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Finnish Tapas Comes to Duluth
Text and photos by Felicia Schneiderhan
© Felicia Schneiderhan, 2009
Ari Eilola, a Finnish chef trained at the Helsinki Culinary Institute Perho, was
traveling from Barcelona to Madrid when he stopped for a glass of wine. It
arrived before him – topped with a piece of cheese.
His encounter with tapas would later find its way across the world to Duluth,
Minnesota, where northlander Americans can dine on Gravlax and Finnish meatballs
while sipping cocktails at Kippis Tapas Bar, where Eilola serves as head chef and part
owner.
The tradition of a lid, or “tapa” for a drink, stems from a time when Spanish workers
would cover their beer with a topper, like bread, cheese, or ham. “Tapas” evolved into
small meals of olives, meats, cheeses, all in small portions, easily shared among workers
or friends.
Today, the tapas style of dining has spread throughout Europe, from Spain to France
to the Czech Republic, and to major U.S. cities. Tapas is also quite popular in Helsinki;
it’s an inexpensive way to begin a night out. In June of 2009, Finnish tapas made its way
to the U.S. when Kippis Tapas Bar opened at 11 East Superior Street, Duluth.
By day, the space houses the Takk for Maten Café, serving Scandinavian breakfast
and lunch. After 5 p.m., the lights dim and the menu flips and Kippis Tapas Bar takes over,
offering a diverse menu that Eilola describes as an “upscale Finnish Baltic bistro.”
When Kippis (which means “Cheers”) originally opened, adventurous diners would
enter thinking it meant “topless.” Today, newcomers find themselves greeted by friendly
staff eager to explain the origin of tapas and suggest items from the diverse menu. Diners
can order one or two items to start, or a full meal of small plates.
“A lot of the flavors come from my grandma’s and mom’s kitchens,” says Eilola,
who grew up in Raahe, on the western coast of Finland, before moving to Helsinki as
an adult.
His carefully integrated menu includes Gravlax, roasted rutabagas, and his
grandmother’s Finnish meatballs. The duck breast is cooked and glazed in the kitchen
along with all the sauces made from scratch.
“Why would I reinvent the wheel?” says Eilola. “I take this really traditional cuisine
that has been developed by peasants throughout centuries and put a twist on it.”
Eilola also benefits from the wealth of Scandinavian heritage in the area. “One of
our food suppliers had baked cheese. I thought, oh, that brings back memories. So we
topped it off with cinnamon, sugar, heavy whipping cream, and jam. I try to bring those
flavors I grew up with.”
He is also open to infusing more international flavors. Diners might be surprised to
find Mississippi catfish pate on the menu.
“One of our employees suggested it,” Eilola explains. “I can’t find a decent flounder
here, and I figured catfish is a bottom feeder. I like what they do with the pate, so we
put it in a lefse boat. If it goes with my culinary heritage – reminds me of something
I’ve tried – I’ll go with it.”
But as with the traditional Spanish tapas, the main event of tapas dining is not about
the food; it’s about the drink. “Tapas are a side dish, they’re not the main attraction,”
says Eilola, “People come for the wine.”
With that in mind, he chose the wines and an extensive cocktail menu first, then
developed culinary flavors to go with them. Kippis offers four seasonal house martinis,
one for each Nordic country, and a wide variety of meticulously-mixed cocktails.
On Wednesday and Thursday evenings, diners are treated to live music by local
artists.
Eilola, who has been in the U.S. since 2004, sees himself among the latest wave of
Finnish immigrants coming to the U.S. He recounts how he visited Ellis Island in New
York City when he first moved here and saw his grandfather’s brother’s name. “It’s like
I’m continuing that tradition of coming overseas. It’s a strange limbo experience. After
a few years here, you don’t feel so much at home in Finland, but you’re not at home
here, either.”
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