12.2.2019

SpaceTime: Tsing Tao, Turku, 12:30 lunch
Atmosphere: Lively but not too busy. Bright and open dining space with oriental details, green plants, big windows, oriental-looking counter, buffet table
Food: Chinese food and sushi buffet
Price: 9.70€

Thoughts: I entered Tsing Tao, lured by a promise of sushi. This place certainly draws in a crowd, being about half-full, despite a large-ish dining space.

I started with the sushi. The buffet table offers a wide variety to choose from, with traditional and more exotic fillings (such as the sausage-avocado one pictured below). The fish toppings were quite thin. The rice was not especially yummy. The soy sauce was served in a tiny bowl barely big enough to house a dipping. The salad was fresh and very typical.

Next, I sampled each of the several meaty sauces. I must say, these I enjoyed much more than the sushi. The meat was very succulent and seasoned nicely. The deep-fried chicken balls were crispy but not hard or dry. Some of the sauces were a bit spicy, but nothing to scare away a mild-food lover like myself.

If I was looking to consume (and enjoy) Chinese buffet food, I would definitely consider this place again. For sushi, I would rather go to Kawaii for a buffet, or Kauppahalli or Hanko Sushi for a more quality sushi experience. All in all, not bad!

6.2.2019

SpaceTime: Chinese Restaurant Tang, Turku, 13:30 lunch
Atmosphere: Dim light, empty, Chinese lanterns with red strings over tables, no music, quiet Chinese conversation from the kitchen
Food: Chinese food buffet
Price: 9.30€

Thoughts: While wandering along the downtown streets, I came upon this place and decided to enter. A kebab joint of sorts had once stood in its place, if my memory serves me correctly.

The small buffet table offered a very typical selection of salad and Chinese food: white rice, seasoned noodles, chicken and beef in sauce with vegetables, deep-fried chicken balls, sweet and sour sauce...

The food was edible, the salad was fresh, the whole clone restaurant idea rattled around in my brain like a coin inside a washer.

For those looking to eat a Chinese-style buffet, not the worst of choices, just very very predictable, in addition to not having an amazingly large selection of foods.

31.1.2019

SpaceTime: Morrison's, Turku, 12:30 lunch
Atmosphere: Busy, big dining space half-full, din lighting, dark wood, red/orange colors, led-strips, brickwork, spot lights, dance music playing quietly somewhere, mirrors with menu items written on in white marker
Food: Lunch burger with fries, extra cucumber mayo
Price: 11.30€

Thoughts: Morrison's offers burgers, steaks, wings and such greasy salties. The large dining space had plenty of customers and the kitchen seemed quite busy trying to fulfill the orders. 

The lunch burger came with a stiff-cooked patty that did not feel custom-made. The bun was also a bit dry, one of those store-bought ones. The bacon strips felt a bit crumbly, and not juicy straight off the grill, like they had been cooked before and just re-heated, or maybe just cooked for a bit too long. The fries were perfect, if a bit too salty for my taste. The extra mayo was alright, but nothing extraordinary. The small salad was very basic.

Not super-expensive, but not exactly cheap either. Another mediocre plus restaurant burger with fries and mayo. Not for culinarists!

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.

23.1.2019

SpaceTime: Vänäk Persian restaurant, Puutori, Turku, 12:40 lunch
Atmosphere: Empty, big windows out to a street with mostly cars going by, comfy chairs, gas heater center of dining space, oriental sounding dance music from a stereo
Food: Mäksun Kebab (minced meat kebab, grilled chicken, rice, seared tomato)
Price: 9.90€

Thoughts: I'm not sure what the "Persian" kitchen is supposed to be like, but if this is a typical representation, it's definitely not my favorite one.

Upon entering the establishment, I was greeted with the two members of staff and an empty dining space. Looking through the lunch-offers, I chose the kebab with chicken option. I sat down, after which the staff kindly cranked up the stereo with oriental pop-music and informed me that salad and coffee is included in the lunch.

I helped myself to something from the thin salad offerings. Nothing special here. After a while, the food arrived. The plate, which you can see down below, did not especially caress my eyes. I dug in. The kebab tasted like mined meat, plenty of onion and light salt, very mild, very non-impressive. The chicken bits were very dry and tasted lemon-y. The rice and the colored rice stripes tasted like rice, with an aftertaste of burnt herbs. The seared tomato was a seared tomato. There was also a tiny pack of margarine on the plate, which I smeared on the kebab and the chicken in the hopes of gaining some kind of sauce.

The food was certainly in the edible category, but it was uninspired and bland to my taste, with a poor presentation, and thus not a pleasure on the senses. Unless I chose the wrong dish to eat somehow, I cannot recommend this place for anyone except an exotic music fan.

16.1.2019

SpaceTime: Mami, Turku, 13pm lunch
Atmosphere: Lively, stylish, friendly
Food: BBQ ribs (boneless) with potato, mayo-sauce, vinegary mini-salad, basket of bread with cream cheese spread
Price: 10.50
Thoughts: Mami is down by the river and offers a splendid view for diners facing the windows. They offer several lunch options with coffee and separate dessert on the menu.

