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Jazz River restaurant, Tumut and going to the Snow!

Let me start off admitting that I had to be somewhat wrangled into going to the Snow this year. My husband and his equally sporty family couldn’t wait to go skiiing whereas all I could think about was how damn cold I would be and given how bone-chillingly cold Sydney has been lately, why on earth would I want to go somewhere even colder? I’m no romantic, starry eyed snow virgin either, having lived in Tokyo where it does snow and my firm belief is that snow is awfully pretty to look at - when you are inside. When you have to face it directly, it’s nothing but a pain in the bottom - literally - when you fall on your ass.

However my interest grew when my friend M gave me the low down on skiing. Being Austrian, she grew up skiing at school and her tips were:

Carry a chocolate bar with you at all times. If you get cold, eat it and warm up and then you can keep skiing
Never ski when you are cold
Stop by positioning your ski tips together in an inverse V

But like the saying “You had me at Hello” goes, she had me at “Carry a chocolate bar with you at all times”. I confirmed the chocolate point with her and she nodded emphatically saying that I will eat lots of chocolate as I’ll need it. OK sign me up for 4 days of this! And hardly a whimper was heard from me again.

After some cross country skiing, tobogganing (we became Champion tobogganers, is there an Olympic division?) and tube riding, we worked up a very hearty appetite. So with the help from a Vogue forum member rainbowcloud who asked her mum for the lowdown on where is good to eat, we converged, hungry and cold, on Jazz River restaurant in Tumut, reportedly the best place to eat in town. Housed inside an arcade, a sparkling glitter sign announced its presence.

We are directed to our table. It is a still little cold there and we were hoping for a warmer restaurant. The menu on the blackboard has some tempting dishes. I choose the sirloin with mash, my husband chooses the veal scallopine, Figaro chooses the pork and Anneli chooses the salmon. When I had rung ahead to make the booking, I told them that we had some vegetarians in our party and asked whether they had any dishes. They were only too happy to make up some meals so A, Tuuliki and The Assman choose the porcini risotto and a vegetarian tapas plate.

Grainfed sirloin with creamy mash, greens and caramelised onions $29

It’s a while until we get our meals and as we are next to the glass doors, it’s a little chilly. When the meals arrive we are ever so grateful and pounce on them. My sirloin, despite one or two gristly corners, is delicious with a sublime sauce and a huge serving of mash.

Veal Scallopine with baked polenta, greens and herb glaze $28

My husband’s veal Scallopine is tender, thinly pounded pieces of veal with alternating pieces of crumbed veal. Despite its simple description, it’s well executed and satisfying.

Tasmanian Salmon with warm potato salad and beurre blanc $28

I try some of Anneli’s salmon and it’s divine, moist and perfectly cooked inside with a delicate side of diced potato salad. She is in raptures over this having just recently become a Pescatarian (fish eating vegetarian) for health reasons.

Pork fillet with baked vegetables, greens and red wine jus $27

Figaro’s pork is reportedly “ok but nothing special” and something that he feels he could make at home.

Porcini risotto $22

I try some of the porcini risotto, it’s not bad although as a confirmed omnivore I would want for something with more meat, however the vegetarians seem very happy with this.

Vegetarian Tapas plate $22

I sample some of the vegetarian tapas plate, the spinach omelette is a little dry but the semi dried tomatoes are a serious slice of heaven - sweet and deliciously juicy but still full of flavour, they’re probably the nicest I’ve had. The baked polenta is delicious, crispy on the outside and soft inside.

Vegetarian tapas plate

On the way back we saw lots of kangaroos near the road, emerging through the misty thick fog. There’s even a sign warning us of Kangaroo and Emu on the way although we were out of luck Emu spotting!

Road Sign (taken on another day)

Jazz River Cafe Bar Bistro

The Hub - 34 Wynyard Street Tumut NSW 2720
Tel/fax: +61 (020 6947 6966
email: jazz_river@bigpond.com

7 comments | August 15, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Juuri Sapas Helsinki, Finland

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

Juuri Sapas is a not quite Michelin starred newbie on the Helsinki scene. Popular and recommended by some of my husband’s gourmand cousins, we were eager to try it. Sapas is like tapas, albeit slightly smaller, small plates of food.

