Nili takes guests on Lappish culinary journey

Restaurant Nili in downtown Rovaniemi, Finland is a local staple that whisks guests away on a culinary journey by creating a dining experience that embodies the fresh ingredients from its Arctic region. The interior furnishings are traditional Lappish, with hand crafted materials such as reindeer horns, Lappish woods, and reindeer leather that accent the rustic design. While the setting may be agrarian, the culinary dishes and presentations are well refined.

During my visit I tried the following menu items:

Appetizer – Tender reindeer rillette à la Chef Kyllönen with marinated forest mushrooms, Lappish cheese and Juniper berry sauce. I’ve had reindeer several times now while vising the Lapland region, and this dish was by far the tastiest preparation. The local cheese and Juniper berries really set this starter item off well.

Entree – Arctic Circle Pike Perch from Kemijarvi is the world’s most northern wild pike. This dish was served in a lightly crusted breadcrumb, accompanied with with a parsnip puree and king crab sauce. The combination of ingredients was so wonderfully palate pleasing.

Dessert – Cloudberry Panna Cotta is a local classic creamy dessert that is similar to a Crème brûlée, but truly unique, as are the Cloudberries that topped the dish. Cloudberries are indigenous to the Lapland region and are quite sensitive to the environment…if the conditions are not ideal, the harvest can be significantly impacted.