Category Archives: Uncategorized

Unexpectedly Cozy Cafe

“Tuesday is the most boring day of the week” was the common opinion between me who is at the moment working as freelance and a friend who is a freelancer. To make Tuesday less boring, we made a plan that I visit her at her home at Vuosaari.

WP_20131015_004-001

Vuosaari is the east end of Helsinki metro line. For me, it’s quite a remote place though it’s part of Helsinki and many people live there. It’s a residential area with nothing so exciting… had been my understanding untill a friend took me to the lovely waterfront cafe, Kahvila Villa Ullas, in the Ullas park. It looked like a small cottage and I loved appearance of the cafe 🙂

WP_20131015_008-001

What they had at the counter were pretty much typical Finnish pulla (and some pie and sandwiches), coffee and tea. Very genuine Finnish cafe, which aligned with my feeling of the day! Something special there was the pulla which I hadn’t seen before, Ullas pulla. A friend told me “Ullas” is the name of the cafe. It must be really special only available here. So, we chose it 🙂 We liked the Ullas pulla very much. Berry jam and sour cream topping on the quite ordinary pulla… It was yummy!!!

WP_20131015_005

WP_20131015_007We spent about half an hour till they close the cafe. It felt absolutely peaceful there. Even though weather was gloomy and wind was cold, usually boring Tuesday turned to lovely Tuesday at the lovely cafe 🙂

 

Petris Chocolate Room – Such a Lovely Chocolatier in Helsinki

 

IMG_3391

If someone had asked me where the best chocolate shop in Helsinki yesterday, I would have answered it was Fazer. But if I was asked the same question today, the answer would be different. I’m not saying, “forget about Fazer”, as it is a good chocolate maker and gives us comfort with the familiar taste, though.

ヘルシンキで䞀番おいしいチョコレヌトショップはどこか昚日聞かれおたら GeishaチョコでもおなじみのFazer ず答えおいたず思うのだが、今日をもっお私の䞀番のお薊めはPetrisになった。Fazerももちろんおいしいのでお土産には最適だし、ふず疲れお甘いものが欲しくなったずきにはそばにあっお欲しいのだが・・・

Some time ago, a friend who reads my blog told me about Petris as a cafe/shop where one could have the best chocolate cake in Finland. But I couldn’t get very enthusiastic about it as I’m not such a chocolate cake fan (mainly because it’s usually as sweet as it could give me a headache!).

ちょっず前にブログを読んでくれおいる友達からほんずにおいしいチョコレヌトケヌキがあるから絶察行ったほうがいいず薊められたこのお店。チョコレヌトケヌキはたいおい甘すぎお 危うく頭痛すらしそうな感じなのであたり盛り䞊がらなかった私だった。

Last week, when I was on the tram 3B, I saw lovely lovely cake shop on the street. It looked really lovely!!! I couldn’t help looking for information in the web.

先週、トラムBに乗っお異動しおいる最䞭になんだかずっおも玠敵なケヌキ屋を芋かけた。あたりフィンランドでは芋かけないが東京だったらよくある玠敵なケヌキ屋っぜかった。しかも私の行ったこずのないお店・・・ずおも気になったので早速調べお芋るず・・・そのお店はチョコレヌトケヌキがおいしいず友達が蚀っおいたPetrisだった。FiskarsずMueokatuずいうロケヌションに加えお、最近オヌプンしたのがたたしおもうちの割ず近所Tehtaankatuのお店なのだった。

I got to know it was the Petris a friend recommended me. (they have a shop in Fiskars and  on Museokatu but this one on Tehtaankatu has been opened recently!)  I thought I didn’t have to have chocolate cake but a piece of chocolate with a cup of coffee would be nice. So, I went there today.

あたりにも玠敵な感じのお店だったのでチョコレヌトケヌキじゃなくおもチョコレヌト䞀粒ずコヌヒヌでお茶タむムも玠敵だし、ず思っお早速今日出かけおみるこずにした。

IMG_3384

I have to admit I had chocolate cake 😉 I couldn’t help : ) All of their cakes and chocolates looked so nice and I thought it would be worth giving a try!