We’re meeting my husband’s cousins whom he hasn’t seen in about 20 years. They’re Helsinki natives and love fine dining and a good drop of wine so we are eager to take advantage of their knowledge of the city. The menu is contemporary Finnish cuisine with a lot of local ingredients and native foods which makes it rather exciting. All 4 mains are savoury and sweet and have meat combined with a fruit in some way. There are some little issues, a couple of people at the table have to ask for new plates as they were given dirty ones, my husband having to ask for a new plate twice.

The Sapas are €3.50 each and we choose the Lingonberry marinated salmon on maltbread, tarragon garlic oil; raspberry marinated arctic char with radish sauce; smoked small perche from Pielinen with egg sauce; crayfish cottage cheese filled cabbage leaves with melted dill butter; fresh sausages a la Juuri with vodka mustard; terrine of reindeer liver with jelly made of berries; smoked lamb with gooseberry jam.

Array of 3 breads

Carrot butter

We’re given a large basket of 3 different breads with a carrot butter. The carrot butter is interesting, distinctly carroty in taste but with the creaminess of butter.

Lingonberry marinated salmon on maltbread, tarragon garlic oil €3.50

The salmon is gorgeous, lightly sweetened with the lingonberries and perched on top of the maltbread which soaks up the tarragon and garlic oil nicely. It’s much better than regular marinated salmon.

Raspberry marinated arctic char with radish sauce €3.50

The slender slice of arctic char resembles salmon in texture but is a whitefish. I’m not usually a fan of radishes but the sauce is creamy enough but still retains the radish flavour.

Smoked small perche from Pielinen with egg sauce €3.50

The small smoked fish are intensely flavoured whilst the egg sauce is an interesting accompaniment. The fish aren’t too dry and the sauce is delicious.

Crayfish cottage cheese filled cabbage leaves with melted dill butter €3.50

The stuffed cabbage leaves resembles a small spring roll but the taste is distinctly different. The sauce is gloriously delicious, with a honeyed tone to it. It’s one of my favourite dishes as well as my husband’s although anything with crayfish is a winner with me.

Fresh sausages a la Juuri with vodka mustard €3.50

The tiny sausages aren’t particularly distintive and the mustard isn’t particularly vodka-ey. It’s a bit of a disappointment given there are so many other delicious dishes.

Terrine of reindeer liver with jelly made of berries €3.50

The pate like reindeer liver terrine is delicious and unusual. Distinctly different from other liver terrines or pates it is enhanced by the berry jelly. If only we had some little toast points to eat it with.

Smoked lamb with gooseberry jam €3.50

The smoked lamb is very smokey in aroma and I’m not sure about the gooseberry jam with it. Although the lamb is delicious when I dip it in the other sauces.

Grilled salsify with rosehip jam €3.50

Pike quenelle in wild herb bouillion €3.50

Beetroot and nut stew with small mushrooms €3.50

Eggcheese spiced with oregano baked on top of straws €3.50

Willowherb asparagus €3.50

Roasted swede with cauliflower puree €3.50

Mains menu

The mains we choose are the Wild Boar Ribs with apple butter and vegetables cooked in beef stock, Organic Lamb Tenderloin with dark orange bolete sauce and fried organic barley porridge and Artic Char (a fish native to Finland) braised in whitecurrant wine, jeruselum artichoke puree, beetroot sauce and parsnip chips.

Wild Boar Ribs with apple butter and vegetables cooked in beef stock €22.50

My Wild boar ribs with apple puree, dutch carrots and other vegetables are absolutely divine, sticky sweet and soft they completely conquer regular pork ribs or any other ribs I’ve had. I almost sob that I know that I can’t get them in Australia and I begrudgingly give some to my sister and husband, knowing that they will love them too.

Organic Lamb Tenderloin with dark orange bolete sauce and fried organic barley porridge €25.50

The Lamb is soft and tenderly pink inside and the accompaniment of fried porridge is delicious. It’s similar to fried polenta but softer and stickier. Like Chinese radish cake or something similar in texture although not in taste. The dark orange bolete sauce is a midly sweet accompanying sauce.

