and quite delicious.

 

Based on just one dinner time visit i'd say Dansan serves perfectly acceptable sushi, priced slightly above average due to the stripped down design image of the restaurant and its hipster-ish location i.e., across from Motellet, which will probably make it a favorite with said crowd as a pre-club dinner spot. If that's not your cup of tea, swing by at lunch time instead for the decently priced lunch sets, and be sure to try the miso soup.   

Dansan Sushi Bar, Annankatu 13, 00120 Helsinki                           

Necrophenia and Cheesecake.

Are two things that i have been spending the last couple of days occupied with. And what a lovely pastime they make for those lazy days following Christmas. Before dubious images of what that may entail fill your mind, i’ll elaborate that Necrophenia (for those of you who have yet to be acquainted with it) is in actual fact a book written by one Robert Rankin, and cheesecake is actually something i baked for Christmas dessert.

In terms of goodness, the two are far from evenly matched. It seems now that i’ve gotten halfway through both (getting through the cheesecake has proved far easier, not to mention more enjoyable) i can justifiably conclude that the book (which features a rock band, Aleister Crowley, the summer of love, an army of zombies and the end of the world) cannot surpass the cheesecake (which features fresh mint, after eight chocolate filling and lemony raspberry-mint sorbet).

I think this is probably because of Rankin’s style of writing, which I find arch to the point of being supremely irritating, and the fact that halfway through the book, I remain oblivious to any kind of masterful plot it might contain. My disregard or lack of understanding for said book has nothing to do with the sugar high-induced attention deficit state in which I’ve so far been reading it.

I originally picked up the book because someone compared Rankin to Gaiman, who is the author of one of my all-time favourite books (that, and the fact that it had a neat skull design on the cover), which in itself sets the standard rather high. Yet to be impressed by Necrophenia, I think I’ll plough through till the end and hope it gets better.

This cheesecake, on the other hand, is pretty good. It’s a spin on the classic baked, cream cheese version, with melted after eight chocolates and fresh mint thrown in the mix for some extra minty goodness. Unfortunately this isn't a vegan version, but you can easily substitute the egg with an egg replacer and use vegan mint chocolate instead. I tend to stray from recipes when i bake, which is why the amounts are approximations, and i encourage you to adjust them as you go along, if need be. As the cake is quite rich, it's complemented nicely by a zesty raspberry sorbet, which is super easy to make. This cake will happily feed six greedy eaters, or eight normal ones. 

After Eight Cheesecake 

For the base

• about 200g (half a pack) of digestive biscuits
• handful of rice krispies (optional, but they add a nice crunch)
• 3 tablespoons of margarine

For the filling

• about 600g of vegan cream cheese (Tofutti brand is pretty good)
• 3 organic eggs (or your choice of egg substitute)
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla sugar
• about 200-250g of after eight chocolates (depending on how much mint chocolate you fancy)
• about 1dl of sugar (give or take, as much as you feel is needed)
• chopped fresh mint (a handful, or as much as you like)

Crush digestives, add rice krispies and melted margarine. Line your cake tin (ideally 23cm in diameter) with the mix and pop into a 180 degree oven for ten minutes.

Whisk together cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer. Add eggs one by one, whisking only until consistency is smooth. Throw in chopped mint. 

Melt most of the after eights in a water bath, adding a little water and the vanilla sugar. Chop remaining after eights into chunks. 

Mix melted after eights, chocolate chunks and whisked cream cheese together. 

Pour into cake tin, and place onto lowest level of oven. Place a dish of hot water underneath the cake tin to achieve best cheesecake baking results.

Bake at 165 degrees for about an hour and ten minutes. 

Raspberry-Mint Sorbet

• Raspberries (frozen work well for this)
• Juice of half a lemon
• Chopped fresh mint

Throw all ingredients in a food processor. Add lemon/lime/sugar to taste. When pleased with result, put mix into a freezer proof container and leave in the freezer until it has set, but isn't fully frozen. Use an ice cream scoop to serve sorbet with cheesecake. 

Enjoy. I recommend enjoying a slice (or seven) with a really good book.

Fall Cocoon.

Mornings are becoming a challenge. The colder it gets outside, the harder it becomes to venture out of bed. We've all been there. This happens to me every year. Knowing this, i thought i'd combat my morning indisposition by being better prepared this time around. I thought investing in a super-size, super-warm blanket would not only keep me toasty at night, thereby guaranteeing a good night's sleep, but would also make it easier to face the chilly, pitch-black morning. That line of thinking failed epically. Instead of making the transition from horizontal to vertical easier, my devious bedding is encouraging me to lurk under the covers indefinitely. (Further contributing to my demise, it hits the 'snooze' button a lot.)


Whether it's the wintry weather or some inexplicably bizarre need to nest, my life has revolved around food and books for the last week or so. This became evident on Sunday, when i waited in line for almost two hours for the Helsinki Vegan Food Party (Kasviskekkerit) organized by several animal rights and environmental organizations. The purpose of the event is to introduce omnivores to vegan food, but the usual suspects (veggies, vegans, raw foodies, etc.) have been known to flock to the feast as well. The hungry masses were treated to everything from starters to desserts. My personal favorites included a seriously intriguing raw food chocolate smoothie that tasted of alfalfa sprouts (weird thing is, it didn't contain said ingredient; even weirder thing, it was pretty good), and the best vegan chocolate and coconut brownies i think i've ever tasted. In the end, the wait was worth it, as partygoers were sent home with a load of goodies that included an assortment of vegan food staples, from grains and pulses to salsa and coconut chips. So now that i've got the blanket and the food, i'm all set for hibernation.


I've also got the books. I've usually got about three books i'm trying to simultaneously read. Of my current three, i just got through Dubious Deeds by Philip Ardagh. I remember picking the book up at Hietsu flea market and thinking that i've found a twisted story with happily-harrowing characters and dark humor, i.e. everything i love about contemporary cross-over children's fiction. My rejoicing was hasty. It didn't do much for me, to be honest. Using an omniscient narrator who frequently addresses and educates their reader is as annoying now as it was when Blyton did it. You can only get away with it if you're a certain Mr. Dodgson stuck in Victorian times with an altogether better story. Sorry, Phil.

Next on my list is Peter Singer's Animal Liberation, which i bought when i was in the States in May, but haven't gotten around to reading until now. I read quite a lot of Singer for an essay on Veganism that i wrote some years ago, and found his views compelling, so i'm anticipating a good read.

My third book of the moment is the bargain Vintage Tattoos book i picked up on my Friday walk. A lot of it is the basic stuff you'll find in all tattoo books, but this one has some great photos i hadn't seen before. I especially like the pictures of women, tattooed from head to toe, in the 1920s and 30s. Most of these ladies made their living at carnivals and fairgrounds as sideshow freaks. If i ever manage to get all the brilliant pictures in my tattoo folder inked into my skin, i could take a stab at a career as a tattooed lady. Too bad i'm still missing most of the ink, spend too much time in bed, and don't live in 1930.