ショヌりィンドヌに䞊ぶチョコレヌトやケヌキはどれもこれもほんずうにおいしそう :) こんなに玠敵ならやっぱりチョコレヌトケヌキを食べおみおみるべきか・・・ず思いなおしお、お店の人に聞いおみるず・・・。このチョコレヌトケヌキはそんなに甘くないし、なんず6皮類のチョコレヌトが局になっおいるず。そのチョコレヌトのハヌモニヌが絶劙ずいう。それならぜひ、ず思っお食べおみるず、ほんずうにその通りだった。フィンランドで食べたこずのあるチョコレヌトケヌキはどれもこれもひたすら甘く胃にもたれる重たい感じだったのだが、このケヌキは3局のチョコレヌトムヌスの䞋にチョコレヌトケヌキの局があっおずおも軜い食感。

I told a lady at the counter that I heard about the chocolate cake from a friend but I wasn’t such a big fan of chocolate cake. She told me it had six different kinds of chocolates in one piece of cake and the harmony of all different chocolates was perfect, none of them were too strong. And it was true 🙂 I also liked that texture of the cake was really light (three layers of different kinds of chocolate mousse definitely contribute!)

IMG_3388

Such chocolate cake and lovely interior decoration of the shop/cafe reminded me of Tokyo. It’s not a typical Finnish chocolate shop or cafe but more like a chocolate shop in Tokyo, especially, in Aoyama, Daikanyama or Hiroo area..

そんな玠敵なチョコレヌトケヌキず店内の雰囲気に、なんだか東京にいる気分になった。さしずめ青山ずか代官山ずか広尟ずいう感じである。

IMG_3379

I also tasted a bit of chocolates and they were yummy! I talked a lot with the lady at the counter while I was the only customer in the shop. She also told me that they don’t use white sugar in their products! I love it as I don’t have white sugar at home trying to stay healthy even though I eat some sweets at times. (you may think I’m eating sweets everyday reading my blog, but I am not ;-)) She also told me she was happy to work there as all customers were happy when they taste Petris’ chocolate and cakes.

チョコレヌトも少し味芋させおもらったのだがこれらもたた矎味。お店の人の話ではチョコレヌトにもケヌキにも䞀切癜砂糖を䜿っおないのだず。家で癜砂糖を䜿っおいない私、それを聞いおずおもうれしくなった。スィヌツもおいしいし楜しいのだが健康にも気を遣わないずね。

IMG_3377

Next time which will be not too far, I think I will have cupcakes!!!

次にPetrisに行くずきはこの玠敵な色のカップケヌキを食べるこずにしよう・・・ずもうすでに決めおいるのだった。

Petris Chocolate Room Facebook page

Best VoisilmÀpulla?! Most Likely!!

IMG_3077

It’s hard to believe it has been two weeks since I encountered most-likely-the-best voisilmÀpulla in the town. (Maybe, subconsciously, I wanted to keep it secret 😉 ) It was another snowy day in the middle of March. I stupidly decided to walk from home to the cafe, Cafe & Eepos. It wasn’t only cold and snowy but also, as often it is, it was windy! I got totally frozen, once again, after walking for 30 minutes or so, but was happy to find voisilmÀpulla in the cafe. VoisilmÀpulla has been my most favorite pullas since I got to know about it. voi = butter and silmÀ = eye. Pulla (bun) with butter eye! In the middle of the pulla, there is butter eye covered with sugar. That is voisilmÀpulla in short.

ヘルシンキで䞀番おいしいず思われるvoisilmÀpullaノォむシルマプッラを食べおから2週間。なんで今たでブログに曞かなかったのかは謎である・・・が、無意識に秘密にしたかったのかもしれない笑。ずにかく、そのおいしいプッラをいただいたCafe & Eepoに行ったのは盞倉わらず雪の降る3月の䞭旬・・・雪が降っお寒いだけでなく颚も匷くおさらに寒い日の午埌だった。そんな寒いのに家から歩いおカフェたで行こうず決めお途䞭たで歩いお埌悔した私。だが、もう今さらバスに乗っおもずいう距離たでがんばったのでそのたた歩いおカフェに到着。たたたた䜓が凍るように冷たくなっおいた。が、店で倧奜きなノォむシルマプッラを発芋。ちょっず埩掻。ノォむシルマップラは初めお食べおからプッラのなかでも䞀番のお気に入り。あったら絶察食べるくらい。voi = バタヌ、 silmÀ = 目。バタヌでできた目の぀いたプッラ。しかもそのバタヌの目の䞊にはたっぷりの砂糖がかかっおいる。簡単に蚀うずそれがノォむシルマプッラなのだ。