Artic Char braised in whitecurrant wine, jeruselum artichoke puree, beetroot sauce and parsnip chips €22.50

The fantastic looking Arctic Char with a streak of fuchsia beetroot puree as mentioned before tastes like salmon whilst being a whitefish.The artichoke puree and beetroot sauce not only providing visual contrast to the fish but also flavour that never overpowers the fish.

Fried perch fillets with Finnish original onion and tomato salad, rhubarb sauce and new potatoes €22.50

Dessert menu

Chocolate cake de capo with seabuckthorne mousse €7

Although we are full we can’t pass up on the desserts-there’s one that has caught my eye-the chocolate cake de capo with seabuckthorn mousse. My husband’s cousins tell us the seabuckthorne is actually used in a medicinal sense-whenever someone is feeling ill or coming down with something, they take some seabuckthorne juice. So not only is it tasty but good for you. The chocolate cake resembles a brownie and the mousse a sweet slightly tangy tamarillo mousse. It’s finished with a streak of thick butterscotch sauce.

Selection of Finnish cheeses and crowberry jelly €7.50

My sister orders the cheese plate and when it arrives, with 4 small cubes of cheese with crowberry jelly €7.50. I don’t have the heart to ask her to share any of her tiny 4 cubes with me and she reports back that 1 was “ok” but the rest were unmemorable. She actually wanted to spit out one of the hard cheeses. Not to mention the tiny portions. The crowberry jelly is more like a syrup than a jelly and honeyed in taste although the consistency doesn’t lend itself to all of the cheeses.

Seasonal sorbet Rhubarb €5

We sample some of the Rhubarb sorbet, intriguingly it’s a forest green shade. it tastes like a fruit and vegetable juice, almost like parsley or another herb has been added to the rhubarb.

Rosehip and white chocolate ice cream with marinated strawberries €7

Later, we head off to Mecca bar, an ultra chic and a bit posey bar populated by Helsinki’s beautiful people. We’re persuaded to try the Sweet Salty licorice drink. It’s a glisteningly black tar shot glass and even the smell at a short distance is heady with aniseed. I take a sip, after all I’m not a big licorice fan and indeed it is just like the salty sweet licorice lollies. My husband adores this and wants to buy a bottle.

We leave whilst the night is still young, after all in the Midnnight Sun season, night never falls.

Juuri Sapas

Korkeavuorenkatu 27
00130 Helsinki
Tel. +358 9 635732
www.juuri.fi
Reservation: ravintola@juuri.fi
Seats: 34+6
Open: Mon-Fri 11–24, Sat 12–24, Sun 14–20

6 comments | July 20, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Helsinki Kauppatori Market Square & Hall, Finland

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

I cannot tell you how disconcerting it is falling asleep at 4am while the sun is shining. It affords me little sleep and I dream some very bizarre dreams that night although it may have been the results of a grease overload via Jaskan Grilli’s Kannibal hot dog.

Chili salt

It’s a gorgeous sunny day today so we take full advantage of it and go to the city centre and walk around the outdoor markets and the adjacent Market Hall, packed full to the brim with all sorts of Finnish delicacies. As we are hungry we walk to the Market Hall to find something to eat, on a recommendation of my husband’s uncle who recalls salivating as soon as he entered the market hall. There is an array of items not to be found in Australia that fascinates me.

Tins of bear meat-priced at €23 for a smallish tin

Huge cooked squid

Smoked fish

Lihapiirakka

Lihapiirakka €4.50

Inside Lihapiirakka

We first choose a Finnish food called a Lihapiirakka filled with beef and cheese and rice €4.50. There are plain rolls for €2. The outer is crispy fried, like a donut and the filling inside is plentiful with the sauce soaked rice, melted cheese and beef slices. My husband loves this although the meat is a touch greasy for me.

Open face sandwiches

The open sandwiches we choose are the crayfish and mayo €3 and the salmon €3 ( as recommended by the girl behind the counter). We’re not usually fans of rye bread but on these open sandwiches, the dryness is needed to soak up the extra sauce and topping so that it doesn’t fall into a heap and become a wet sponge.

Crayfish and mayo open faced sandwich €3

The crayfish and mayo one is gorgeous, with a slightly sweet mayo giving the delicate crayfish a creamy and perfect complement. At €3 it is a steal. Interestingly, we see another vendor a little further down selling the same open face sandwich for €7.50.

