NORMAL LIFE: Americans In A Classy Place

I wish I could be arsed enough to promote the restaurant that we went to last night. Truth be told, it was the first time having Americans around actually lightened the mood. We went to NJK, a restaurant located on Valkosaari (White Island), just a two minute tug-boat ride from Helsinki's Olympic Ferry Terminal.

The restaurant is based on Yacht Club NJK (Nylandska Jaktklubben), which was officially established on 4th March, 1861, in the official presentation of Czar Alexander II. NJK moved to Valkosaari island in 1885 and the first club building was finished by the end of that same year. The beautiful white villa, where we dined, was inaugurated in 1900. The traditional style of the building has been carefully preserved over the years, and inside the walls of the villa the numerous friendship flags from yachting clubs around the world. The official language of the club is Swedish. There are some 2300 members and approximately 700 registered boats.


When we arrived just before 8pm, nothing could have prepared us for the awful service we were about to receive. There was about twenty of us, most of us hungry by this time. We were seated, presented with a glass of Rhubarb-flavoured sparkling wine, which was well received. The first course of Creamy Lobster Soup tasted like creamy mixed with sea water while the miniscule main course of Whitefish arrived more than an hour later.

When the food had arrived, colleagues gobbled up the contents, a brief silence descending over the table as individuals sought to appease their hunger. The main course was followed by a dessert of Apple Crumble with Ice Cream which bordered on ridiculous; if misrepresentation could ever be applied to a food, then this was it. Served in a juice glass were big chunks of cubed apple, slight warmed and not stewed as they should have been. Furthermore, the crumble was actually a sprinkling of buttered flour which, due to its minimalism, was barely visible. As far as translations go, my British and American colleagues were looking at eachother in stunned amazement! But the mood was lightened when my American colleague suddenly let out the most ridiculous laugh. As the three of us laughed, our Finnish colleagues were amazed by us as we were amazed by the dessert. What a moment, I thought to myself.

It finally dawned on me that the concept of Finnish fine dining is a little unusual; it seems to be the case that if you drink more than you actually eat, you have experienced fine dining Finnish-style. It wasn't surprising, therefore, that when I left I was actually feeling a little bit woozy. I am just glad that I didn't have to pay the bill!