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Kämp Café & Bar

One of the most irresistible things to do for some people in Helsinki is apparently to sun yourself outside of a cafe, Parisian style, watching the passing traffic, face upturned to the sun as if watching a giant movie screen. My husband thought that the sight of it was so hilarious that he took pictures of them. It’s where Helskinki goes to pose and posture.

Hotel Kämp is Helsinki’s premier hotel, built in 1887 by Carl Kämp and then rebuilt in 1965. It is the place for the wealthy, social elite (rooms start at €500). It is steeped in history {http://www.cosmopolis.ch/travel/helsinki/hotel_kamp_111.htm} with its rich and sumptuous surroundings, after a hard day pounding the cobblestones touristing, we enter the hotel, delighted that the serenity.

The menu is surprisingly reasonable given the surroundings. I am itching for some seafood so my husband and I share the Royal Seafood platter €39.80, the crayfish soup €9.80 and my sister has a burger craving so she orders the €21.

The soup arrives first and is spooned from a small silver tureen into a chic patterned rim bowl. The soup is richly and deeply flavoured, an ode to the crayfish. A definite winner.

It takes a while before the seafood platter and burger arrives, we’re not sure why as we are eating early and it’s relatively empty. We take some time to peruse our opulent surroundings, oddly there are huge shag pile rugs under the tables, we can only think what kind of cleaning nightmare they would be should a diner spill something on them or drop crumbs.

The bread given to us is lovely and fresh, the butter simply gorgeous as Finnish butter is uniformly.

Our platter and burger finally arrives, the platter piled high with prawns (smoked and unsmoked), oysters, 1/2 a small lobster (and we mean small) and mussels. We dig into the platter, the 2 precious oysters are large and creamy, the mussels sweet albeit small, the lobster doesn’t have a great deal of lobster meat so we savour what is there and the prawns are unusual-the smoked version being extremely smoked (we find that Finnish smoked items are very smokey in flavour) and the natural prawns sweet with soft shells.

What is interesting is the amount of tiny sweet roe clinging to each prawn, it’s very sweet and delicious. The 4 sauces are: Aioli, a runny thousand island, a red onion vinaigrette and a blood orange sauce. The aioli is my favourite although the red onion vinaigrette is a natural for the oysters.

The burger is actually not made up with a burger patty, it’s thin slices of rareish beef. Blythe finds it strange and not quite burger like enough. Also the chips are very dry and usually a chip lover, she leaves most behind.

The restaurant starts to fill, with elegantly dressed people seeking a drink or a meal outside of the brief rain shower outside. And of coursethere are still people outside watching the crowd scuttle past with umbrellas, like watching a movie.

Kämp Café & Bar

OPENING HOURS

Mon - Fri 11.30 - 24.00 a la carte menu
Sat - Sun 12.00 - 24.00 a la carte menu

BAR OPENING HOURS

Mon-Wed 10.00-01.00
Thu-Fri 10.00-02.00
Sat 11.00-02.00
Sun 11.00-01.00

HOTEL KÄMP
Kämp Café & Bar
Pohjoisesplanadi 29
00100 Helsinki, Finland
Tel. +358 9 5840 9530
Fax. +358 9 5761 1925
e-mail: sales@hotelkamp.fi

6 comments | July 17, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Finland: Jaskan Grilli, Helsinki’s secret late night address

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

When the NY Times writes about a humble Hot Dog stand you tend to regard it a bit differently. For not only is it a place that sells hot dogs and all things to be consumed when drunk at night, it is apparently much more than that. It is said that if you stood in front of there for 3 days, you’d see the who’s who and who’s not of Finland. Celebrities and politicians stop by Jaskan Grilli at some time to satisfy their alcohol induced cravings for meat, salt and fat. Normally placid Finns have been known the break out in fights in the queue.

Due to a conflict of plan schedules and unreliable international SMSs we are meeting my sister at midnight after her plane from London arrived in at 11pm. And now the fun has only started. We get on the bus at my husband’s uncle and aunt’s house at 11pm and it appears that the party has already started on the bus. A huge group of drunk youths (doesn’t that phrase make me sound old?) are yelling and popping beers open on the back of the bus.Their rowdiness doesn’t faze the driver and neither does the beer which has been spilled all over the seat and aisles of the bus-behaviour that would get you thrown off the bus in Australia goes unheeded. Both girls and boys hold open bottles of beer or alcohol and walking down the street swaying and singing loudly is de rigeur.

12am Helsinki

It’s also the time of the year where the sun sets at 11pm and rises again at 3am, giving it an even more surreal atmosphere. We’ve been up for over 24 hours having woken at 4am to go to Tsukiji fish markets with naps taken in between but the fact that the sun is shining tricks our bodies into believing that it is much earlier than it is.

The queue

The Finns are friendly if you stop and ask them directions (and we did several times) and whilst my husband speaks some Finnish, we resorted to getting directions in English to save time. We’re told that Jaskan Grilli is near Storyville restaurant and that it is a white cube-if lost again everyone knows it apparently. My husband’s cousin of course knows it but is baffled by the NY Times review of it, to him it’s just a Hot Dog stand.