The staff was quick to serve and friendly. The food was tasty. The roasted potatoes had a mild herb seasoning and a nice floury texture. The meat was overcooked to super-juicy and coated in a barbecue sauce. The mayo fit well with the other flavors. The mini-salad was a fresh and zingy balance to the greasy meat. This was how you'd expect bbq ribs with mayo and taters to taste like, nothing annoying about it. The presentation was not the most amazing, but definitely not hideous. The extra basket of bread was an unusual touch, but the bread was also fresh and yummy.

Based on this experience, I would go back again for lunch with a similar price point and equally nice serving experience.

15.1.2019

SpaceTime: Pikku-Torre, Turku, 14:00 lunch
Atmosphere: Dim, bar-like, sports playing on a huge tv
Food: Steak with garlic creamy potatoes and veggies, salad buffet
Price: 13.30€

Thoughts: Torre is a kind of sports-pub, offering a variety of foods and drinks. A giant bar counter dominates the middle of the dining space. The daily lunch menu offers pasta, steak, fish and more, with a small-ish salad buffet table or optionally a soup.

I can't say the food felt truly worth the asking price.The steak was cooked well, but a bit chewy anyway. The potatoes were garlic-infused and quite greasy. The veggies were also greasy and a bit burnt. The bread was a bit on the tough side. The salad was ordinary. Consuming this dish certainly did not feel like a fine-dining experience presentation- or flavor-wise.

The food was certainly edible, save for the giant strips of raw onion I mistakenly grabbed from the salad buffet. However, the quality was not to my liking, especially at this price.

9.1.2019

SpaceTime: Deli Verde (S Wallin Oy), Kauppahalli, Turku, 12:30 lunch
Atmosphere: Packed, busy, street-ish
Food: Freshly grilled salmon with deep-fried potatoes, small salad, dill aioli, pickled veggies
Price: 12,90€

Thoughts: Kauppahalli is quite busy during lunchtime. There are many small kitchens that offer a few customer spots at a counter with bar stools and people walking by behind your back. Deli Verde is part of a fresh fish vendor's booth, serving fish in various forms, with around 10 customer seats.

While I prefer a more relaxed dining experience, I am kind of starting to like the fresh honest street kitchen food this food court has to offer. The fish is straight from the grill to a plate near you. You pay, you eat, you get out.

I enjoyed this meal. The salmon was grilled perfectly, the flavors of the dish were simple yet distinct. The portion was not huge, and the price is not the cheapest, but the quality of the food was spot-on. The only real downside is the busy atmosphere which might make you walk past the place if all the seats are taken. Still, recommended.

7.1.2019

SpaceTime: Bowler, bowling alley, downtown Turku, 11am lunch
Atmosphere: Busy to the max, lively, dim lights
Food: Buffet table with salad, salmon pasta, pork, sweet potato fries with white sauce, bread, "dessert"
Price: 10.40€
Thoughts: The year 2019 is off to a rocky start with this unlikely buffet. The dimly lit dining room overlooking bowling alley lines is teeming with diners. The kitchen is having trouble keeping up with the demand.

The food itself is a mixed bag. The salad table does not have the most varied selection. The oven eggplant thing is overly salty. The fries have been murdered with salt, in addition to being constantly out-of-stock. The pork is plain but alright. The salmon pasta is greasy and messy, but edible. The "dessert" is what I can only describe as stale or curdled whipped cream in a cup with sour thawed berries, not very appetizing.

I dig the lighting. Other than that, there are several other buffets in close proximity (such as Julinia or Fontana Cafe) with tastier and more high quality foods. Based on this experience, I would rather go with any of them.

3.12.2018

SpaceTime: Naantalin Aurinkoinen, downtown Turku, lunchtime
Atmosphere: Few old-timers loitering about, bakery-ish.
Food: Creamy salmon soup, bread, salad, yesterday's stale doughnut
Price: 6.9€
Thoughts: For such a reasonable price, the offering is pretty good! If I want a light lunch, I might come back here often. Cheapest full meal I've found so far.

28.11.2018

SpaceTime: Bryggman's, downtown Turku, lunchtime
Atmosphere: Stylish, open, bright, rich-looking older women hanging around
Food: Spinach soup with egg, salad with sinful ingredients like salmon and goat's cheese
Price: 10.40€
Thoughts: Standard soup, sophisticated dining area, good toppings on salad. Not a bad choice for light lunch.

27.11.2018

SpaceTime: Foija, downtown Turku, lunchtime
Atmosphere: Quiet, dark, stylish
Food: Pork with sauce, veggies, potatoes, rich salad buffet with bread
Price: 15€
Thoughts: Foija seems to offer a sophisticated fine-dine-ish lunch plate. Flavors are alright and I dig the dimly lit cellar dining space. One of the most expensive lunches I've had so far, but a good one.