Salmon open faced sandwich €3

The salmon is also good, although when compared to the lovely crayfish. Ordinarily I would have been more than happy.

Sauna smoked ham

Reindeer meat-Rudolph!

Gravlax

Stomachs satisfied, we walk through the rest of the market hall where we see reindeer meat in every conceivable form, smoked, jerky, vacuum packed steaks and pate as well as Bear meat and pate which at €23 for a small can, peaks my sister’s interest.

Juicy, sweet strawberries

Heading out towards the outdoor markets and are greeted with berry vendors at every turn offering samples of strawberries and cherries. We are a little early for berry season so had we come a month later, there would have been more varieties of berry.

Lovely raspberries

Cherries-sweet but not as luscious and sweet as the strawberries

My favourite, sweeter than sweet apricots. They tasted like those lovely plump and sweet dried Turkish apricots but they’re fresh!

The next day we sample some of the hot food on offer. All of the stands cook on large round hot plates with each selection taking up some space. It looks like the pictures I’ve seen of massive paellas being cooked in Spain. We get some Game meat balls from one stand which are superbly soft, delicious and large with 3 meatballs per serve. The garlic and herb sauce that it comes with is delicious as is the vegetable paella.

The baltic herring is, for lack of a better word, very “fishy” in taste and with some tiny bones. I’m glad we tried it although I probably wouldn’t order it again.

For something sweet we try the dreamily named “cloudberry crepe” which is filled with a sweet pipped sauce much like tamarillo although sweeter. With the whipped cream, it is a delicious ending to the market meal.

Other fabulous finds at the Market Square were

A mysterious looking plant! If anyone knows the name of this, please let me know.

Cloudberry ice cream

Birch tree branches-for whacking on yourself during a sauna. Apparently these are very effective!

Kauppatori Market Hall and Square

Eastern end of the Esplanade
Helsinki, Finland

9 comments | July 19, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Zetor Tractor restaurant, Helsinki Finland

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

My husband says that I can shop for almost anything, and it’s true. Even supermarket shopping holds joy and excitement for me. I could stroll the aisles of a supermarket, especially in overseas countries, picking up item after item and not get bored. So when I came upon a tractor selling restaurant I was immediately intrigued. My husband was relieved in that he knew that I wouldn’t be interested in a tractor because a) it’s a tractor and b) a tractor would exceed our baggage allowance. In the city centre, Zetor is said to be a slice of what the Finnish countryside was like a few decades ago. Indeed my husband’s Finnish born and bred uncle confirms this fact.

No hidden bottles please!

There’s a sign at the front, asking us to leave our bags, coats and any hidden bottles of alcohol behind. Hmm I get the sense that this isn’t your usual sort of place. My husband’s cousin said that it was more a “quantity over quality” place which pleased my husband to no end. Yes folks, no matter how hard I’ve tried to persuade him, he still prefers a larger meal to a quality meal.

We’re shown to a booth, past enormous tractors with flames painted on them and a gigantic cow. My husband’s uncle also explains that the name Zetor actually refers to a Russian tractor that was notoriously unreliable and thought to have been a poor quality one so the name is a joke.

Zetor’s menu-printed as a newpaper with pages in several languages

And their menu, designed in the style of a newspaper with a menu page in Finnish, English, Swedish, German and Russian certainly has a sense of humour to it with dishes such as “2. Plastic Blinnery: Now, it is finally possible to acquire a DD cup by a safe, natural method. The orally ingested filling includes a blini fried in clarified butter, served with herring caviar, salmon roe mousse and boiled egg. No danger of rejection.” as well as desserts such as “34. This Is Your Captain Speaking: Welcome to this chartered flight to Torremolinos! In order for you to be able to achieve the requisite holiday spirit, we will be serving chocolate cake and strawberries in brandy. And don’t forget to give a hearty applause when we land.”

Booths

The waitress comes to take our order and we order the Cliche Soup, ZETOR C2007I and the fawn reindeer roast (”Slip into something more comfortable”) and for dessert the “Hidden Agenda”-oven baked cheese with caramel sauce and brandy marinated arctic cloudberries.