Menu and ordering

9 comments | July 14, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Lotteria Burger at Harajuku

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

After trying MOS burger, of course for comparison sake, I needed to try Lotteria, the omnipresent burger chain all over Tokyo. I had memories of a MOS burger in Harajuku but this has since closed down so on our visit we tried Lotteria. There are actually two branches within Takeshita Dori in Harajuku-if anyone would like burgers, it’s the teenagers of Tokyo. We were lured by their burger with it’s option of 1 or 2 patties with melted cheese. Of course I choose two patties Y490 as well as a prawn burger Y280 and a rib sandwich Y320, and some Y100 chicken bites.

Mango Frappe Y160

It’s warm so the Mango frappe, although not as fancy as a frappe you’d get back home, is well received. It’s more like milk with some flavour to it and mango flavoured shaved ice on top.

Double Burger Y490

I bite into the double burger (which looks nothing like the mouthwatering picture) and the beef is very juicy, in fact the juice (or grease but it is more like juice) almost drips out. The bun itself is smaller than we are used to but the double patties provide a good protein to starch ratio.

Ebi Prawn burger Y280

The burger that I like the best of the Ebi burger (prawn burger). I didn’t expect there to be whole of half prawns in the patty (I expected “seafood” minced up) but that’s exactly what we get. The patty is piping hot as it’s freshly cooked and the sauce goes nicely with it and at Y280 it’s a steal.

Pork Rib Sandwich Y320

The last item is a Pork Rib sandwich, smothered with BBQ sauce. I can’t really tell if the pork rib itself is pork rib with the bones removed although it looks like it, it’s a bit too soft and manufacture meat in texture to be real pork rib but you never know with Japan as they often use better quality ingredients. I prefer my pork ribs to have a bit of chewiness to them and this is too soft for me, much like manufactured meat (and I was already full) so I leave this to my husband.

Fries Y330

The fries are fresh-ish, although they’re not that different to fries that you get anywhere else.

Chicken Bites Y100

The chicken bites are a little dry but they’re actually made of real chicken breast (not that horrible stuff that nuggets are made from) so whilst this is pleasing, they need a dipping sauce.

We leave Lotteria, full to the brim of Japan’s take on American cuisine and dive into the crowds ambling up and down Takeshita Dori in their platform shoes.

Lotteria Burger

Takeshita Dori Harajuku, Tokyo. There are two branches at Takeshita Dori, one at the top and one at the bottom.
Exit JR Harajuku station or Subway Meiji Jingumae station and turn left, continue down street until you reach opening of Takeshita Dori.
Plus branches all over Japan.
http://lotteria.jp/index.html

4 comments | July 13, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

The Lock-Up Prison restaurant at Shibuya

Posted in Eating, NQN's most memorable moments and meals, Outside of Sydney

What would you say if I invited you to come along to a Haunted Prison themed restaurant, in one of the busiest hubs of Tokyo and told you that you may indeed be scared senseless entering the restaurant and that you’ll be led to a jail cell in handcuffs and then locked up in it for the duration of the meal? Sounds good? Then you’re someone that I would be friends with.

I had been looking forward to The Lockup in Shibuya ever since arriving to Tokyo as I kept hearing how very weird it was. At another location (there are several Lockups throughout Tokyo), apparently you and your party get placed into a darkened room and if you find the secret opening, then you make it into the restaurant. I had no idea what to expect so when we see the sign indicating we are to go to Basement 2, we follow, hesitating. The entrance looms and there is a genuinely spooky atmosphere given by the extremely dark and winding hallways, cold rush of air and cackling and screaming sounds around us. We inch around the corner slowly, as to not to fall (it’s a lawsuit waiting to happen and this would never happen in a litigious country like America or even Australia) and what happens next frightens the hell out of me, a man strapped to an electric chair, Clive Barker from Hellraiser sans pins, rocks back and forth screaming with lights flashing.

I scream my lungs out and then fortifying myself, move on where we encounter other bumps and things designed to scare (I won’t ruin the surprise for those that want to go) and encounter three doors, one door being the correct one, and two others….well let’s not ruin that for you too! If you want to experience entering the LockUp there are a couple of videos on Youtube

Making it into the sanctum of the restaurant, my husband is led by handcuffs to our prison cell (I don’t get handcuffed apparently, only one member of your group is which I think is a bit disappointing). We get our own “prison cell” and are locked in although the door isn’t actually locked and we are free to go but they do pull the doors shut.

We peruse the menu and find some cocktails that tickle our fancy, mainly due to the presentation as we can’t actually read the menu that well and there is no English menu. It’s Izakaya food, which I absolutely love as I like small dishes in a plentiful number so that I can try as many tastes as possible.

A friend translated the cocktail menu for me as it reads as follows:

Cloning Experiment
Electric Shock
Illegal Parking (Injection) [Red Ticket]= pronunciations of Japanese words for ‘parking’ and ‘injection’ are the same
Bad Loan - your eyeballs have blown up because you’ve lent too much money
Human Experiment
Drug Addition (you are already dead)
Time Bomb Capsules - they may explode after you’ve swallowed them?