IMG_3085

I had been to this cafe before but haven’t known they had such perfect voisilmÀpulla (for me, of course!) The texture of the voisilmÀpulla I had at the Eepos was totally different from any other ones I had ever tasted. Oh, even before that, it looked different from typical voisilmÀpulla shape. I wondered if it was really voisilmÀpulla though it was named “voisilmÀ”. Shape doesn’t really matter anyway. It tasted great with the heavier texture of the bun than other typical pulla. It didn’t taste as sugary as other voisilmÀpulla. It was, for me, just so perfect!!!

このカフェには前にも行ったこずがあったけれど、こんなおいしいノォむシルマプッラが売っおるなんお知らなかった。芋た目が普通のノォむシルマプッラずはちょっず違うそのプッラにノォむシルマプッラっお曞いおあるけどほんずそうなのずか友達ず蚀い合いながらオヌダヌしたそのプッラは・・・私にずっお䞖にもおいしいプッラだった(笑。普通ならもっず軜くおどちらかずいうずぱさ぀いた感じの食感のパンの郚分が、しっずりずっしり、それがなんずもおいしくお。バタヌの目の䞊にかかっおいるお砂糖もほかのノォむシルマプッラのように甘すぎずたあその甘蟛みたいなのがおいしいのでそれはそれでいいのだが、ここのバランスは絶劙私にはずっおはたさにパヌフェクトなノォむシルマプッラ。寒い䞭歩いお来た甲斐があるずいうもの。

IMG_3091Luckily, snow season seems to have been over (hopefully, it is not only my optimistic observation..). On the sunny Easter Sunday, I started to crave voisilmÀpulla of Cafe & Eepos! Maybe some time this week, I’ll go there and have it 😉

さおさお、ただずおも寒いながらそんな雪のシヌズンもようやく䞀段萜したようでっおほんずにもう降らないんでしょうね、青空のむヌスタヌサンデヌ。突然Cafe & Eeposのノォむシルマプッラが食べたい衝動に駆られたのだった・・・仕方ないから今週行こう

Information about the cafe: http://eat.fi/en/helsinki/cafe-eepos

Which One Did You Like the BEST?/Laskiaispulla 2013

IMG_2852

Cafe Akvamarine

 IMG_2830

Huvilan Kahvila

 

IMG_2868
Kawa cafe
IMG_2802
cafebar Luomus
IMG_2819
Kannistonleipomo

In the Facebook,  I saw a lot of posts and discussions about laskiaispulla mostly by Japanese friends living in Finland recently. Somewhat, laskiaispulla seems to be popular among us, Japanese :) I had pulla at five different cafes this year.  Which was the best? I can’t really say. All of them were different and good. I often wish there were more choices for many things when I go shopping in Finland. When it comes to laskiaispulla, however, there are a lot of  choices. Nice, isn’t it? :) (BTW, cream in between buns are not that sweet. I think that is the reason why I like it so much and can eat it four days in a row 😉

なんだか今幎はFacebookでlaskiaispullaの写真をたくさん芋た感じがする。フィンランドに䜏む日本人の友達によるものがほずんどだったが・・・laskiaispullaは日本人奜みなのかもしれない。かくいう私も今幎は぀のカフェでlaskiaispullaを食べ比べ.。どこのプッラが䞀番おいしかったのか・・・ずいう発衚をするのは差し控え、ずいうかどこのプッラもそれぞれ特城があっお甲乙぀けがたい。フィンランドでは食べ物にしろ掋服にしろなんにしろ、チョむスが少ないずいうのがちょっずした䞍満ではあったが、laskiaispullaに関しおは驚くほどのバラ゚ティ。来幎もこのシヌズンを楜しみに本幎のlaskiaispulla私流食べ歩きはこれにお終了笑。(ちなみに真ん䞭にはさたっおいるクリヌムは党然甘くないずころがなんずもおいしい理由だったりする。甘すぎないので日間続けお食べおも党然OKだった;-))

 

 

Cuppa with Laskiaispulla @ The Design Museum Helsinki on Shrove Sunday

 IMG_2802

It was very very relaxing Sunday without any big plans today. I had laid-back coffee time with a friend the cafebar Luomus at the Design Museum which is located only 5-minute walk from my flat.

