The Finnish Burger

Last day in Helsinki and burger free since two weeks when in Berlin so it was time to go for one. My friend Lauri recommended a place in the Esplanadi. The place Kämp a hotel and a restaurant, with a terrace overlooking the Esplanadi, and their own bakery to create bread and cakes. A rainy day in the Finnish capital, a few hours to kill and craving for a salmon soup was the perfect combination. 

Rainy Day in the Esplanadi

The Place

Got to the place ask for a beer while seeing the rain take over the city, checked the menu, Salmon Soup check, Kämp Burger check, local beer check. 

A local beer

The traditional Finnish salmon soup was excellent, creamy and well seasoned. The Kämp burger two options with mince beef or fillet of beef, I went for the fillet one, in top Dijon, cheddar cheese, and onions. It was an amazing surprise, the burger was top notch, one of the best I’ve had, the beef medium rare cooked as perfection, the balance of the especial Dijon with the onions quite good. The burger came with fries which were good soft inside crunchy outside. 

Awesomeness in a bowl of soup

The Kämp Burger

Last day of an amazing holiday and couldn’t leave Finland without trying one more time the salmon soup and lucky enough to find that spectacular burger. 

The Fillet Burger

Salmon reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Opposite” 

Waitress: Tuna on toast, coleslaw, cup of coffee. 

George: Yeah. No, no, no, wait a minute, I always have tuna on toast. Nothing's ever worked out for me with tuna on toast. I want the complete opposite of on toast. Chicken salad, on rye, untoasted, and a cup of tea. 

Elaine: Well, there's no telling what can happen from this. 

Jerry: You know chicken salad is not the opposite of tuna, salmon is the opposite of tuna, because salmon swim against the current, and the tuna swim with it. George: Good for the tuna.

Kämp

Brasserie

T: +358 9 58409530 

Neighborhood: Kluuvi
Helsinki

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A typical Finnish Supper

My first experience with Finnish cuisine was a really late diner. I was catching up with a friend from my MSC and he asked me to go with him to move his boat from one marina to another one at the opposite side of the city. When we arrived to the other marina it was basically midnight, good thing that there are late restaurants in Helsinki and when I say late they keep their kitchen open until around 3am. 

Marina

The restaurant we went was a traditional one as per my request. Manala in the heart of the city between the National Museum, the Parliament, and the Rock Church (Temppeliaukio). I went for hard core local cuisine, Salmon soup and Reindeer. 

Manala

The place

The Lohikeitto (salmon soup) I immediately felt in love with it, amazing flavour the creamy based soup with the salmon is a perfect match. As a main Poronkäristys (Manala sautéed reindeer) quite good, the meat a little bit dry but with the mash and the lingonberries you have a nice combination. 

Lohikeitto

Poronkäristys

A perfect start for a week in Helsinki, even though the place wasn’t my first option but glad that the circumstances took me in that direction. 

Salmon reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Implant” 

Kramer: Come on Jerry! 

Jerry: Oh, how can you be so sure? 

Kramer: Jerry, are you blind? He's a writer. He said his name was Sal Bass. Bass, Jerry! Instead of salmon, he went with bass! He just substituted one fish for another! 

Jerry: Look, you idiot, first of all, it's Salman, not salmon! 

Kramer: Jerry, Jerry, you're missing the big picture!

Manala

T: +358 9 58077707

Finnish Cuisine

Neighborhood: Kamppi

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