Test tube cocktail (non alcoholic Y800)

Our cocktails arrive, the first one a non alcoholic number served in a beaker and with 5 test tubes with different flavours and a dropper to add each flavour to the drink. The drink itself is like a carbonated light yogurt drink and the flavours are sweet and tasty. I enjoy this chance to play scientist and “mix” drinks all night.

Syringe drink Y580

The second drink comes also comes in a beaker but this also has a syringe full of red jelly which we squirt into the drink. It has a sweet berry flavour to it and is alcoholic (and strongly so).

Complimentary breadsticks and cheese dip

The drinks also arrive with some breadsticks broken in half in a beaker along with the sweet and savoury cream cheese. It’s curious and not too bad indeed.

BBQ pork with spring onions Y609

Our range of dishes arrives in quick succession. The BBQ pork dish at first looks like it has too much spring onion on top of it but once popped into the mouth, it tastes perfect, the pork beautifully soft and melt in the mouth. It’s a delicate touch for an Izakaya and we are both impressed.

Big Salad Y871
The second dish, a 35cms tall salad in a glass arrives and the waitress serves this up by tipping out the salad onto a bowl and spreading it out. There is finely sliced crunchy daikon, lettuce, cherry tomato and fried chicken pieces with a Japanese Wafu dressing. There’s no egg as per the picture though but we welcome the taste of fresh salad.

Chinese chicken salad Y504

The third dish is actually different from what we had ordered but it’s very good so we don’t mind in the slightest. It’s a chicken and sesame mayo Chinese chicken salad served in a purple cabbage cup. It’s very good, one of my favourite salads ever so we don’t ask what happened to the original dish (not that we could anyway, my Japanese only gets me as far as ordering, not complaining)

Nankotsu Y504

The fourth dish is one of my favourites ever since I first had this in an Izakaya. It’s not always available at every Izakaya and whenever I see it, I always order it. It’s Nankotsu (chicken cartilege), breaded and deep fried so that the bone is no as crunchy as when it is grilled. A sprinkle of Tabasco and it is perfection and this is indeed.

Mince Okonomiyaki Y609
The last dish, a beef mince okonomiyaki is not to my taste. I am also very full so I pass up on this after a first taste. My husband prefers the mince as it is more “moist” than a regular Okonomiyaki whereas I prefer the regular version. This tastes like a lot of mince with some fish flakes on top. My husband on the other hand is hypnotised by the swaying of the fish flakes.

We sit back and watch other parties being led this time by bondage-y style clad waitresses and wish we had more time to try the other Lock Up experiences. Just because a meal tastes better after a fright.

The Lock Up

33-1 Udagawa-cho
(just off Center-gai, Shibuya Grand Tokyo Bldg. B2F)
Tokyo
Tel: +81 (03)-5728-7731
Open:
Monday to Friday 17:00～01:00
Saturday 17:00～05:00
Sunday 17:00～24:00

Shibuya

Cover charge Y525 per person plus tax charge

18 comments | July 11, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Christon Cafe at Shinjuku, Tokyo

Posted in Eating, NQN's most memorable moments and meals, Outside of Sydney

A knowledgable friend of mine, Kathy from Brisbane recommended that I try Christon Cafe after I canvassed friends for unique Tokyo experiences. Started in Osaka in 2000, there are now 8 Christon cafes around Japan, each boasting incredibly detailed interiors decorated in a religious gothic theme. It speaks to the strong Lolita goth culture that exists in Tokyo. In the lobby there is a glass display of the Virgin Mary. Upstairs, Cafe Christon doesn’t disappoint. On the 8th and 9th floor of the Oriental Wave building, you’re struck by the fantastic interior decor the minute you step off the elevator.

We were greeted with 3 leather chairs with naked iron maidens on them the arms well worn and loved. We were then led into the inner sanctum which was awash with wrought iron, gothic and catholic imagery.

To our delight, we’re led towards a blood red curtained booth, private and completely gothic. I’m not a Catholic so the imagery doesn’t strike fear into my heart although I have heard that it can make anyone raised Catholic slightly uneasy. Indeed, there is an altar in the restaurant which we’re told is an authentic altar that was used in a European church.

The details are numerous and quite astounding including the painting on the ceiling.

Gargoyles

Gigantic chandelier

We’re shown the menu, an assortment of izakaya dishes (small dishes typically served with beer). We choose a Japanese beef carpaccio Y1380, Foie Gras sreak with baked risotto Y1800 and grilled salmon steak with mushroom cream sauce Y880.

Amuse Bouche Y300

We’re given an amuse bouche or a spinach tortilla and some sort of pressed meat like a mortadella (we learn we are later charged for this although we may have agreed to it, we just kept nodding yes). The spinach tortilla is delicious and full of spinach and cheese and the luncheon meat is actually delicious, much better than a mortadella.