Cliche soup (large) €12.90

All three dishes arrive at once and they smell fantastic, particularly the Cliche soup which I have chosen. Described as: “It’s a deja vú all over again, said the man, and didn’t skin his bear, because on the same token, he went back to business: Smoked reindeer and cheese soup, vegetable butter and crispbread. The portion took the feet right out of his mouth. Available also without reindeer” A spoonful into it and it’s creamy and velvety and the flavour much like a cheese and bacon roll in a liquid form. The tiny smoked reindeer pieces taste just like bacon and it’s gorgeously voluptuous although you get the feeling that you are eating for Everest and that the calories in this bowl could sustain you for a trek to the summit and back. The crispbread is much like a Pringle shaped Finncrisp with some carrot puree butter on it.

Zetor C2007I €11.70 little tinned fish

I next try the “ZETOR C2007I An updated version of our best-selling product. The components are smoked Pielinen vendace in tin can and bread. Optional extras include a schnapps (4 cl), and you can also get take-away vendace components from the hat check girl. Suitable for two. This product will not be outsourced to Asia” which arrives in a tin with one of those little openers that you try and master in order to reach your food. The smoked fish are interesting and the bread very dry and crispy. We find this best when you spoon the fish on and let the oil from the fish permeate the bread somewhat-and even then it’s a n earth shattering crunch when you bite into it. The fish are much like an oily smoked fish-not bad at all.

Slip Into Something More Comfortable €27.80

The last savoury dish is the “Slip Into Something More Comfortable: The reindeer fawn roast slipped into a potato hash and poured cranberry red wine sauce all over itself. Then it burned the midnight oil so that the country cheese got warm. This caused the sauerkraut to stew in its sour cream, and the mood was set for the evening. ” This dish, a little more expensive than the rest of the menu, which is mostly less than €20, but it is rewardingly good, the reindeer fawn is gloriously soft and the perfect companion to the sweet and mild sauerkraut and potatoes. The cranberry red wine sauce and country cheese also complements the reindeer and we are in unison impressed with this dish. My sister particularly loves the cheese, called Leipäjuusto, literally translated into Bread Cheese which is like a less salty version of Halloumi. Said to be made from rich milk from a cow that has recently calved it is used in both sweet and savoury dishes.

Hidden Agenda €9.20 Caramelised cheese

Hidden Agenda €9.20 Cloudberries marinated in brandy

Which brings us to our dessert featuring Leipäjuusto with caramel sauce and brandy soaked arctic cloudberries. It comes in a baking dish and looks like a gratin but a spoonful in and we are all nodding our heads in agreement. There is the caramel squeaky cheese on top but underneath is a milky caramel flavoured sauce. The brandy cloudberries are gorgeous alongside this creamy cheesy spoonsful and although it’s unusual, it most certainly works.

Pail of cutlery

We leave and of course it is bright and sunny. We see some people toting beers - they don’t come in 6 packs here, they come in 12 packs for the serious drinker. And the colloquial term for these is “Dachshund” for the shape as they resemble the sausage dog. And no, I didn’t buy a tractor!

Restaurant Zetor

Mannerheimintie 3-5, Kaivopiha, 00100 Helsinki - tel. 010 76 64450
Table reservations: S-groups sales service 020 1234 800 (mon-fri 8-18) -
Open: mon 11-24, tue 11-03, wed-sat 11-04 sun 13-23
http://www.ravintolazetor.fi/etusivu_en.html

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

Fazer Café, Helsinki Finland

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

Fazer café is the Finnish equivalent of an afternoon tea salon. Started by Karl Fazer (pronounced “Fahtzer”) in 1891, it is said to be the place where “the female population of the city would spend time, taking certain pleasure in using up the last pennies of their fathers, brothers, fiancees and admirers for indulging in huge amounts of sweet delicacies” and indeed looking around there are ladies lunching on salads, sandwiches or divine little cakes and chocolates. Beautifully merchandised, the windows beckon with tantalising colours and delicate morsels. When we had walked past on the Sunday when they were closed, I practically drooled in front of the window so the next day a plan was made to come here. And if anyone should derail these plans, they will incur my wrath!