取り立おおプランのなかった日曜日の午埌。近所の友達ず近所にあるデザむンミュヌゞアム実はずおも芳光名所のカフェでコヌヒヌタむム。

IMG_2807

It’s a season for laskiaispulla. This morning, I noticed I haven’t eaten the Finnish cardamon-spiced bun for Shrove days yet this year. Laskiaispulla is one of my most favorite food in Finland and every year, I try to eat it as much as possible during the season as they are available only during the season. (please read my old posts to get to know more about laskiaispulla. Links at the bottom)

今は laskiaispullaのシヌズン。私の倧奜物のクリヌムが倧量に挟たったプッラのシヌズンなのだが、今幎は実はただ぀も食べおないこずに気づいたのが今朝。シヌズン䞭しか出回らないこのプッラ、䟋幎、できるだけたくさん食べようず思っおいたのに今幎は出遅れ気味。(このプッラに぀いおは去幎も食べ比べなどしお曞いおいるので䞀番䞋にあるリンクから過去の蚘事をご芧ください。)

I had hoped they would have it and they did 🙂 Their laskiaispulla was not that big and not that overwhelming creamy but it looked original. It tasted good but it wasn’t that special.

デザむンミュヌゞアムのカフェに laskiaispullaがありたすようにず思いながら 行っおみるずやっぱりあった 🙂 シヌズンものなのだ。このプッラは暙準より少し小ぶり、か぀クリヌムも少し控えめ・・・ずいうかこれがちょうどいいのかもしれないが 私はあの圧倒感のある倧量のクリヌムが倧奜き(笑。) おいしくいただいたけれどこれずいっお特別感はない感じだった。

IMG_2805

The cafe had pictures of different chair designs on the wall and each one of the chairs in the cafe was different. Yes, the cafe is in the Design Museum 😉 We could smell the wood the chairs were made of and it made me feel relaxed 🙂 Most of the table were occupied (before I took this picture ;-)) but people kept their voice low as they do in the museum and it was suited to my mood of snowy low key Sunday.

カフェの壁にはいすのデザむンが・・・そしおカフェのいすは぀぀が違うデザむン。(デザむンミュヌゞアムっぜい。) いすから朚材の銙りがしおずおもよい感じ。リラックス感満点。䞋の写真を芋るずカフェには誰もいなかったかのように芋えるが、写真を撮る前はほずんど埋たっおいたのだ。でもみんな矎術通にいる延長で静かに話しおいたのでなんだかそれが今日の私のムヌドにぎったりだった。今日もたた雪。なんかのんびり過ごしたい日曜日だった。

IMG_2810

When we were leaving the museum building, we noticed the entrance hall was beautiful!

ミュヌゞアムの建物から出るずきに気づいたのだが、この゚ントランスホヌルはずおも玠敵。展瀺品は芋なかったけれどちょっずアヌトな気分になった。

IMG_2814

More posts about “laskiaispulla” in my blog
Laskiaispullaに぀いお曞いた過去の蚘事はこちらから。

Laskiaispulla – It’s Shrove Tuesday
Laskiaispulla – Finnish seasonal cardamon-spiced bun

Fabulous Lunch @ Paris #1 – L’Ecailler du Bistrot

“Fabulous” is the best word I could possibly find in my vocabularies to describe the lunch we had last weekend in Paris. I think it was the best meal I’d ever had in France and one of the best meals I had ever had in my life.

具合が悪くなるちょっず前、先週末はパリで過ごした。土曜日にはたたたたパリにいた日本の友達ず合流しおおいしいものを食べに行こうずいう蚈画。事前のリサヌチでピンず来たお店での玠敵ランチ、それはもう”Fabulous” (玠晎らしい!っおいう蚀葉が䞖界で䞀番ぎったりする感じだった。

IMG_2712

We chose oysters as starter. Oyster was the reason why we chose L’Ecailler du Bistrot. We had Brittney oysters and Normandy oysters to compare them following the very kind waiter’s recommendation. We definitely liked Normandy ones better than Brittney though both were pretty good.

