Pop-Up Restaurant Tokyo Girl

Bali-Hai on Iso-Roobertinkatu used to be my favourite restaurant when it first opened in 2007. At the time it had the same cool concept as my previous hangouts Tori and Slussen. However, I did not visit the place anymore during the past years as the owner changed and the quality went down.

After Bali Hai closed in December 2012, there is a pop-up restaurant Tokyo Girl in the same premises.

Tokyo Firl, Iso-Roobertinkatu 35-37

Restaurant is serving only in January and it is a test of the new restaurant concept by Richard McCormick, the guy behind several Helsinki restaurant, such as Shanghai Cowboy, New York Ninja (Korjaamo) and Siltanen. He has lots of thing going on as Shanghai Cowboy will move to Annankatu and new restaurant Krog Madame is opening in February.

Some minor changes in interiors, but still same furniture and overall lay-out. A bit too dark as you could not read the menu without mobile phone light and not really see what you were eating. The food was thai-inprired, really tasty and good value for money. And really friendly service by fashion deigner Antti Asplund.

There is lots of good things going on in Helsinki restaurant life!

Fiskebaren in Kødbyen

There are several great restaurants located in trendy Copenhagen Meatpacking District Kødbyen. I had run into the name of Fiskebaren in several different places and it had always received good reviews.  

Flæsketorvet 100

Fiskebaren was really a great experience not only because of the excellent fish and shellfish, but also for good service and lean interiors.

Service was also superb and you got a good overview of the menu. Still, I did not dare to take the oysters, but maybe next time... Now I settled for scrumptious razor clam served with malt bread for starters instead.

There were so many tasty dishes on the menu and I chose cod with beetroots and porridge as main course. So tasty - and really filling.

Although I was already pleased, I could not resist taking dessert and took a portion of wild dark chocolate, which was mind-blowing!

Also my friend's sorbet was finger-licking good

So no need to re-consider next time when choosing a dinner place in Copenhagen!

Christmas Shopping In Copenhagen

Short weekend break in wonderful Copenhagen enjoying Christmas spirit, shopping a bit and eating well.

We started our trip by visiting Danish brewery Carlsberg's Visiting Centre in Valby, less than half an hour by bus 18 from the centre. Premises of the original brewery from 19th centrury guiding you through history of the Carlsberg story.


11 Gamle Carlsberg Vej



 

 





And you get to taste 2 beers with your entrance ticket at Carlsberg bar.

It was really charming Christmas feeling all over the town.

One must-to-see for me were the wonderful table settings at Royal Copenhagen - the brand now owned by Finnish Fiskars. This year's theme was Songs of Christmas designed by 6 differents artists. My favourite one was Caroline Henderson's Swedish style table with name badges for example for Olof Palme and Astrid Lindgren.

 

 

Royal Copenhagen store was extremely popular as were the main department stores Illum and Magasin.

Imposing Christmas lights also outside on shopping streets and not at least Tivoli.

The coolest restaurants are located in Meatpacking District Kødbyen and this time we decided to test Fiskebaren. It is essential to book the table in advance as the restaurant is really popular. I ate 3 courses and they all were stunning so Fiskebaren went straight to my top list of restaurants. Here I am coming back the next time when visiting Copenhagen.

Fish tank

Other dinner places were my old favourites Sticks n' Sushi and Wagamama.

Dinner at Sticks n' Sushi

Teriyaki salmon at Wagamama

Cosy Friday evening in Bang og Jensen.

Beer and glögg

Copenhagen never fails to delight!

Hooked From The First Bite: Rulla & Nudge

Nudge is a coop store by few selective companies with ecological mindset located at Yrjönkatu in Helsinki.

Nudge, Yrjönkatu 30, Helsinki

Store has beautiful interiors and so many fascinating clothes, cosmetics and decoration items to discover in a pleasant athmosphere.

Perfect time to discover Nosh children's clothes before Christmas shopping.

I also found lots of stuff for myself, like Bio Nature cosmetics, ethical clothing by Yalo, shoes by Idun's Apple and decoration items from Kolme ja puoli. You can also test the different shades of nail polish in the nail bar so it is easy to spend time here (and shop). 


















And maybe the best of all Rulla restaurant with delicious rice paper rolls.

I tasted 4 different flavours and got hooked from the first bite! Salmon, beef and prawns all worked really well with salad and vermicelli. Normally I do not like coriander, but it did not bother me in the rolls.

Tangy taste of the fish sauce dip sauce is so addictive. Here I want to come to eat again and again and again...

My New Favourite Brunch in Helsinki

Culture Factory Korjaamo has so many great things going on, like concerts, theatre, art exhibitions, book shop, tram museum etc.

Now they also have re-newed brunch by New York Ninja, which instantly became my favourite one in Helsinki.

Good buffet with wide selection of salads, vegetables, fruit, yogurt, eggs and bacon etc.

And the dessert cakes were heavenly!

For brunches I also like Dylan a lot, but Korjaamo is much more convenient due to its location in Töölö and also for the athmosphere.

Pret A Manger

Pret A Manger is a British sandwich chain I prefer besides my other favourite chain Le Pain Quotidien. I first discovered Pret in London (well, you cannot really miss the chain there) and now have also found shops also in New York, where they were advertised as "The best thing that has come from England since The Beatles".

I always choose Pret over Starbucks and to my delight Pret has arrived also to Chicago so I was able to have my coffee breaks there. 

 
















I really like their philosophy about the fresh food made from natural ingredients and good service.

And it tastes good as well!

If there are going to be more restaurant chains landing to Finland I would hope that they would be chains like Pret A Manger, Le Pain Quotiden and Wagamama rather than Starbucks...