During the three weeks I spent in Helsinki I went to Restaurant Karelia, Ravintola Karjalatalo in Finnish, for lunch about three times a week. I liked going there the food was good and I felt there was something special about this restaurant which was part of a community center. The tables had maps laminated on them, one wall had a display of flags with town or village coat of arms on them, the entrance had beautiful wood carvings and a felt the space has huge. I wasn't alone in enjoying Karelia, there was always lots of people. On one of my last days in Helsinki I went with my friend Annika. It was her first time at Karelia. And she soon realized what this restaurant and center was all about. She told me about the history of Karelia.
The land of the Karelian people is an area in northern Europe in Finland and Russia. Karelia history goes back thousands of years. But, most resent, and the reason the center is here in Helsinki, is because of the Soviet Union. The Soviets attacked Finland in 1939 and took most of Karelia in 1940. So about 400,000 people, virtually the whole population, had to relocate in Finland. Annika's dad and grandparents were from Vyborg a city in Karelia and had to move. With so many people relocating they need a place to go thus Ravintola Karjalatalo. This was their new place to meet old friends, eat traditional foods and keep their culture alive.
Some of my favorite foods at Karelia are Salmon soup, Fried vendace (freshwater little whitefish) and reindeer.