The shop is broken down into two areas, on the left are the cakes and savouries and on the right are the chocolates and jellies. There is an area towards the rear of each in which to eat. It reminds my sister of the Wolseley although curiously they have self service which is apparently quite a Scandinavian thing. You take a tray, select your food from behind the glass cabinet and they pass the food to you and you then pay at the front, much like the nicest cafeteria you’ll ever come across. My sister and I select some open face sandwiches to share and my husband chooses to partake in the lunch soup buffet €8 for a choice of three soups: a vegetable one, a meat soup and a seafood soup with bread and butter. There are also a selection of salads and of course the gorgeous cakes to choose from.

We choose a Russian open faced sandwich with fish paste and eggs €8.20 (Voileipa Sill ala Russia), a chicken sandwich €7.30 (Resissumies Kana) and a prawn and egg sandwich €7.70 (Voileipa Katkarapu).

Voileipa Sill ala Russia €8.20
The Voileipa Sill ala Russia is fairly bland and needs a little salt and pepper. It’s certainly creamy and piled high with toppings though and tastes mostly of eggs.

Resissumies Kana €7.30
The Resissumies Kana E7.30 is delicious, the chicken moist and sweet and the topping perfectly balanced. It’s my favourite of the lot although it sounded less exotic.

Voileipa Katkarapu €7.70
The Voileipa Katkarapu is packed with small fresh prawns which sit on top of a cloud of thousand island dressing. It’s piled high with prawns and great value.

Meat soup (part of soup buffet) €8

I try some of my husband’s soups, the vegetable one is a creamy potato and leek soup, the meat one is particularly good with halved meatballs amongst vegetables whilst the seafood is a little disappointing, tasting mostly of celery and carrot with some tiny prawns scattered throughout it.

Berry cake €5.40

Savouries savoured, we move onto the sweets. I choose the perfect dome of berries with the delicate sprig of gold leaf redcurrants on top. I also select a slice of traditional Finnish caramel cake and a section of apple slice and a sweet roll to takeaway for our drive to the countryside.

The Berry cake is divine, filled with white chocolate with a sweet berry jam centre it is the perfect level of sweetness. The fine covering of sweet jellied berry is divine against the rich white chocolate centre. It is topped with redcurrants flecked with gold leaf. Simple perfection.

Traditional Finnish Caramel Cake €5.30

The Finnish caramel cake is coated in a thick icing of caramel, the centre sponge slices filled with caramel too. The sponge itself is a bit dry and tastes a little stale but the caramel helps somewhat.

Reinen Omenapiirakka €3.20

Later we try the apple slice, it’s fairly light on apples but tastes richly of custard powder.

Voisilmapulla €2.50
The sweet roll is topped with a sweet cheese and sugar and then baked to produce a crispy sugar crust. It is also strongly flavoured with cardamom which gives it an interesting touch.

On our drive to the Finnish country home, I lie back and think of the other cakes that I didn’t try. Yes I will be back for them…

Fazer Café

Kluuvikatu 3, 00100 Helsinki
Tel +358 20 729 6702 Fax +358 20 729 6700
E-mail: fazer.cafe@fazer.fi
http://www.ravintolaopas.net/fazerkluuvi
Mon-Fri 7:30-22, Sat 09-22

7 comments | July 16, 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

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

Tsukiji Fish Markets Tokyo

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

How much do I love you Dear Reader? Should you ever doubt my devotion to you, think of our visit to Tsukiji fish markets, the largest food market in the world, covering 2,100 square metres in the heart of the Tokyo. A visit that requires you to get up at a horrendously early hour and take the first train of the day, when most Tokyoites are still asleep on their futons in their tatami covered rooms. Even though I lived here a few years ago, I never even thought of coming here so early on my days off, after all what use is a day off if you cannot sleep in. So despite wanting to satisfy my curiosity, I never made it here until now. My husband is chomping at the bit to go here.

Sea Urchin

Squid

As it’s early, the trains are a little less frequent. We normally wait between 1-3 minutes for a train but at this hour we wait 10 minutes (yes the Tokyo Subway system could teach State Rail in Sydney a thing or two). We exit from Exit 1 and make our way down the main street and essentially follow all of the “gaijin” or foreigners who have also woken up early to have a look a the markets. It is said that the Japanese don’t bother paying a casual visit to Tsukiji but that it has always had an allure for non Japanese.

