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Halle Marshall is impressed by a new addition to Oulu dining.
Puistola Bistro
Pakkahuoneenkatu 15
 Once Oulu's first movie theater, then a women's clothing boutique, the Puistola building at Pakkahuoneenkatu 15 in the city center now houses one of Oulu's newest eateries. Puistola, which takes its name from the pink art nouveau building housing it, is actually divided into three dining experiences: Puistola Deli, Puistola Bistro, and Puistola Dining. My husband and I arrive on a Tuesday evening and are greeted by a cheery member of staff who offers us menus, in Finnish and English, for the different restaurants. We choose the more moderately-priced, ground-floor Bistro and are seated in one of the large glass bay windows overlooking the sidewalk. The interior of the restaurant is crisp, clean, and light with contemporary but tasteful Christmas music pumping from the sound system. Although modern-feeling, much of the building's architecture has been utilized, from the curving lines of the storefront, to the pillared cellar where the Dining portion of the restaurant is located.
The menu is limited but offers a fair range of dishes. I have a hard time deciding between the mushroom and risotto stuffed tortellini or the fried pork ribs. Our waiter suggests the tortellini and I take it. My husband has the Puistola toast with beef, a kind of open-faced sandwich. We help ourselves to bread while we chat and not long after our food arrives. The tortellini is hot but not overcooked. The earthy flavor of the mushroom stuffing is balanced well by a light creamy tomato sauce, sweet basil, parmesan, and, surprisingly, cashews. My husband’s sandwich is well done but not tough. It comes with a dollop of fresh coleslaw, crispy french fries, and a kind of fruity condiment. Neither is overly fussy or drowning in sauce. At the suggestion of our sever we finish off our meal with the Puistola french toast with cloudberry sorbet. The sorbet has all the delicious taste of cloudberries without the annoying seeds and if you only come here for dessert and a cup of ‘kusmi’ tea, this is the one to try.
Puistola Bistro presents itself as an establishment which provides an uplifting dining experience and serves straightforward, simple, tasty food in adequate portions at moderate prices. Ultimately it fulfills its promise. It remains to be seen how Puistola Bistro and its compatriots Puistola Deli and Puistola Dining would hold up to the rigors of a Friday or Saturday night, or the addition of children, but based on my experience it’s worth a try.
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