Restaurant review: Gluto – the taste of wellness

30 12 2014

Gluto - reijosfood.com

Gluto Street Food was opened in Kamppi Shopping Centre in August 2014. Street Food bar prepares gluten-free fresh pasta to be eaten at small dining area or as take-away. The range includes gluten-free pasta of the day with changing sauce options like bolognese and basil. “Restaurant” also offers gluten-free and milk-free stuffed sandwiches and focaccias.

Gluto - reijosfood.com

There was some delay in the opening as some authorities were not sure, if Gluto was restaurant or street food bar

We decided to try pastas of the day which were Lasagne Bolognese and Vegetarian pasta.

Portions were quite small, which might be the case, if you choose pasta of the day.

Lasagne was delicious and could have eaten double portion. There was lot’s of smelted cheese on pasta which added some flavour to dish.

Vegetarian pasta included olives, zucchini and tomato. Would have preferred some more vegetables, because of the name of the pasta. However, nice portion and what is most important, gluten-free.

Lasagne at Gluto - reijosfood.com

Vege pasta at Gluto - reijosfood.com

Gluto is perfect place for people, who like pasta, but can not eat wheat. Location is perfect, which means that tables are occupied almost all the time.

With a little bit larger portions and more spiced portions, grade for food would be over 4. As you order dishes from the counter, service is not reviewed.

Because there is demand for gluten-free dining spot, overall grade is over 4.

REVIEW: FOOD 4-/5 – SERVICE N/A – OVERALL GRADE 4+/5

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gluto-Street-Food/692387817506674


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Categories : Food, Helsinki, Restaurant, Restaurant review, Travel

Restaurant review: Pirate Helsinki

21 04 2013

PiratePirate

Restaurant Pirate Helsinki is located in Southern Helsinki, Lauttasaari. First Pirate restaurant was established in Hanko and it serves also pizzas which Helsinki restaurant does not. You have to order food from the bar because there is no table service.  Pirate is a summer restaurant but it is open in December providing ambitious Christmas lunch with famous chefs.

Visited Pirate just when it has just opened also for weekends for the summer time.

For starters ordered Tomato Mozzarella and Parma Ham Rucola Bruschettas with Country French fries. Both bruschettas were nice and french fries really well made. Portion were quite big so they might even be enough for lunch but as we were having early dinner had decided to eat also main courses.

BruschettaMozarella bruschettaParma ham bruschetta

For main courses ordered Grilled king prawns, octopus with french fries, marinated vegetables and hollandaise sauce and Pirate smoked salmon with morel mushroom sauce and warm potato-vegetables salad. Prawns were OK but octopus was chewy; would also have prefered sauce in separate scoop. We had asked that for morel mushroom sauce…. Fish was well prepared as it was not smoked too long. Both portions included same looking side dishes; only difference was potatoes with salmon. Maybe too much oil used in vegetables.

Shrimps and octopusSmoked salmon

Restaurant Pirate is laid-back bistro and especially in the summer terrace is pleasant place to have a beer or two. Because restaurant was just opened we were the only diners at 0530PM. Because spring is so late all boats were still on the ground and surrounded restaurant.

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

If you visit Hanko some day, try Pirate because it is quite popular in the summer.

http://www.pirate.fi/?pinc=1&lng=helsinki

Pirate


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Categories : Food, Helsinki, Restaurant, Restaurant review, Travel, Wine

Restaurant review: Kiila Food and Bar

9 12 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.

Visited second time Kiila Food and bar just before Christmas. Major change had been made concerning a la carte list because serious affordable fine dining was not anymore main target. It does not mean that food would be worse but portions were not so ambitious they seemed to be in the beginning. More Finnish dishes than earlier, like fried vendace.

For starter ordered “Carnival plate by Kiila” for two including fried mozzarella sticks, chicken skewer, cherry tomatoes, carrot-, cucumber- and sweet pepper sticks, fried halloumi, mini bratwurst, bbq-, chili-mayonnese- and dill-sour cream- sauces. Tomatoes were missing but not so huge dissappointment. Chicken with bbq sauce was great as well as mozzarella. Otherwise quite simple portion because of ordinar vegetable sticks. But all sauces were delicious.

Starter

For main courses had Grilled Chicken Breast with roasted vegetables and sweet chili sauce and Giant Shrimps Pasta with chili-coriander sauce. Chicken was OK. Pasta was raw or it had dried after cooking. Seemed that base of the sauce was similar for both dishes. Have to say that pasta sauce was one of the most spicy in Finland.

ChickenPasta

For desserts ordered one sorbet because no other choise for lactose free dish and chocolate cake with mascarpone foam and blackberry syrup. Sorbet was OK and cake really delicious, maybe best part of dinner. Some black currant and red currant berries, very typical Finnish berries.

SorbetChocklate cake

Kiila seemed to be quite popular, no wonder. Prices are affordable and location perfect, you can watch Stockmann Christmas lights just opposite. Laid-back athmosphere makes it easy to come to the restaurant.

Stockmann

Some trouble with service again. White wine was warm when it was brought to the table, big tablespoons for dessert and had to pay at the cash desk, because no waiter/waitress was available.

REVIEW II: FOOD 3/5 – SERVICE 3-/5 – OVERALL GRADE 3/5

Kiila

https://reijosfood.com/2012/04/08/restaurant-review-food-and-bar-kiila/

http://www.ravintolakiila.fi/


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Hard Rock Cafe Helsinki – opening comes closer

12 08 2012

Legendary music restaurant chain Hard Rock Cafe should have opened in Helsinki this 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 was 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 before Christmas.