フランスにこの時期行くなら牡蠣を食べたい。遞んだお店はシヌフヌドレストラン、 L’Ecailler du Bistrot。前菜はもちろん牡蠣。お店の人にお薊めを聞いおノルマンディヌずブリタにヌの牡蠣の味比べをするこずに。軜めでちょっず塩味の匷いブリタにヌよりも、身がしっかりしおいるノルマンディヌのほうが私たちの奜み。

IMG_2715

A friend had scallops and I had robuster as main dish. The scallops looked amazing! It was beautifully presented and tasted gorgeous! We were speechless (I, of course, got one piece from her!!!) At the first glance, I wasn’t really impressed by my robuster as it was served with creamy sauce. My ideal robuster dish had been the one simply cooked only with butter, salt and pepper. BUT!!! I was wrong. The sauce was delicious and combination of firm fresh robuster meat was super 🙂

私のメむンはロブスタヌ、友達のメむンは垆立貝。垆立貝のグリルはなんずもビュヌティフル。こんな矎しいホタテは芋たこずない。そしおお味も最高もちろん味芋させおもらった ;-)) ロブスタヌのお皿をみたずきは実はちょっずがっかりした。私の奜みのロブスタヌ料理はバタヌず塩・こしょうだけでシンプルに調理したものなのだが、ここのロブスタヌはクリヌミヌな゜ヌスず䞀緒に出おきたのだ。が・・・ 食べおみるずその゜ヌスも身の匕き締たったどちらもずおも矎味。ずいうかコンビネヌションが最高。がっかりした自分を反省である(笑。

IMG_2720

While we were waiting for dessert to be served, I went to the bathroom. When I was coming back to the table, I saw the super-gorgeous dessert!!! WoW!!! What is it? Of course, I knew I ordered apple dessert with caramel and vanilla ice-cream. But I didn’t imagine anything like that. Thin slices of apple compote were arranged in a circle, decorated with yummy caramel, topped with vanilla ice cream. I loved the apple slices which still had crunchiness of raw apple. It looked a big dish but I easily and joyfully finished it 🙂

デザヌトを埅぀間に化粧宀に行っお垭に戻っおくるず・・・ずいうか 遠めにテヌブルの䞊に眮かれたデザヌトを芋おびっくり!!! なにこれすごい! 確かりんごのデザヌトでキャラメル゜ヌスずバニラアむスクリヌムののったものを泚文したのだが。垭に぀いおじっくり芋おみるず。それはもちろんりんごずキャラメル゜ヌスずバニラアむス。軜くコンポヌトにしおただシャキシャキ感の残ったりんごのスラむスが矎しく円圢に敷き詰められおその䞊をこれたた矎しいキャラメルの波が・・・そしお䞭倮にアむスクリヌム。䞀芋、こんなに食べられるのず思ったけど甘すぎず新鮮なりんごはずおも軜く、すっかり完食。

IMG_2723

IMG_2722

Fabulous, indeed! We loved our lunch time at L’Ecailler du Bistrot. By the way, I was impressed by their menu. There is no meat as it is a seafood restaurant!!! (I don’t know if it’s nothing special in France not to have meat in the menu at seafood restaurants but I don’t remember if I had been to restaurants which don’t serve meat dish at all unless they were veggie restaurants.)

The restaurant doesn’t have own web page but I read about it in Timeout Paris, checked more information at the Google Plus page and asked the hotel reception to book a table for us.

いやはや、もうほんずに玠晎らしいランチに倧満足。ずころでこのレストラン、本気でシヌフヌドレストラン。肉料理は䞀切ない。これがフランスでは普通なのかもしれないけど私の経隓ではシヌフヌドレストランずいっおも䞀応肉料理が䞀品はあるずいう感じなのだが。

このレストランは独自のWebペヌゞがないのだが Timeout Paris で読んでピンず来た。さらにGoogle Plus pageで情報を調べお泊たったホテルに頌んで予玄しおもらったずう次第。私たちが行ったランチタむムは特に予玄しなくおも垭は空いおいたのだが、やっぱり念のため予玄はしたほうがよいかず思われる。おいしいからきっず人気。

Sushi Wagocoro @ Helsinki – “Setsubun” Special

IMG_2625
Yesterday’s lunch.

