March 19, 2012 by yc

Tiki Spirit Gone Missing

By YC Felin

It is Friday. The fantastic concept of a Friday night represents endless possibilities for singles – adventures and wild parties for the whole weekend. For most mothers it is just another ordinary day with taking care of children, cleaning up the house and writing up a ever-so-long grocery list for Saturday. After a party filled exchange year in Hong Kong … years ago, I’m happy that the party times are over for now.

Daniela has a photo shoot tomorrow with the shoe designer Emmi Malmström and she is at the pr agency Miltton picking up some clothes. And she hasn’t eaten anything all day – quite normal to “forget” to eat when you’re a mom. Luckily she is at Uudenmaankatu, which is this wonderful street in Helsinki where you’ll never go hungry. There’s sushi, tapas, fusion, Thai, Finnish, bars and clubs along the street. She is extremely hungry and I want a big colorful drink – it is a gloomy day-, so we head for the Kokomo Tikibar & Room.

Step inside and you’re in a tropical party night club/restaurant. Rattan chairs, bamboo tables and turquoise spotlights, complete with a comprehensive cocktail menu. The Kokomo’s logo, a happy Tiki face, can be found on the walls and tables. Feeling a notch happier, I empty half of a glass of my virgin Piña Colada with one long sip. While letting Daniela have a taste – before it is gone – she is surprised at the coconut taste. Seeing my puzzled expression, she explains that in Brazil the street vendors sell carved pineapples filled with condensed milk, that’s their version of Piña Colada. Another to-do on my list: take a trip to Brazil, find a beach and gulp down Piña Coladas until you burst.

Tender pork neck, potato cake, fried vegetables with tamarind sauce

 
Ice cold Piña Colada

We both order Kapu pork (10 EUR during the City Magazine’s SYÖ!-week). I am a bit nervous, because I lost Liana’s pacifier when we entered the restaurant. Daniela, the experienced pacifier hunter, tries her best to peer through the dark floors and corners of the Kokomo, but to no avail. The moment our dishes come my little princess decides to vocally protest the loss of her beloved binky while Daniela finishes her meal. Daniela gives another try again and finds the pacifier hanging by a strap between the pram and the floor, mocking us with its almost impossible-to-find location.

Finally my turn to dig in. I know my pork thanks to my Chinese background. It is hard to mess up pork neck unless it gets forgotten on the pan and dries up, but still I am dubious, sometimes Finns tend to overcook meat. The Kokomo proves my prejudices wrong, the meat is perfectly cooked with a slightly grilled caramelized surface. Thick tomato sauce serves as garnish, which is too sour and tasteless like an average canned crushed tomato. The potato cake looks fun, but it wasn’t baked from mashed potato, just slices stacked up like lasagne. My dish is cold, of course, but Daniela mentions that hers was luke warm despite the stone plate.

The Kokomo serves its purpose in feeding two hungry mothers: no more hungry but not 100% satisfied. Maybe it is the combination of the pacifier incident, the unbalance of the portion and the disinterested waiters. Clearly Tiki was taking a nap during daytime, because the Kokomo turns out to be a so-so restaurant behind the beach party facade.

Pros

Original – the only tropical-theme restaurant and bar in Helsinki.
Well-grilled meat
Fun cocktails
Quirky design – the bambu-theme shows in the bathroom faucets.
A highchair for toddlers.

Cons
Too dark for dining daytime, feels like a sleepy nightclub
Garnish was uninspiring and below average

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2 comments on “Tiki Spirit Gone Missing”

1. Dani on March 19, 2012 at 09:41 said:

   LOL I actually kinda hated the decoration. Felt a little bit too plastic-ky to me. Those plastic blow fishes with sun glasses freaked me out.

   Reply ↓
   • yc on March 19, 2012 at 10:19 said:

     C’mon, the blow fish is übercool!

     Reply ↓