Helsinki was our second stop during the ONE BSR Experience trip. Our flight from Warsaw was in the late afternoon and when we were landing there was just about enough sunlight to catch a few nice pictures of Helsinki area from up above.
With the last rays of sunshine we arrived to Helsinki and on our way to the hotel Esin was making us aware of the suburban area of the city, as she was from Helsinki herself.
The hotel was an amazing surprise: it was that type of a boutique hotel I always wanted to stay at – superb design with a touch of Finish tradition, modern but extremely cosy. We wanted to try sauna but unfortunately it was booked out for that weekend.
However, the star of the evening was going to a Lappish restaurant and meeting Mia Marttiini from Forum Virium.
Let me introduce you to Saaga – “The magic of Lapland in the heart of Helsinki”. Saaga is one of the six restaurants under the AS Restaurant group. The experience starts upon entering the restaurant; the interior has strictly wooden décor with a touch of wildlife. So for example, the chandeliers are made of reindeers’ horns, walls are decorated with reindeers’ skin rugs and dishes are served in wooden cups and on wooden platters. Of course, even the staff is dressed in traditional Lappish clothing representing Sami - the indigenous people inhabiting the very north of Finland (but also Norway and Sweden).
I had no idea what to expect on the menu but I was secretly wishing to try something I have never had before. So it happened: our “welcome” drink was schnapps made out of cloudberries. Cloudberries, very characteristic for Scandinavia, are similar to raspberries and blackberries. They are amber colored, grow in the artic and alpine tundra and are rich in vitamin C. I’d also add that they are sweet. My personal highlight of the multi course menu was a bear clear soup served in a traditional Lappish wooden cup called “kuksa” and reindeer rump steak with juniper berries. I have two words for it: super delicious! We also enjoyed white fish and its roe with dark Finnish rye bread and of course, a cloudberry desert!
Go ahead and take a look:
The atmosphere was very relaxing and it felt as if it was -20 degrees outside and we were sitting in this lovely space surrounded by natural materials where lights are dimmed and even music originates from Lapland. The entire experience would not be the same without hearing stories from our local hero: Mia Marttiini. Not only she has the most beautiful name in the world (ha-ha) but she managed to establish a deeper connection with all of us, wanting to know more about our own stories, wishes, and impressions. Mia was explaining us about cultural differences in Finland, about its traditions and its people. We got some great tips, such as the Midnight Sun Film Festival happening every summer in Lapland – I must admit it sounds very tempting and I want to squeeze it into my 2014 travel plan! Also, I realized how little I knew and how much more I want to know about Finland. Thank you for the wonderful evening of interesting tales, Mia!
We had so much fun that we lost a track of time and we were the very last guests in Saaga:
I could have stayed there the entire night and even fall asleep on the floor using one of the reindeer skin rugs. Numerous details on the walls and attention to them created warmth that is rarely to find in restaurants nowadays. Later on that evening I kept thinking how beautiful must it be up north in Lapland, in the melting pot of this culture. I have once been told that love goes through stomach. I could not agree more.
“To the nature of Lapland everyone is alive and everyone is free”
