Restaurant review: Sevilla

21 04 2012

Had late lunch at restaurant Sevilla which serves also Sokos hotel Presidentti customers. One can find Sevilla also in St. Petersburg where there are Sokos hotels. Sevilla tries to be Spanish restaurant with wide tapas selection, Spanish name and menu which is also in Spanish.  Having dined there couple of times tapas portions have been quite well prepared and tasty as there were this time. Location; 50 meters from shopping center Kamppi.

Ordered 4 tapas portions which we shared.  CHILI MARINATED SHRIMPS AND AIOLI Gambas peladas y macerados en salsa picante con alioli,  SELECTION OF SPANISH CHEESES Selección de quesos españoles i.e.  Cabrales blue cheese Mahón and Manchego cheese, figs and fig balsami,  LAMB MEATBALLS AND CHORIZO Albóndigas de cordero y chorizo  GARLIC BREAD Pan de ajo. Shrimps were good but aioli needed more taste. Would have ordered something else instead of cheeses as they were quite modest. One meatball with chorizo was OK and garlic bread with whole cloves of garlic was almost better than in Spain.

For main course 2x PEPPER CHICKEN Pollo a la pimienta i.e. Succulent wing-boned chicken breast, creamy brandy pepper sauce, Spanish-style baked vegetables and French fries. Chicken was OK but pepper sauce could have included more pepper in order to be enough spicy.

Restaurant Sevilla is easy place to go and have something to eat if one likes Spanish flavours.

REVIEW: FOOD 3-/5 – SERVICE 3+/5 – Overall grade 3+/5

http://www.sevilla.fi/

http://www.sevilla.fi/helsinki/sokos-hotel-presidentti/ruokalistat/restaurant-sevillas-a-la-carte-menu/

http://www.sokosrestaurants.ru/

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By the way, when visiting Sevilla about year ago, ordered speciality of the house. Had to send it back to the kitchen because chicken was so dry and chewy. Better luck next time 🙂


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Restaurant review: Salutorget

20 04 2012

Restaurant Salutorget, Scandinavian bistro, includes an unassuming dining room, bar and classic cafe with waitress services and terrace. Restaurant serves lunch and dinner but also brunch on Sundays and English style Afternoon Tea.

Salutorget is located by Kauppatori (Salutorget in Swedish and  Market Place in English) which is most known market or plaza in Helsinki. One can see that there has been financial institutions operating in the  same location earlier  as rest rooms are in old bank vault. Place has been renovated with craftmanship; 1800’s construction and pillars create a dignified athmosphere. Salutorget is part of Royal Ravintolat chain which has several fine dining restaurants in Helsinki. On Friday it was quite busy inlcuding bar.

Menu consists of traditional Finnish and Scandinavian dishes, such as Toast Skagen, Baltic herrings, raindeer and pike perch.  One can also choose lobster for starter or main course. Wine list is quite short; interesting to see that all wines are from European countries, mainly France, Italy and Spain.

Had to choose  Fried scallops with ceps, pine kernels and salsify puré with garlic for starter; being big fan of scallops. WOW, one of the best scallop starter ever tasted. Second choice was Broiled whitefish tartar with Jerusalem artichoke cream, good but cucumber might have been more flavoured.

For main courses ordered Tender braised reindeer shank with oven baked beetroot, bacon and almond potato puré.  Bacon was more like smalll pieces of  pork ribs and absolutely portion was best part of the kitchen. Reindeer smelted in the mouth and was tender. We also ordered  Roasted pike perch with champagne and pea risotto, fennel sauce but asked vegetables instead of risotto. Fish was absolutely prepared with professional way but vegetables were lightly boring. Suggest to keep with risotto.

Dessert was a ittle bit disappointment. We were prepared for chocolate cake  Chocolate cake with mango sorbet and one was ordered with ice cream. Unfortunately chocolate cake was more or less mousse. If it would have been real chocolate cake you could add + on Food Review.

Dining room and bar were almost all the time full of diners and people having drinks; both places worth of visiting.

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

http://www.salutorget.fi/en

more fotos: http://www.salutorget.fi/en/gallery


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Farang Stockholm!