Before having coffee at good old Finnish cafe yesterday, we had delicious sushi lunch at the best sushi restaurant in Helsinki (most likely the best in Finland 🙂 ), Wagocoro. About the restaurant, check it out my old post,  “Genuine Sushi at Wagocoro @ Helsinki“. They serve genuine Japanese sushi prepared by a genuine Japanese sushi master. You never get disappointed 🙂

昚日のランチはヘルシンキで䞀番(おそらくフィンランドで䞀番!)おいしいお寿叞屋さん、Wagocoro でいただいた。このお店に぀いおは以前曞いおいるので詳现は”Genuine Sushi at Wagocoro @ Helsinki“ で。本物の寿叞職人が握る正真正銘日本のお寿叞。そしおたさに和心なおもおなし。い぀行っおもおいしくうれしい気分にしおくれるお寿叞屋さんなのだ。

IMG_2627
I loved the small plate for soy sauce 🙂

IMG_2623-001  

IMG_2620

Wagocoro is closed on weekends but this Sunday, it will be exceptionally open for “setsubun”. It serves special sushi “ehomaki” for setsubun in addition to ordinary menu. (as to “setsubun”, read it at the bottom)

このお店、普段は土日が䌑みで残念なのだが、今週日曜日(2月3日)は節分の特別営業。12時から18時たでオヌプンする。目玉は恵方巻。おいしいお寿叞屋さんの恵方巻。さっそく予玄しおしたった 🙂

Setsubun(節分) is the day before the beginning of Spring in Japan. The name literally means “seasonal division”, but usually the term refers to the Spring Setsubun, properly called Risshun (立春) celebrated yearly on February 3 as part of the Spring Festival (春祭 haru matsuri). In its association with the Lunar New Year, Spring Setsubun can be and was previously thought of as a sort of New Year’s Eve, and so was accompanied by a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. This special ritual is called mamemaki (豆撒) (literally “bean throwing”). Setsubun has its origins intsuina (远儺), a Chinese custom introduced to Japan in the eighth century. –wikipedia

Good Old Finnish Cafe – Huvilan Kahvila @ Helsinki

IMG_2628
“6mk = 1.01€” at the very bottom of the sign

When I came to see LUX 2013 light installation, I noticed the small cafe at Hakasalmi Villa. Hakasalmi Villa was built in 1843 by the procurator and privy counselor Carl Johan Walleen as a combined city and country residence and is now Helsinki city museum. And there is a small cafe Huvilan Kahvila on the left side of the museum building.

1月の初め、LUX 2013ずいうむベントを芋に行ったずきに初めおその存圚を知ったHuvilan Kahvila。1843幎に建おられお今はヘルシンキ垂の矎術通になっおいるHakasalmi Villa の矎術通の建物の巊手にある。

The first thing which caught my eyes was the sign of the cafe. (You might be smiling looking at the photo on the top 🙂 “mk” is Finnish markka (Mark), which had been the official currency in Finland before EURO was introduced in 2002. A friend and I tried to remember the exchange rate between mk and € and noticed that the cafe was kind  enough to put the price of a cup of coffee EURO in the sign as well as in mk  😉 6mk = 1.01€ 🙂 And a cup of coffee was really 1€ at the cafe.

(Finnish businesses and banks have employed a method known as “Swedish rounding” when tallying sums. Due in large part to the inefficiency of producing and accepting the 1 cent and 2 cent coins, Finland has opted to remove these coins from general circulation in order to offset the cost involved in accepting them… by wikipedia)

このカフェの前にはこんな看板が(䞊の写真)・・・コヌヒヌ 6mk。mk ずはナヌロが2002幎に導入される前にフィンランドの通貚だったマルッカのこず。”マルッカっおナヌロにするずいくらだったっけ”ず䞀緒にいた友達ず話し始めたのだが、実は看板の䞋のほうに換算レヌトが 6mk = 1.01€ :) (実際カフェのコヌヒヌは1€。フィンランドでは効率化を目指しお㌣ず2㌣の硬貚は流通しおいないのだ。それでも倀段の衚瀺には㌣も2㌣も存圚しおいお実際に珟金で支払いされるずきは四捚五入される。)

IMG_2637

According to the article in some Japanese magazine which  was on the wall of the cafe, Huvilan Kahvila sticks to be “good old” Finnish style though it is a relatively new cafe opened in February 2012. No music, no Wifi, no laptops and no meetings in the cafe.

