The Helsinki restaurant Pastis opened for the fourth time during May Day week. What exactly is it about?
Pastis restaurateurs Mikko Haakana and Samuil Angelov have a smile on their faces when Pastis finally opened its doors. Eeva Paljakka
In February it happened again. Restaurant Pastis had water damage. It hadn’t even been three years since the previous water damage, and again the restaurant’s floors were swaying on the eve of the winter holidays.
This time the reason was severe frost and a frozen pipe, last time heavy rains.
Restaurateur Samuil Angelov admits that he has taken it hard.
“Not again” was Angelov’s first reaction when he heard about the pipe break.
– It was a shock, even though it’s nobody’s fault. This is an old house and it was really cold in winter. There were unlucky things in it, says Angelov.
According to him, the most difficult thing was to lay off the employees.
– You are cutting into the employees’ earnings for a reason beyond your control. That was the heaviest.
Pastis aims to be a little piece of Paris. Eeva Paljakka
The fourth opening in the same restaurant is a situation that no one wants to happen to themselves. Nobody wants to keep the restaurant closed for two months because of water damage.
Its corporate partner Mikko Haakana with Angelov decided instead of getting depressed to use the downtime to develop Pastis.
– You have to find the passion to do something, because it’s easy to get into a negative spiral, and it’s difficult to get out of it.
Angelov and Haakana brightened Pastis’ work. They think about what they want to offer customers, what is the necessary wow effect.
– The world is changing. We cannot do what has always been done, Angelov reminds.
Along with restaurant Muru, Pastis’ wine list has also been awarded two wine glasses in the prestigious Wine Spectator magazine. Still, Pastis’ wine selection is often overlooked.
– Young people drink less and better. Pastis is not known for its wines, although we have 600-700 quality wines in the cellar and With Gordon Ramsay used to be a sommelier, Angelov says.
He says that a Coravin list is coming (with the help of the Coravin device you can take wine from the bottle without opening the cork), from which you can get top wines by the glass. According to Angelov, you can only come to the bar for a glass of wine.
With the renovation, the café side of the restaurant, Café Pastis, opens on weekdays as early as eight in the morning. A French-style breakfast with coffee and chocolate butter croissants is available.
The new Saturday brunch includes charcuterie and delicacies to share, as well as an optional warm dish, such as the brunch classic eggs benedict.
Angelov has noticed that the behavior of Finnish restaurant customers has changed in recent years. Finns have their very own special feature. We go to the restaurant earlier than before. Nowadays, more and more people book a table for five on weekdays.
Restaurateurs Samuil Angelov and Mikko Haakana say that the new marble bar counter and the small marble tables in the front breathe a Parisian atmosphere: “They also invite you to stop by for morning coffee and a pain au chocolat pastry”. Eeva Paljakka
– There are no long lunches except maybe on Fridays. In Finland, people value their own time, exercise more, think about sleep and want to relax. “We come straight from work for dinner and want to get home when we’re 10,” Angelov describes.
He states that here we are in our own rhythm compared to the rest of Europe.
Angelov reminds that one must be able to look at one’s own work critically.
– We say that Pastis is a small piece of Paris. Then it has to be too. You always have to ask if this is French, would I eat this myself. A Parisian neighborhood bistro has a bohemian flair, that’s what we’re looking for.
For example, pasta does not belong in a Parisian restaurant. Instead, Pastis has had tartar and snails on its menu for 13 years. Beef tongue has been added to the new list.
Angelov wants to use all parts of the raw material, including those that are less often seen on the plate.
The dream is that at some point in Pastis, flamed kidneys would be served.
– They are classic French country food. Still in France, all parts of the carcass are used, such as the tongue and cheeks. Earlier also in Finland, now it’s this day again.
According to Angelov, you have to use everything from the raw material, whether it’s a heifer or a leek. At the same time, the amount and know-how in the kitchen is highlighted. It requires professionalism and that’s what makes you stand out.
Restaurant Pastis has experienced several water damages in recent years. Eeva Paljakka
– Our À la carte menu includes vichyssoise, where the white part of the leek is grilled and confit and the green part is a soup. The customer must think that I wouldn’t have been able to do this at home. The restaurant’s leek potato puree soup can’t just be made with Bamix.
Pasris’s fourth opening fell on May Day. According to Angelov, the staff was eager to come to work. It has been easy to motivate them for the new beginning of Pastis.
– Enthusiasm comes from the customers, after all, we are here for them. Yes, we had time to wait for the opening, Angelov admits.