14 04 2012

Restaurant Farang will open in Stockholm, Sweden late 2012. Farang, owned by Tomi Björk, is one of the first fine dining asian cross-kitchen restaurants with unique concept in Helsinki. Excellent spicy menus with wine recommendations and always crowded.

http://farang.fi/?lang=en

Take also look at the pieces of art Farang serves…..

http://farang.fi/restaurant/gallery/

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You might remember that Tomi Björk opens third restraurant late May in Helsinki.

https://reijosfood.com/2012/03/20/bar-and-restaurant-boulevard-social-opening-in-may/


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Kattila – new Cuisine World at Linnanmäki amusement park

13 04 2012

Finland’s biggest amusement park Linnanmäki will open  cuisine world featuring the offerings of six renowned chefs. In addition to the primary target group of Linnanmäki visitors, the cuisine world Kattila will serve all urban people who value high-quality food made from premium ingredients.

Kattila comprises six restaurants serving fine examples of world cuisine. The experienced restaurant-keepers have a total of four Michelin stars between them including 2 Michelin star chef Hans Välimäki, but the restaurants’ price range should suit also for smaller budgets.

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Kattila restaurants are:

– Kuula – meatball bar (chef  Tommi Tuominen, owner of Demo and Grotesk)

– Coccola – mediterranean food (chefs from Postress)

– American Wonder (created by Hans Välimäki)

– Ilona – Finnish restaurant (based on restaurant Aino concept)

– Sushibar + Wine – Scandinavian desing and sushi

– Caruzello – family buffet (created by Kim Heiniö)

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If you have visited amusement park Tivoli in Copenhagen, this sounds similar concept.

Linnanmäki will open its doors again for summer season on 21st of April.

(BTW, Kattila is Pot in english)

http://www.linnanmaki.fi/en/


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Restaurant review: Thai and China

10 04 2012

Restaurant Thai & China has simple name which reflects origins and food they serve. Thai & China is family owned  asian restaurant with modest decor. They have 65 dishes in Thai and Chinese a la carte lists; sometimes wonder how many oriental restaurants are able keep so wide collection of ingredients in their fridges. However, as fans of asian and oriental kitchens, appreciate the quality of food they usually are able to serve.One can also order food by phone and enjoy eating at home after picking up portions.

For starters chose  from Thai menu Spring rolls fried rolls with vegetables and bean nudels accompanied with sweet and spicy chili sauce and Gai satay pieces of chicken in bambu stick marinated in exotic herb sauce with sweet and tangy cucumber salad. Both dishes were delicious; maybe spring rolls best ever tasted. And this was not the first time to dine in this restaurant. Also cucumber salad brought into mind those small really spicy but so tasty salads in Thailand.

For main courses ordered Gaeng Ku-ah Supparohd boiled chicken in red curry paste with coconut milk, tomatoes, lime leaves, pineapple and peanuts. Excellent and so familiar portion which did not fail this time either. Pahd Med Mamuang Soft pieces of chicken breast marinated in light soy sauce and fried with cashew, carrot, onion and broccoli. Tasted this dish first time; was really nice experience.

When it comes to service, waitress (one of the owners) must have been tired. She is the only waitress in the restaurant which is open every day including Easter.

Price level is unexpensive. Starters only about 5€ and portions were bigger than one usually gets.

REVIEW: FOOD 4-/5 – SERVICE 2,5/5 – OVERALL GRADE 3+/5

Restaurant does not have own web site


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Restaurant review: Food and Bar Kiila

8 04 2012

Food and Bar Kiila was opened on 2nd March 2012. Restaurant is open from morning until night offering breakfast, brunch on Sundays and public holidays, lunch, dinner and bar services. Kiila is owned by Noora Himberg and menu is created by Henrik Poulsen and it is situated in one of the best locations just opposite of  Stockmann and Vanha University House. Diners can watch how cook’s prepare meals in open kitchen. Before Kiila restaurant Kolme Seppää was operating at the same premises, so do not try to find it anymore. Large terrace was already in place in although it was still quite cold outside. On top of the terrace restaurant had an ad; breakfast only 3,90€. Brunch on Sundays is 19,90€.

One could choose from a la carte or fast food lists also in the restaurant tables. Fast food list is available in the bar.

When ordering waitress first told that 3 dishes from a la carte list were not available. She was unsure what side dishes portions included and checked it from the kitchen. Obviously restaurant has opened without trained waiters as so many things were so and so. On top of everything our green tea order was forgotten. Restaurant is too expensive compared to level it is at the moment; so suggest to wait at least a month to check how everything has been developed. Location and open space are best part of the restaurant; expect to see significant improvement in waitering. Food itself is promises of a better future. Also view from the window side tables is great; so remember to ask for table with a view.

