Marcus; eater of trees

I'm not one for advertising, it's usually boring and i have a conceited opinion that i know what i want. Aussie show 'the gruen factor' showcases some of the better adds around the world and disects the mechanics of adds in a constructive way. Though the dudes can sometimes be a bit self indulgent and wanky they , for the most part hit the nail on the head in an insightful way. I like them.

It is with both sadness and delight that i must say i am about to advertise!

On social media yesterday i said i had found an awesome place for food in Kamppi metro station (and it was). But a day is a long time in the world of food that is helsinki. This could also be said for Cape Town but i am in Helsinki now and i mustn't digress, as is my wont... oh fuck, stop it!!

 I went looking for comics... it's a thing i do.

I knew there was a shop on the way from Kamppi station to the Rock church so off i went. I had also seen an 'archival' book shop on the way to the sauna as well so i had a plan.

1. comic shop.
2. book shop.
3. whatever else crossed my path.

The comic shop was cool, the book shop was closed but looked interesting none the less in a ramshackle kinda way so i was left to plan 3 as my only remaining plan of action.

To be honest i can be a planner but when a plan gets shot to hell for whatever reason i don't give a flying fuck at a rolling donut. I'm more reactive than proactive but can switch hit easily enough (mmmm that sounds sexy in some exciting way). So i get to walking back up the street. not long after i start walking i run into my own hunger!! I realise it's because i am looking at the Nepalese restaurant i saw on the way to the sauna with the family the day before.

It's called RAVINTOLA KANTIPUR
                Nepalese Cuisine.

Today i am my own mistress so i stop and go in. The decore is good and from prior experience i know i like Nepalese food so it's game on! They have beer so i'm set. The lunch menu is simpler than the ala carte so i choose a combination of two dishes (it's legal) and settle down to my Nepalese beer. Here's a quick point about the lunch menu. It changes from day to day and has two vegetarian dishes, one lamb, one chicken and one seafood dish, with two of them being spicy. The salad bar also changes to a smaller degree.


See the picture below for an idea of what might be on the menu on any given day.

I get a salad from the salad bar and eat half of it before the food arrives. they have Australian wine on the table wine card (Yalumba will be happy) but beer is my tipple so Australian wine is only a small quaintness really. there are two Nepalese beers available and Kingfisher from
India, both of which are great but i settle on the Nepal Ice. There is also a Finnish beer on tap.

Then the food arrives. Lamb meatballs in a creamed spinach sauce and a spicy shrimp dish with a mass of well cooked rice and a sweetish dipping sauce, and  theres a bloody large (and incredibly good) naan style bread as well. one mouthful and i'm in heaven! this is seriously good stuff... on all fronts. the last time i had Nepalese food was in Melbourne in 2005 and the feast in front of me now confirms my opinion that i need to go to Nepal for about a month or maybe a year to eat and eat and eat... or i could just stay here in Ravintola Kantipur.

"the world is shaking, my mind is quaking, oh baby food, shook me all night long" (to paraphrase AC/DC). also i must say "oh yes, yes, yes i'm impressed"!!

Bikal Bhandari is my host and he knows i'll be back! I thank him for opening this restaurant ten years ago and hope he has ten more years of fun and happiness!

Here are some ways to check out Bikal's place (and i suggest you do if you are in helsinki)

info@ravintolakantipur.fi 
or
www.ravintolakantipur.fi

The address is Lonnotinkatu 25  00180 Helsinki, Finland

in parting from this blog i have to say,

may you have a sporting chance with your next meal, big love from fred.