Ravintola Konstan Molja appears in all the Helsinki guidebooks and with good reason. Want to try a selection of traditional Finnish dishes without breaking the bank? Not in Finland for long and want to try lots of different things? This is the place to visit.
There is an a la carte menu with main courses starting around 15 Euro but the highlight of this attractive nautical themed restaurant is the evening buffet. For 18 Euro you can start with soup or a selection of hot and cold starters (have soup AND starters if you want!), then fill your plate with some delicious home-cooked Finnish specialities and go back as often as you please.
The restaurant is run by a charming husband and wife couple who wear traditional dress to maintain the theme. As it's a small place and there's usually just the two of them I didn't feel like I'd landed in a
theme park restaurant. They speak English - amongst other languages - and not only will they explain what all the different buffet dishes are - they will always find time to have a chat with customers, asking where they are from and what they are up to in the city.
The wooden interior is themed on the idea of an old-fashioned dock (I am advised that 'molja' means dock in Finnish). There is lots of nautical bric-a-brac hanging from the walls and some charming old black and white photographs of harbour and fishing scenes. As well as the main dining area there are two private dining rooms for group bookings and when I went to the toilet I could see inside one which looked very cosy.
We have visited this restaurant twice and found that a couple of the main meals were repeated but there were some different ones too. Something that should be noted is that there is always at least one reindeer dish on the buffet. On our first visit there were two. There are plenty of fish and vegetarian starters and main courses.
We didn't try the soup but overheard other diners praise it. We started with a mixture of warm and cold starters. There are marinated herrings, a beetroot salad, warm and cold smoked salmon, marinated salmon, interesting and tasty soft cheeses, egg salads and more. You are also pointed in the direction of 'karjalan piirakka' which is a traditional Karelian savoury pie that is filled with rice. It's very good but also very filling so do be sure to leave plenty of space for the main courses. There was a basket of tasty crusty bread too but we didn't want to overeat so we managed to restrain ourselves (a little).
There was a beef stew in a rich meaty gravy, a reindeer stew which was a bit bland and dry but there was also another reindeer dish where the meat was served in a tasty sauce. There was a fish dish that looked as if it had been poached with peppercorns and mild spices - the fish fell away beautifully and the taste was divine - and a delicious beetroot gratin that was crunchy on the top and lovely and soft and creamy underneath. To accompany these dishes there was mashed potato, boiled potatoes or a sticky savoury rice. Finally you should be sure to take a spoonful (or two) of the delicious lingonberry sauce that is always served as an accompaniment to main courses. It is slightly sweet but sharp and compliments rich meats wonderfully.
Dessert is not included in the price of the buffet but there are a handful of interesting desserts including a simple dish of ice cream with a caramel sauce - the cloudberry ice cream is heavenly!
There is a wine list but we opted for beers instead and domestic beers are served. We finished with coffees, feeling very full and looking forward to a walk back to the centre to work of some of the excesses of a rather wonderful evening.
Considering that you get starter and main course for the buffet price this is very good value and even if you are on a budget you'll be able to see by looking around that Ravintola Konstan Molja is not as expensive as you might first imagine.
Not only are the surroundings a little different from the norm but the service is exceptional and its a way to try a selection of traditional dishes in one sitting to find out what you like.
The buffet is served Tuesday - Friday 17:00 until 22:00 and on Saturdays from 14:00 until 22:00. The restaurant is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
A lunchtime buffet is available priced at 8 Euro 40 and this covers mains and salads. It is available between 11:00 and 15:00.
The restaurant is a short walk from the centre of town or a tram ride, alight at the harbour beside Hemingways Pub and the restaurant is around the corner at the top of the hill.
Hietalahdenkatu 14, 00180 Helsinki
Opening hours : Tue-Fri 11.00-14.30 & 17.00-22.00, Sat 16.00-22.00
Pictures of Ravintola Konstan Molja, Helsinki
Close to the city centre, traditional Finnish dishes are served up at this restaurant
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