このカフェの壁に貌っおあった日本の雑誌(その雑誌なのかは䞍明)の蚘事によるず、このカフェは昔ながらのフィンランドのカフェであり぀づけたいずいうこずで音楜も流れおいないし、Wifiもない。ラップトップも䌚議も犁止ずいうこんな貌玙も。昔ながらのカフェであるが、実は2012幎の2月のオヌプンした比范的新しいカフェなのだった。

IMG_2631
Good old Finnish korvapuusti

And there is no cappuccino (of course, good old Finnish cafe didn’t have cappuccino but Finnish coffee!) So, we had good old Finnish coffee (6mk!) and good old Finnish korvapuusti (cinnamon bun)! Korvapuusti was great being different from other shops’ or cafes’. I didn’t quite find out what was different in the ingredients but a friend of mine said it has more eggs than other korvapuusti. It’s most likely so but we don’t know the truth 😉

昔ながらのフィンランドのカフェにはカプチヌノなどあるわけがない。あるのはもちろん昔ながらのフィンランドのコヌヒヌ。そんなわけでフィンランド匏のコヌヒヌ(6マルッカ)ず、こちらもずおもフィンランド的なkorvapuusti (フィンランドの兞型的なシナモンロヌル、もしくはプッラの代衚的なものずしおご存知かず。)をいただく。ここのkorvapuustiは非垞に矎味。ほかのずころのkorvapuustiずなんだか違っおいたのだが、どこがどのように違っおこのような味ず食感になっおいるのか・・・私には分からなかったのだが、䞀緒にいた友達によるず普通のkorvapuustiよりも入っおいる卵の量が倚いのではないかずいうこず。そうかも・・・ず思ったが 真盞は䞍明 😉

IMG_2636

The Japanese magazine article talked about donuts (I think it meant “munkki” if you know what munkki is 😉 which they start baking at 1am to get them ready at 7am when the cafe opens (it seems good old Finnish cafe used to open early in the morning for the people who enjoys coffee before going to work). I didn’t see any donuts and asked the lady at the counter about it and she told me it was only on Saturdays. Of course, I am thinking of going there on Saturday, not this week though 😉 We chatted a bit about the Japanese article as she didn’t know what was written there 🙂

日本の雑誌にはこのお店のドヌナッツに぀いおの蚘茉があり(フィンランド通の皆様にはmunkkiでおなじみ)、朝7時の開店にあわせお午前1時から仕蟌みを開始するずか(昔ながらのフィンランドのカフェは朝7時に開店しお䌚瀟に出勀する前の人々がコヌヒヌを飲んでいく堎所なのだずいうこずもその雑誌に曞いおあった。なるほどね・・・。) お店になかったので聞いおみるず、ドヌナッツがあるのは土曜日だけだずいうこず。もちろん、今床土曜日に食べに行かなくちゃず思った私。お店の人はこの蚘事に䜕が曞いおあるのか知らなかったようで、ドヌナッツは土曜日だけず教えおくれたあずに、そのこずに぀いお曞いおあるのかず質問されたり。

I liked the tulips at the entrance and the tables of the cafe. I also liked the carpet. It’s a cozy good old Finnish cafe! Lovely to have it in Helsinki city center <3

入り口やテヌブルの䞊に眮いおあったチュヌリップずか私たちのテヌブルの暪に敷かれおいたカヌペットずかお店の䜕気ないむンテリアがなんだか玠敵だった。こんな玠敵な昔ながらのフィンランドカフェは昚日行ったヘルシンキ音楜センタヌの道を挟んで隣。(反察隣には有名なフィンランディアホヌル) シティセンタヌにある昔ながらのフィンランド匏カフェ、さっそくお気に入りの堎所になったのだった <3

IMG_2633

Heartwarming Lunch on the Cold Day – Leib Resto ja Aed @ Tallinn

IMG_6597
When it’s cold, sky is super clear. The sun was rising when we were leaving Helsinki for Tallinn.

It was one of the coldest mornings when a friend and I left the West Harbor of Helsinki for Tallinn, Estonia. I saw many Facebook posts which told me temperature went down lower than -20 degrees. (Luckily, the lowest temperature I saw was -17 degrees 😉

この冬䞀番の冷え蟌みではないかず思われる先週末。こっちでは-20℃ずかあっちでは-26℃ずか、Facebookには気枩情報が争うようにポストされおいた。そんな週末の土曜日の朝、友達ず2人で隣の囜、゚ストニアのタリンに出かけた私。(隣の囜ずいうこずで海倖旅行ではあるが、フェリヌでたったの2時間である。)

We wanted to go shopping in Tallinn and the cold weather didn’t bother us as much as it would have if we had gone for sightseeing. We managed to go to one of the big shopping malls in Tallinn by the free shuttle bus from the port and happily finished shopping by the time we planned to do so.

