Restaurant review: Royal Line lunch cruise

23 06 2012

With over 65 years of experience Royal Line has shown Helsinki from the sea. One can get familiar with the best views including the inner bay of the Suomenlinna sea fortress. One see many islands, the beautiful shores of old city districts, famous historical buildings, churches, icebreakers, harbours, villas, saunas and the zoo.  A traditional archipelago buffet is also available as well as short a la carte list which is understandable due to size of the kitchen.

1 1/2 hour lunch cruise is nice way to combine relaxed sightseeing and lunch if one wants to see Helsinki from the sea and has only one day to spend time in the city.

Decided to enjoy King’s menu which started with Buffet. It consisted of various herrings, salads, vegetables, pate, terrine etc. Herrings were delicious; focus on those.

Two different main courses to choose from. Pepper steak with a creamy pepper sauce and Swiss potato cake was good, especially pepper sauce was enough spicy which one does not get so often. Roasted Archtic char with carrot and butter, dill potatoes was well prepared. Fish was not roasted too much which is always good achievement.

King’s menu included for dessert Chocolate Dream. If you translate actual Finnish name of the dessert it would be Chocolate dream of Queen Lovisa Ulrika. Excellent and sweet combination of different types of chocolate. Changed one dessert to Rhubarb pie with vanilla sauce.Vanilla could have tasted stronger. Appearance of both desserts was tempting, excellent effort in so modest environment.

REVIEW: FOOD 3+/5 – SERVICE 3,5/5 – OVERALL GRADE 3/5

http://www.royalline.net/articles/551/

http://www.royalline.net/





Restaurant review: Havis

23 06 2012

Restaurant Havis specializes in seasonal Finnish and Scandinavian seafood. It consists of three different dining room styles. Dining room Havis looks as historic as building restaurant is located. Decided to reserve window table from this room. One can see old Market Hall from the windows http://www.wanhakauppahalli.com/. Dining room Kitchen is by open-plan kitchen and dining room Terrace is more relaxed sheltered patio restaurant which might be cold sometimes.

Dinner started with kitchen’s greeting which was marvelous. Whitefish roe, smoked fish mousse and red onion; could have eaten dozens of those “glasses”.

For starters ordered Toast Skagen a la Havis and Terrine of cockerel from Viskilä farm with apple and parsnip. Toast Skagen was real fine dining, maybe best ever.  Terrine was tender and best parts were sweet sauces and pyres which complemented flavours.

For main coursed had  Pan-fried perch, spring vegetables and browned butter and Grilled fresh-water pike-perch with beetroot risotto and false morel.
Both fishes were great. Also ordered new potatoes because one might survive only with those during Midsummer. Maybe peas and pine seeds could have been left out from Perch but otherwise well done. Kitchen also was flexible as they were ready to modify portions.

Dessert this time was as many other times before Assorted cheeses  (piece / selection). Chose one French Livarotti and one Finnish Peltola Blue (blue cheese).
Both were tasty and recommend to purchase Peltola Blue to home instead of often too salty rivals if you like blue cheese.

     
     

REVIEW: FOOD 4,5/5 – SERVICE 4/5 – OVERALL GRADE  4,5/5

http://www.ravintolahavis.fi/en

FYI: If you visit Helsinki in Midsummer, notice that almost all restaurants are closed on Friday and Saturday. Finn’s can be found from their cottages, boats and festivals, not from the city.