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

Update on the 28th August, see FB link below

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

http://www.hardrockcafe.fi/


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Categories : Cafe, Restaurant, Wine

Restaurant review: Pirate Helsinki

6 07 2012

Restaurant Pirate Helsinki operates in Southern Helsinki. First Pirate restaurant was established in Hanko and it serves also pizzas. Helsinki restaurant tries to be more sophisticated as it is part of Sinbad boat club. You have to order food from the bar because there is no table service. Therefore restaurant is also more affordable than some others. Pirate is a summer restaurant but it is open in December providing ambitious Christmas lunch with famous chefs like Hans Välimäki.

For starters ordered Prawns roasted with garlic and lime-aioli and  Toast Skagen with roe. Prawns were excellent, roasted perfectly and almost sweet.  Roe was whitefish roe which is much better than rainbow trout roe which you might get, if type of roe is not mentioned in the menu. In overall, starters were best part of the dinner and close to fine dining although Pirate is quite rough boat club restaurant.

For main course ordered Fried pike-perch with horsedarish crinkle potatoes and morel mushroom sauce and Pirate hamburger. Fish was like home made but sauce was delicious. Meat of hamburger was disappoitment, close to frozen tv dinner beef. French fries were crisp and enough salty. In overall quite simple hamburger portion.

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

If you visit Hanko some day, try Pirate because it is quite popular in the summer.

http://www.pirate.fi/?pinc=1&lng=helsinki


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Restaurant review: Casa Mare

27 05 2012


Restaurant Casa Mare is most popular all year round bistro in the suburb. Especially families with small children come to eat pizza with salad buffet which includes to all main courses. Sometimes place is close to kindergarten; actually there is also playgroud for children.

Restaurant is owned by Ravintolakolmio which owns also Tony’s deli where we dined few months ago. Review available.

For starters ordered Halloum cheese and tomato (grilled halloum, tomatoes, olives and rucola) and Salad buffet. Cheese with add on’s was tasty and not too salty. Salad buffet is simple; few basic salads and home made bread.

For main course ate Chorizo-Mozzarella pasta (spicy red pepper-tomato sauce, chorizo sausage, mozzarella de buffala, rucola and penne pasta) and Catch of the day (this time White fish with vegetables and potato mash). Pasta was great, too easy to over cook pennes, but now they were perfect. Sauce was enough spicy and mozzarella softened it suitably. But then started problems.

Catch of th day was ordered without potato mash, but it came with it. Kitchen decided to move pieces of fish to another plate and due to long waiting time, fish skin was already a little bit “soft” (see picture). For dessert ordered Crepes with strawberries; regarding to waiter there should have not been cream on it,  but there was. Had to ask to replace portion. On top of this, espresso had to be sent back because it was cold. Restaurant noticed these mistakes and we did not have to pay for dessert and coffees; well done!

Casa Mare has every summer special offer, two pizzas for price of one. Gonna utilize that in July as many other people will too.

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

http://www.ravintolacasamare.com/page.php?language=1


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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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Categories : Cafe, Restaurant, Wine

Restaurant review: Memphis

30 03 2012

Restaurant and bar Memphis is located in Kamppi shopping center. It is part of  HOK-Elanto Group; biggest restarant owner in Helsinki. Memphis is intended for young adults but pay attention that on Friday and Saturday evenings one has to be at least 20 years old. DJ plays music during those evenings. Restaurant accepts reservation if you have at least 8 person in your group but be sure your table is at upper level by the wall not at lower level. Tables by the bar are more or less quite primitive to dine. One can also watch cooks at work in open kitchen.

A la carte list is quite demanding for “fast” food type of restaurant because you can choose e.g. from  Rocking Woks, Roasted Organic Bread, Low Fat and Carb or Chicken and Duck  and as you can also see from the names of portions. When one arrives, popcorn bowls are waiting at the tables. We were told it would take at least an hour to get main courses (actually took one hour 20 minutes) but starters would be faster (took 40 minutes). Motivator to order starters?

For starters we ordered Mozzarella Sticks (quite ok), Sesame Chicken Sticks Battered sesame seed chicken sticks with aioli (word chicken should not be part of this portion as it includes about 2% chicken), Holy Halloumi Halloumi cheese with apple and cucumber salad and harissa oil (ok) and Teriyaki Shrimps Sesame seed king prawns with spinach and teriyaki sauce (also OK)

For main courses we ordered Memphis Burger Classic Two beef patties total 150 g with bacon and cheddar  and De Luxe Burger Two beef patties total 220 g, with bacon, cheddar and Memphis BBQ sauce (simple, positive things: bread was made from wholemeat and french fries were enough crisp and salted). Teriyaki Tuna  Orange pepper-spiced grilled tuna steak 180 g with teriyaki sauce (waiter asked for roasting time, ordered medium but was served over well-done). Chicken Caesar Grilled chicken breast, Romaine and iceberg lettuce, Caesar dressing, organic bread and Parmesan shavings and Shrimp Caesar Teriyaki-flavoured king prawns, Romaine and iceberg lettuce, Caesar dressing, organic bread and Parmesan shavings (too much Caesar dressing) . Memphis Steak Hoisin-flavoured grilled beef sirloin steak with grilled pineapple, jalapeño, aioli and fries (pretty ok). Low Fat Chicken Grilled chicken breast 150 g with harissa-infused quinoa, red onion, soy beans, sweet pepper, Romaine lettuce, orange yoghurt and grilled fresh pineapple (ok also for well being food).

Memphis is easy-going place and attracts people to stop by if they use Kamppi subway or bus station and place is OK for that. But during busy times it takes too much time to get food unless you are prepared to stay at least 2-3 hours and not hungry.

REVIEW: Food 2,5/5 – Service 3+/5 – Overall grade 2,5/5 (dining aspect)

http://www.memphis.fi/kamppi.html


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