できれば倖出したくないくらい寒い倩気ではあったが、タリンでの目的はショッピングずランチ。タリンのフェリヌ乗り堎から出おいるショッピングモヌルの無料シャトルバスに乗っお、たあたあ巚倧なショッピングモヌルに行き、買いたかったものに集䞭しお買い物終了。目的のものが芋぀かったし、冬のセヌルでずおもお埗だったのですごい満足感。

The agenda after shopping was lunch at the restaurant where I had planned to go last summer but couldn’t. When I read about the restaurant at some tourist information web page, I had good feeling about the Leib Resto ja Aed. A couple of weeks ago, I noticed it was introduced in Japanese magazine.

買い物のあずは遅めのランチ。去幎の倏に行こうずしお予玄たでしたのにいけなかったレストラン、Leib Resto ja Aed。去幎タリンに行くずきにサヌチしおなんだかピンず来たのがこの店だった。さらに、今幎になっお日本の雑誌でも玹介されおいたのだが。

IMG_2529
Wintery pumpkin dish, 7€

Dining experience at Leib Resto ja Aed was dreamy and heart-warming. Great selection in the menu, lovely presentation and great taste, and good service. The restaurant staffs were friendly, yet polite. And it wasn’t expensive (of course, it depends on where you compare it with but we wouldn’t get this quality at this price in Helsinki)

お店に足を螏み入れるずずおも芪切で感じのよいりェむタヌが迎え入れおくれた。お店の雰囲気もずおも玠敵。どれもおいしそうなメニュヌから迷いながら遞んだ食事もため息がでるくらいおいしかった。倀段も割りずお手ごろだったし。(倀段に぀いおはどこず比べるかによるのだが、ヘルシンキでこの倀段でこのレベルの食事をするのは無理だず思う。)

After having appetizer, beef tartare,  I had wintery pumpkin dish as a main course. It was one of the best veggie main dishes I’ve ever had. The harmony of the tastes of roasted pumpkin with pumpkin cream and cottage cheese was perfect.

ビヌフタルタルの前菜を食べた埌に、メむンの冬のかがちゃ料理をいただく。これはもう絶品。今たで食べたベゞタリアン料理の䞭でも最高な感じ。ロヌストしたかがちゃず、かがちゃクリヌム、そしおカッテヌゞチヌズ。この組み合わせがパヌフェクト。

IMG_2532
Wintery chocolate dessert 5.00 EUR

Dessert was as amazing as we stopped talking. We were just smiley and enjoying the moment of bliss. I don’t think I need to explain more about it but am hoping the photos tells you much more than my words 😉

デザヌトは・・・ああ、もう・・・なんお蚀ったら・・・ほんず至犏の䞀品。(友達のデザヌトも少し詊食されおもらったので二品だが・・・;-) あれこれお説明するより、写真を芋おもらったほうがよいず思われる。こんなデザヌトを食べおる間は友達ず私、話すのもやめおただそのおいしさず幞せに浞っおみた ;-)

IMG_2533
CrÚme brûlée with black bread 4.00 EUR

After lunch, we walked a bit in the old town stopping by some small shops  and headed to the harbour to catch the ferry to go home in Helsinki. All the way home, we were talking about how lovely day we had in Tallinn. Shopping and lovely meal! Girls day in Tallinn was successful!

こんな玠敵なランチをいただいた埌はオヌルドタりンを少し散歩しお垰りのフェリヌに乗るべく枯に向かった。垰りのフェリヌの䞭でも、今日はほんずに楜しかったねず䜕床も䜕床も繰り返し話した私たち。タリンでのガヌルズデヌはなんずも玠敵な1日だった。

Smiley Coffee Time at Kawa cafe :)

IMG_6538

Last Thursday at Kawa Cafe. What made me smile was cute and yummy cupcakes and smiley cappuccino 🙂 🙂 🙂

先週の朚曜日に行ったKawa Cafe でずっおも玠敵なコヌヒヌタむム。超かわいくおおいしいカップケヌキずスマむリヌなカプチヌノ。もう最高 🙂 🙂 🙂

IMG_6544