We’re no experts on Scandinavia, so we admit to being slightly daunted reviewing a restaurant that claims to be authentically Scandinavian. Thankfully, we didn’t need to worry, as the disinterested service and average food meant our concerns were irrelevant. It’s a shame, as we get the feeling the owner really cares—unfortunately they weren’t around when we last visited. Choose between the European-style alfresco setting or the sleek wood and metal inside. It looks nice but it feels very cramped because of the small space and lack of natural light. It makes the extensive menu, which includes Thai and inter dishes, all the more impressive. There are also sets, which are good value—if the waiter can be coaxed into telling you how they work, not always easy. Starters include intriguing options like the Finnish favorite, karelian pies (made from rye and filled with rice). It says they are homemade, but the slightly chewy pastry that came with gravlax, raw salmon, lettuce and dill suggest they weren’t fresh out of the oven. Still we did appreciate the real lemon and fresh salmon, so just go straight for the gravalax. The salmon-potato cream soup, is a better proposition, packed full of big, tender chunks of salmon and potato and suitably creamy thanks to the generous use of butter. For mains, their “hit” dish is beef meatballs, but we say give it a miss. The balls are super dry and come in an odd tasting tomato gravy that also taints the otherwise creamy mashed potatoes. Another traditional option is pytt i panna, a collection of fried potatoes, sausage and meatballs topped with a (deep) fried egg and accompanied by small dishes of gherkins and beetroot. While it’s tasty, it is really a giant fry up, making it heavy going after the first few mouthfuls. For desserts, you might have better luck ordering the family recipe Mama’s pancake. We had to settle for the clearly homemade, but incredibly bitter cranberry parfait instead. Aalto, like the famous vase designed by the restaurant’s namesake Finnish designer Alvar, clearly aims to be a sleek and modern dining experience with a twist. Unfortunately, the stodgy food and slack service means it just ends up being a disappointment. Corkage B100. - See more at: http://bk.asia-city.com/restaurants/bangkok-restaurant-reviews/aalto-kitchen#sthash.ZhDylcWV.dpuf