Hyerim and I went to Moko Market & Cafe yesterday to celebrate her birthday. We ended up staying for three and a half hours AND without planning it, we both took our partners back today, bumped into each other and spent another three hours there. 

Walking into the store for the first time, my eyes widened at all there was to behold – every shelf, table and corner has been thoughtfully laid out with kitchenware, scented candles, cookbooks and culinary delights. 

There’s gourmet olive oils, infused vinegars, toothpaste naturally flavoured with ginger, books on preserving and how to hold incredible dinner parties. Even the muesli is sexy.

In the back right-hand corner is the cafe, with a glass cabinet full of fresh lunchtime offerings. Soup of the day was Creamy Artichoke but I opted for a choice of three salads, which could easily have fed two people (it didn’t, I ate it all, but just saying).

It’s like they knew I was coming too because on a serving table were two large jars – one with a green dressing and one with punainen (red) pesto.  There was also a bottle of olive oil and one of balsamic vinegar. I love my dressing as much as the horse it rides in on, so I was really happy about this set up. 

Over in the back left corner is Kaffa Roastery – serving some of the best coffee I’ve had in Helsinki – with a big room where they roast their own beans out the back. 

And just to be the most awesome store in the land, there’s also a great area for children. A wooden house full of toys and a room set up with colouring books means you can stay for three hours while your child whiles away the time. 

As we said goodbye today, Hyerim and I joked that we’d see each other there tomorrow. I might take one or two days off, but it certainly won’t be long before I’m back at Moko again. 

 

Moko Market & Cafe

Kaffa Roastery 

 

As the cooler weather arrives, it’s a good time to embrace a cuisine that promises to warm you from the inside with its spices, aromas and steaming tagines.

North African food is riding a wave of popularity in Helsinki with everyone talking about Sandro in Kallio. Recently voted Best Restaurant, Best Ethnic Restaurant and Best Brunch by City-Lehti, their buffet is definitely worth a visit. If you miss out on a table however, I’d recommend jumping on the metro and visiting their cousin, Cafe Stoa. 

About 20 minutes east of central Helsinki, Cafe Stoa is in the same building as the library and Cultural Centre. Each day the hot lunch menu changes and as usual you have the option of going the whole hog or paying less for soup and salad. (Guess what this little piggy did). 

The menu caters really well for vegetarians, gluten-free and lactose-intolerant diners. The hot mains the day I dined were Roasted vegetables with tofu & soy miso sauce, Lentil & coconut casserole and Beef, olive & thyme meatloaf with tomato sauce.

The settings are lovely and the plates beautifully patterned and mismatched. The tables are large and solid with big comfortable armchairs you could get lost in. 

The ice tea was delicious – refreshing and not too sweet. You can serve it in a mug or a delicately painted glass. 

There is also hot tea and coffee on offer, to go with dessert. I enjoyed mine with slices of watermelon, taken from a plate piled high, with quarters of pomegranate lounging upon them. 

One of the best parts of the visit was the warm service I received from the man behind the counter. His smile was as wide as the buffet bar and he threw his arms open to take it all in as he asked me in Finnish how everything was. I suspect he may have been Ezzeddine Farag, who the website describes as ‘head chef/live wire and the heart and soul of Cafe Stoa’.  

Cafe Stoa and Sandro offer cooking classes together. These can be held in Finnish, English, French Berber, ‘North African’ or Spanish. I would definitely recommend Sandro as a place to visit in the city, but if it’s an unhurried, relaxing experience you’re after, take the time to go east for a warm welcome and lunch, North African style. 

Cafe Stoa

Cafe Stoa on Facebook