For starters ordered Tiger prawn skewer with avocado and marinated cucumber (skewer shoud have been warm to make experience perfect) and Ginger marinated duck breast with sweet pea, nut salad (ordinary peanuts should have been replaced e.g. with pine seeds, duck meat was tender).

For main course had Roasted whitefish with chili sesame butter (portion also included barley; butter pat was too big as it made dish quite greasy) and Black Angus sirloin beef with pepper button (best part of the dish was sweet potato sticks which we have not seen anywhere else, worth to try again).

For dessert ordered combination which was not on the a la carte list. Good effort from the kitchen, but without green tea.

REVIEW: FOOD 3+/5 – SERVICE 2/5 – OVERALL GRADE 3-/5

web site still under construction (8.4.2012) http://www.ravintolakiila.fi/


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Hard Rock Cafe Helsinki

4 04 2012

Legendary music restaurant chain Hard Rock Cafe will open in Helsinki next Summer. There were rumours about coming opening already last Autumn but lets see if it will happen now. Hard Rock Cafe Helsinki will locate in the centre of Helsinki, in Aleksanterinkatu 21. Or is this a joke because of 1st of April; company had recruitment ad in main newspaper on that day?

Nearest restaurants are the moment in Stockholm and Copenhagen. Maybe we see shot glass with Helsinki name after summer…

Update on the 11th August: opening is postponed to late Autumn, maybe October. Lets see when the opening actually is?

http://www.facebook.com/HardRock.Helsinki

http://www.hardrockcafe.fi/


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Restaurant review: Grill Glöd (closed)

1 04 2012

UPDATE ON 1ST OF NOV. RESTAURANT GLÖD HAS BEEN CLOSED. STEFAN’S STEAHOUSE WILL OPEN AT THE SAME LOCATION IN DECEMBER.

Bar and Grill Glöd was opended in Autumn 2011 by Jan Åkerström who owns also restaurant Solna. Earlier restaurant Mecca was operating at the same place, so do not try to find it anymore. Some of the Mecca decor was still found at sanitary facilities.

Glöd fine grill concept is based on coal grill and open kitchen for preparing game food, fresh fish, seafood and vegetables. Glöd has also honoured with two cutlery pairs by Michelin Guide in 2012; excellent achievement in just a short time. In addition to restaurant there is also bar and Klub Casablanca (with K, not C) lounge with oriental athmosphere.

From 17 courses diners can select menus consisting of either 3 (35€) or 4 (39€) courses. Courses are devided in cold, warm and sweet dishes. We recommend to order one cold and two warm dishes if you decide to enjoy three courses, because they are quite small. By ordering four dishes you can take dessert also.

Restaurant was quite noisy due to background music  and tables which were close to each other. Seemed that cramped space made serving more difficult at least where we were seated.

Started with Cheviche Hibiscus Fish marinated in citrusdressing with rose flavoured blood orange and fennel (fishes were salmon and white fish, some salt would have improved taste, but none was at the tables) and Tuna “Tokyo Grill” Char goal grilled tuna, warm sushi rice and avocado ice cream (excellent combination but also missed some salt).

Warm dishes were Beets and Barley Oven roasted beets marinated in mustard dressing, barley risotto and whipped cream cheese (beets comes from beetroot and this dish was one of the best of all a la carte dishes eaten this time, barley replaced rice perfectly), Black Salmon Teriyaki roasted salmon, tomato-anise couscous and sake sauce (couscous did not match so well), Risotto Nero Black risotto, grilled tiger prawn tails and Tom Kha Khai foam (another bull’s eye, can recommend) and Ribs BBQ Grilled pork ribs, frisee lettuce and Texas Ranch dressing (did not classify in top three ribs, lettuce had some Caesar dressing)

For dessert Almond, Praline and Soup Almond cake, praline ice cream and warm chocolate and rum soup (asked sorbet instead of ice cream but got ice cream) and Chocolate Mousse “Cafe Vietnam” Chocolate mousse with blackcurrant, caramel and coffee foam and fudge ice cream (delicious; can recommend)

Although price for 4 dishes is affordable, bottle of wine increases total amount of bill. Avarage price for wine bottle is over 50€. Most of the dishes seek asian flavours and are well prepared. However, would have appreciated more deep savours to complement the experience. Full tables meant that customers have found Glöd.

REVIEW: Food 4-/5 – Service 4/5 – Overall grade 4-/5

http://www.glod.fi/

http://www.viamichelin.com/web/Restaurants#description@poi=345812_41102


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