A few tens of meters from the large Stockmann shopping center ad Helsinki is theA21 restaurant, a place that also boasts the Michelin star, a guide to the excellence of catering. By now accustomed to Scandinavian eating, I found myself catapulted into a very particular restaurant. Soft lights, an almost dark setting that contrasts with the white of the furniture, relaxing background music.
Define it Nordic and experimental cuisine? Maybe, what is certain is that I found myself tasting a series of dishes that retraced the snow-covered landscapes of Finnish Lapland. Together with the travel companions of the blog tour #NbeFinland we started with a welcome cocktail with a very special flavor. I then learn that in 2013 the place was selected among the best cocktail lounge bars for 'The Worlds Best Bars'. The menu was a surprise and before each dish the maitre d 'would show everyone the image of a Lapland landscape. The dishes therefore took inspiration from these landscapes.
All good, but you have to sit down aware that you are about to experiment with a modern cuisine in perfect Nordic style where at times you are faced with combinations that might make you think. Forget the quantity, as a parameter, in fact the portions were limited in perfect Nouvelle Cousine style and each dish was accompanied by a mini cocktail. It was no coincidence that my colleagues threw themselves on the bread (homemade) every time a waiter filled the wooden palette.
I liked it a lot, but I don't know if I could ever bring some friends accustomed to the quantities of Italian cuisine. The restaurant is located in Kalevankatu 17, in a street surrounded by several trendy clubs. It is not a cheap restaurant, I tell you right away, but it is a pleasant interlude compared to the typical Scandinavian gastronomic scene.
