Viking Restaurant Harald offers a wide selection of Nordic food made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Restaurant of the Month, Finland
Feast like a Viking If eating Nordic-inspired food served on medieval swords and shields, brought to your table by Lovely Ljúf or Smiley Sigrid, sounds like your thing, then Viking Restaurant Harald is the place for you. Catering for romantic dinners and big feasts alike, the themed restaurant in Helsinki gives diners a unique way to switch off and dive into Viking world. By Ndéla Faye | Photos: Viking Restaurant Harald
Inspired by Nordic forests, lakes, air and earth, Viking Restaurant Harald’s menu offers interesting taste combinations served in a unique way: from tar ice-cream to a selection of meats skewered on a sword, the restaurant puts a new spin on everything it does. Founded in 1997, the company has restaurants in Helsinki, Turku, Lahti, Jyväskylä, Tampere, Kuopio and Oulu. Last year, a new branch opened in the Iso Omena shopping centre in Espoo, a short metro ride away from the centre of Helsinki. The shopping centre boasts a number of restaurants, cafés and 102 | Issue 112 | May 2018
services, such as a public library. “Iso Omena is one of Finland’s largest shopping centres, and we’re happy and proud to have found such a great home for one of our restaurants,” says Raine Verho, development director and partner at Viking Restaurant Harald. Viking Restaurant Harald restaurant prides itself on using fresh, seasonal Scandinavian and Finnish produce, and the team is constantly developing the menu to come up with new ideas. Titled Voyages, Viking Restaurant Harald’s menu takes customers on a culinary journey through time. The menu
draws inspiration from Nordic food and puts a unique twist on many traditional Scandinavian dishes. “We’ve created a selection of the best tastes northern forests and lakes can offer, and we use good-quality ingredients and try to source our produce from local producers as much as possible,” says Verho.
Getting into character A Viking theme is reflected throughout the restaurant’s décor and menu down to every last detail: animal pelts and cave drawings adorn walls and cover the ceiling, and the interior of the restaurant is designed to look like a Viking village. In Helsinki, customers can even dine in a Viking boat. A Viking feast would not be complete without the full Viking costume: all kinds of props are at hand for diners who wish to immerse themselves fully into the Viking world. Ranging from animal pelts