Finland for foodies: Kaskis, Turku

The joy of this achievement was so great that the restaurant’s co-owner and Head Chef, Erik Mansikka, immediately tattooed the red Michelin symbol onto his chest upon returning home from the star-studded celebration in Norway. Established in 2014, Kaskis has always been characterized by playfulness and informality. No stiffness here! An example on the plate was the Kaskis kebab, which had been on the menu for a year and a half and was served on the familiar red-and-blue-striped paper seen in hot dog stands. Customers still inquire about the kebab, and its return is under consideration but not on the horizon, despite Mansikka’s love for it.

The warm atmosphere of the restaurant is evident in the fact that the chefs spend a lot of time on the dining side. Dishes are assembled in the dining area, and chefs personally deliver dishes to the tables. Each customer is bid farewell personally, receiving a small memento, such as dried tea bags filled with summer flowers and herbs, upon leaving. Except for Saturdays, there is only one seating per evening, eliminating the rush. Diners have time to chat, and customers can eat at a leisurely pace.

Describing the restaurant’s style is challenging, as they have not wanted to lock it down tightly. Essentially Nordic, but sometimes the dishes may incorporate Japanese or Thai flavors. Ingredients are mainly sourced locally directly from producers in large quantities. Preservation of ingredients extends seasons and reduces waste. Kaskis uses a lot of wild herbs, which employees gather from the forest and dry. In the restaurant’s foyer, there is a seasonally changing plant tableau created by Mansikka, and the flower bouquets in the dining area are also self-collected.

The restaurant offers only a nine-course tasting menu. The vegan menu has been available from the restaurant’s first day, which was not as common then as it is now. In addition to the wine package, there is also a non-alcoholic beverage package available. Mansikka enjoys making desserts the most, while his business partner Simo Raisio is passionate about main courses.

The reservation list for the 27-seat restaurant opens two months in advance on the first day of the month. For example, on February 1 at 10 a.m., reservations for the entire month of April become available. Seats fill up quickly. If you can’t secure a table at Kaskis, the owners’ other establishment, Kakolan Ruusu, offers inventive food in an old prison. You ascend to the red-brick prison area via a funicular, an experience in itself.

Turku-based Kaskis was the first restaurant outside Helsinki to receive a Michelin star.

Meet the chef Erik Mansikka

The Finnish ingredient which gets your creativity flowing?

Blackcurrant leaves. I tried blackcurrant leaf juice at the George restaurant and was amazed. Such a fine flavor! We make broths from the leaves and glaze, for example, meat with them. Whole pickled small leaves serve as taco shells.

The wildest flavor combo you’ve created?

Smoked bone marrow ice cream, which I cooked with a visiting chef and served as a dessert. It doesn’t taste as wild as it sounds.

A song which sets your kitchen on fire?

Teflon Brothers’ “In Tolu,” which I once got to sing with them at Ruisrock while working as a chef for their gig. But most often, others make the playlist choices, and that’s okay. Just as long as it’s not Rammstein…

When @KASKIS, taste...

“Kalaympyrä” (fish circle) has been on the restaurant’s tasting menu from the second day onwards. On the plate is a changing variety of fish in a circular form.

When @Turku, do...

Take a water bus in the city center and go to Ruissalo. There are beaches, a nature reserve, and a botanical garden. By car, go to Kustavi handicraft village, where our dishes are from. In addition to craftsmen, the village has cafes and animals. Bar4, a cocktail place, which has become the living room of Kaskis personnel. My favorite drink is cucumber sour.

Go visit Kaskis

• kaskis.fi
• Kaskenkatu 6 A, Turku, Finland