neighborhood recommendation #14: hangout.

after i lost my hangout preference, tori, for a while, i felt lost in my neighborhood. working at a cafe has been my preference since i was a student: i'd read for exams sitting in one, wrote my theses inside various bustling locales and i still like to work in the middle of socializing people. when the office feels too sterile and quiet, it helps me concentrate – i presume it is because i come from a large and rather noisy family.

my ability to disassociate myself from the outside world is phenomenal to the everyday nuisance of near and dear ones. if i am reading, i cannot hear you. end of story.

tori returned, but the atmosphere was different much due to their changed concept. they lost their license and took the restaurant to a pseudo-eco direction but with the old menu, sans alcohol. the place is still great, but i noted i did not frequent anymore.

i also moved further away. honestly, it's only a block more, but it feels more significant... i felt lost and without a base for some time.

early this may a yet-to-be-named restaurant opened two blocks away. i liked the relaxed atmosphere, the simple and effortless and spacious interior and their almost annoyingly casual attitude. after a while they accepted a name, kortteliravintola lungi, which i guess condenses the idea behind the establishment: taking it easy.

the lunch is decent to very good, depending on the easygoingness of the kitchen staff. that is, sometimes the garnish may look a little wilted or the staff is clueless whether they still have their hot lunch option available. the fare is basic, but imaginative enough to sound appetizing. nevertheless and most importantly, the food tastes great and the service is heartfelt and genuinely nice – not something that can be taken for granted in helsinki.

the music isn't too loud, there's free internet that works, electric socket (at least in the corner table – dontcha dare plant your tush there!) for more power, and swedish, zoega's coffee. in addition to this there are organic wines when i get in the mood for afterwork.



they are still definitely finding their pace, i haven't tested the sunday brunch which sounds excellent, but so far, so good. as an addition to the rather posh korkeavuorenkatu, lungi is definitely welcome.