INDIVUE – travel & art

*pr-event with Tallink Silja Oy

Embarking on a culinary journey often opens doors to worlds unexplored, revealing flavors and traditions that can transform our understanding and appreciation of food. This was precisely my experience many many years ago, when my Thai friend, a chef by profession, introduced me to the authentic tastes of Thai cuisine – a culinary tradition rich in complexity and variety, which, until then, had eluded me in the landscapes of Finland. But now it was turn for the Thai buffet food to surprise me in the Silja Serenade ship.

My prior encounters with Thai dining in Helsinki had been less than satisfactory, with restaurant offerings heavily skewed towards meat-centric dishes, leaving the vegetarian options I tried lacking in flavor and depth. This was compounded by the ready-made Thai sauces available on the market, which fell short of capturing the essence and authenticity of Thai culinary traditions.

In this context, Vegan Thai Kitchen in Helsinki had stood out as a notable exception, offering a vegan menu infused with Thai flavors that hinted at the cuisine’s potential for diversity and vibrancy. Apart from my many dining experiences in Vegan Thai Kitchen, my memories of Thai cuisine were fondly tied to the dishes I had savored in India, including the unforgettable spring rolls my friend had made.

So it was with a mix of skepticism and curiosity that I accepted the invitation to the Silja Serenade’s Grande buffet lunch in January 2024, which promised a celebration of Thai flavors. My initial hesitations were quickly dispelled upon experiencing the salad table, having fresh, aromatic allure of coriander and the unique, addictive blend of spices that hallmark Thai cuisine. This culinary showcase was masterfully curated by chef Khampan Pukdangpan of Tallink Group’s restaurant NOK NOK, bringing to the fore the rich tapestry of Thai flavors through an array of dishes designed to appeal to both the palate and the senses.

The Grande buffet’s Thai selection was a vibrant fusion of traditional and innovative dishes, featuring spicy pork salad, glass noodle salad with shrimp and pork, and spicy chicken salad, among many others. Noteworthy vegetarian options included, for example, the pomelo salad and the mushroom salad, which offered a refreshing divergence from the meat-heavy theme, although it was observed that many salads actually contained fish, a detail that vegetarians should be mindful of. The reason for that must have been the famous Nam Pla fish sauce famous in Thai cooking. But there’s always some more vegetarian food in the normal Grande buffet, ensuring a satisfying dining experience for vegetarians.

In addition to the culinary delights of thai kitchen, the spring 2024 program aboard Silja Serenade and Symphony will also introduce performances by the Ukrainian show group Pirat Crew. Their blend of mystical spectacle, combining spectacular choreography, wonderful acrobatics, and virtuosic dance performances, provide passengers with unforgettable experiences that transcend the boundaries of traditional entertainment. See for yourself from this video I made onboard –

If you’re interested in Thai cooking, you can also try this pomelo salad:

THAI POMELO SALAD

This Thai pomelo salad offers fresh flavors and different textures. It’s the perfect summer treat that combines sweetness, acidity and hotness in a delicious way. Pomelo salad is perfect for a light meal or as a side dish. Here is its recipe:

Ingredients:

Salad:

1 pomelo (or 2-3 grapefruits)
200 g of prawns (you can also use fried tofu or chicken)
1 carrot, grated
1 red chili, thinly sliced (you can adjust the heat to taste)
2 spring onions, chopped
Fresh coriander and mint to taste

Sauce:

3 tablespoons of fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 garlic clove, chopped

Cooking instructions:

Peel the pomelo and separate the pulp into pieces. If using grapefruits, remove the skin and cut them into blocks. Make sure you remove all the seeds.

Fry the prawns (or your other protein option) in a pan for a few minutes until cooked. You can use a little oil for frying, but make sure the prawns get a little color and are well seasoned. Allow the shrimp to cool.

Make the sauce by mixing the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and minced garlic in a small bowl. Taste and adjust sweetness, acidity or saltiness if necessary.

Combine the pomelo pieces, grated carrot, chopped chilli and spring onion in a large bowl.

Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and mix carefully until the dressing is spread evenly over all the ingredients.

Add the fried shrimp (or protein) to the salad and mix gently.

Sprinkle fresh coriander and mint over the salad. You can also add some crushed peanuts or toasted sesame seeds for decoration.

Serve the Thai pomelo salad fresh right away. It’s best when it’s fresh and the salad is well mixed with the dressing.

You can read about thai buffet food in Silja’s ships also in Finnish language by me.

Read more:

• INDIVUE – Trip to Europe – Visual travel guide
• Sunrise at the Baltic Sea
• Food blogging
• Travel blogging
• DeLuxe Cabin in Silja Serenade

This article is part of my
→ Trip to Helsinki – Visual Travel Guide.

You can find all my Helsinki travel videos
→ here.

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→ cafés