We pass some shops selling ramen, sushi and sashimi to reward those that have risen so early. We resist, as we’re flying out this morning and only have a short amount of time to check things out. The market is divided into three areas, a front area selling produce related to seafood and cooking like utensils and other foods, the middleman area where you or I could buy fish and the back area, a wholesaling area where we keep our distance. There are a few unspoken courtesy rules to Tsukiji:

Do not use flash photography

Do not touch the fish

Do not go into the wholesale/auction area (there is plenty to see in the Middleman’s market)

Get out of the way!

The last point is for your own safety as well. There are small buggies taking fish to and from stalls at breakneck speed coming at you from all directions and they probably would run you down if you don’t get out of the way.

This is also no place for your best clothes or shoes. Whilst the smell of it is much fresher than Sydney’s Fish markets (whose smell can be overpowering) the freshness of the fish and the conditions mean that there is mostly just the smell of the sea, they do dump water and ice at every turn and you may find your feet splashed often if you don’t watch it (and you’re often trying to dodge the buggies).

Two huge tuna, tails lopped off

Tuna is definitely the prize catch as we see several large tuna, tails lopped off, being carted around. People take the tuna by hand using reverse wheelbarrows whereas smaller fish in sytrofoam go by mechanical cart.

Fat, fresh Scallops

Crab meat

Prices can be a steal, we see a dozen fresh fat plump scallops Y1300 (about $13-$14AU), and crab meat in three different colours.

Octopus

Man choosing and buying octopus from Middleman’s markets

There are fat octopus, still wriggling fish and all sorts of mysterious items from the sea including gigantic scallop type items.

Wholesale Auction area

Auctions in progress

The auction area is more serious, with men in caps standing around inspecting the fish looking contemplative and holding their chins. By 9am all of the action is wrapped up and the fisherman pack up their trucks.

Buyers contemplate their catches during auction

We leave, without trying some of the famous Daiwa sushi as we need to get to the airport. We’re still wistful, there’s something so frantic and energetic about Tsukiji that my husband declares that he wants to come back on our 1 day lay day on the way home. Despite the start time, I wholly agree.

Tsukiji Market

Near Tsukiji station. Best reached by subway (Hibiya line). Directly near Tsukijishijo station although this train line has less connections.

http://www.tsukiji-market.or.jp/tukiji_e.htm

8 comments | July 12, 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

11 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 ikzaya 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.

Japanese beef carpaccio Y1380

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

Greenwood Chinese Restaurant at North Sydney for Yum Cha

Posted in Eating, Sydney - North

It’s been a while since I’ve been to Greenwood Chinese. My husband I used to frequent the restaurant when it was under previous management and they used to have a Yum Cha special on the weekends when dishes were $2.50 each. Yes really, dishes were that cheap. So cheap that my husband would order plates and plates of Har Gow and scoff them down while patting his distended stomach blissful in the savings that he’d made. Now that it has changed hands, the specials are gone along with my husband’s patronage.

Today, M and I are at Greenwood Plaza and having a quick lunch. We need something quick and Yum Cha, with it’s at-the-ready trolleys circulating seems the perfect choice. We pass the enormous fish tank at the front and make our way to a table. Within seconds, we have our first steamed goodies on the table.

Chee Cheong Fan with prawns

The slippery and ready to fall apart rice flour rolls are filled with prawns and coated in a semi sweet soy sauce. They’re not as good as I usually like them, tasting quite floury rather than delicate.

Spinach dumplings

10 comments | July 1, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Jazz River restaurant, Tumut and going to the Snow!

Jazz River Cafe Bar Bistro

Juuri Sapas Helsinki, Finland

Juuri Sapas

Helsinki Kauppatori Market Square & Hall, Finland

Kauppatori Market Hall and Square

Zetor Tractor restaurant, Helsinki Finland

Restaurant Zetor

Fazer Café, Helsinki Finland

Fazer Café

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

Tsukiji Fish Markets Tokyo

Tsukiji Market

The Lock-Up Prison restaurant at Shibuya

The Lock Up

Christon Cafe at Shinjuku, Tokyo

Greenwood Chinese Restaurant at North Sydney for Yum Cha

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