24.1.2019

SpaceTime: Lounasravintola Arvonen, Puutori, Turku, 12:30 lunch
Atmosphere: Small, not too bright, cozy, no music, hum of air conditioning
Food: Lunch buffet (sausage stroganoff potato mash, pea soup, pancakes, small salad table)
Price: 8.50€

Thoughts: Arvonen offers simple home cooking in a small dining space with less than 20 seats. The lunch offer changes daily. For the same price, take-away from the buffet is possible.

I thought the food was simple and tasty. The foods and salads tasted like you'd expect. The pancake was a bit tough for my taste, but definitely edible. The relatively low price point places this establishment reasonably high on my list of places to return to on a regular basis.

I learned that today was the last day in a while that the restaurant is open, since the owner, Mr. Arvonen will undergo hand surgery and will be closing the kitchen for at least a month. Recommended, for those looking to get as much lunch-value for as cheap as possible.

17.1.2019

SpaceTime: Golden Grill, Hansa food court, Turku, 12:30 lunch
Atmosphere: Open, bright, empty-ish, excellent view to the market square construction yard
Food: Pulled pork lunch burger with fries, extra cucumber mayo, pancake with jam and whipped cream
Price: 11.40€
Thoughts: I'm not sure if Golden Grill is somehow related to the Golden Rax pizza buffet or not, but the two restaurants are side by side, with a walkway between, they have Golden in the name and after eating the lunch burger, I believe the quality of food is equally mediocre.

The place has many customer seats in two stories overlooking the market square that is the heart of Turku. The place had very few customers to the space available.

The burger consisted of store-bought dry hamburger bun, generic pulled pork, non-descript mayo and vegetables. The fries were cooked right but had too much salt in them for my taste. The extra mayo I ordered and paid 1€ for was forgettable and came in a small shot glass, making it very hard to dip with a fork. They also served dessert coffee (which I skipped) and pieces of pancake with strawberry jam and very stiff industrial whipped cream.

I ate the entire dish, but was not especially impressed by it. If I want to nurse my soul with sinful food that blocks my arteries if over-consumed, I want the pleasure I derive from such a portion be much higher than what I experienced here. For a lunch burger, one of the weaker ones.