Michelin star restaurants in Helsinki 2013

14 03 2013

Restaurant Demo

Michelin Guide has updated it’s list of rewarded restaurants. All 5 existing Michelin restaurants kept their stars, so no new Michelin restaurants in Finland or Helsinki. G.W. Sundmans might be rewarded soon as it has been highlighted with red letters meaning “rising star”.  Restaurant has had 1 Michelin star several years ago.

Restaurants with Michelin stars are:

Chez Dominique, Rikhardinkatu 4, Helsinki: 2 stars (owner Hans Välimäki) http://www.chezdominique.fi/home_cd2?

Demo, Uudenmaankatu 9-11, Helsinki: 1 star (owners Tommi Tuominen and Teemu Aura) http://www.restaurantdemo.fi/demo

Luomo, Vironkatu 8, Helsinki: 1 star (owners Jouni Toivanen and Mika Mattila) http://www.luomo.fi/en/restaurant/

Olo, Kasarmikatu 44, Helsinki: 1 star (owners Pekka Terävä and Petri Lukkarinen) http://www.olo-restaurant.com/home.html

Postres, Eteläesplanadi 8, Helsinki: 1 star (owners Samuli Wirgentius and Jari Liimatta) http://www.postres.fi/

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Bib Gourmand restaurants 2013 are:

Farang, Ainonkatu 3, Helsinki

Gaijin, Bulevardi 6, Helsinki

Grotesk, Ludviginkatu 8-10, Helsinki

Pure Bistro, Pohjoisesplanadi 9, Helsinki (new)

Solna, Solnantie 26, Helsinki

Interesting is that Farang and Gaijin still both have Bid Gourmand (excellent price/quality ratio) logos; both owned by chefs Tomi Björk and Matti Wiberg.  Farang has opened restuarant in Stockholm, must find out the rating. Also interesting is that Grotesk, owned by same chefs as Demo, kept Bid Gourmand logo although it changed it’s style. Update: did not remember to write that PureBistro is owned by Luomu owners! One Michelin star restaurant and one Bib Gourmand restaurant. However, when we vistited PureBistro, we were not so happy about the food.

Restaurant Spis raised also to Michelin Guide, review available https://reijosfood.com/2012/08/10/restaurant-review-spis/


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

Restaurant review: Demo

26 08 2012

Restaurant Demo is a 45 -seat Michelin star restaurant that opened its doors January 2003. Demo serves high class food combined with personal and friendly service. Demo is owned by chefs Tommi Tuominen & Teemu Aura. Their goal is to offer a chance to top quality dining, in a relaxed and cozy environment. Means that Demo is casual Michelin star restaurant in Helsinki. Background music includes lounge music, Sade Adu but also more fast tracks. Waitering is also easy-going but professional.

Demo earned it’s first Michelin star in 2007 and has been able to keep it for five years. Restaurant is open only in the evenings from Tuesday to Saturday. On Saturday you can only choose Menu fo the Day of 4, 5 or 6 portions, which you do not know beforehand. You can also order wine pairings instead of bottle or glass of wine chosen by sommelier. Oldest wine served with food was this time from 1989.

Menu started with Greetings from kitchen; salmon and roe which were perfectly complimented with delicious wasabi sauce. One small spoonful, could have eaten at least five of them.

First course consisted of crayfish, fennel and gherkings. Great combination! Crayfish, which is the best tasting shellfish, was soft and juicy. White wine with first course was Savignon Blanc from Spain; rare grape for Spanish vineyards. Savignon Blanc is not the favourite one, prefer usually Riesling, but this time it suited well for the crayfish.

Second course was Forest deer carpaccio with carrots, fennel, parsley and delicious paste. Roe or forest deer was so tender you could have eaten it with a spoon.  White wine served tasted a little bit too much for butter. It was again from Spain; interesting that you can not find any Spanish white wines from wine list.

Third course was Pan fried cod, mussel fregola and lemon grass sauce. Cod was prepared with orthodox way, meat of the fish was cooked to a turn and skin was crispy and delicious. Mussel fregola matched well with fish and cooked like pasta should. This time white wine was Chardonnay from France. Wine aroma and flavour was oaken as Chardonnay’s usually are but not so buttery as it could have been.

Fourth course and first dessert was Cheese selection and house nut bread. Enjoyment started from the left with milder cheeses. When stronger white mold cheese smeteld in the mouth felt like it could not become better. However, when salty and strong blue cheese ended course, earlier evaluation was wrong. Kitchen also had taken into consideration one of our wishes and served sweet Ravioli instead of cheeses. For cheeses wine was sweet vintage red which tasted almost port wine. For ravioli wine was sweet white wine.

Bread seemed to be one of Demo’s specialities. House nut bread with cheeses was excellent but focaccia and bread with fennel were super excellent!

Fifth course and second dessert was Arctic cloudberries with yogurt and popcorn. Popcorn was pleasant surprise and the whole portion scrumptious. White wine served was sweet and it was perfect match with dessert which was not too sweet.

With coffee and tea kitchen served small confections which were luscious. After eating two pieces already thought that third might be too much.

One interesting detail was that you can find small pictures of owners/chefs on the restroom wall’s.

Restaurant Demo deserves Michelin star because of excellent food experience. One change in selection of wines for food; grade for food experience would have been 5.

Restaurant became almost full in the evening which meant that service became a little bit slower. Started dinner quite early when there was only few people seated. Got greeting from kitchen and two first courses quite quickly which meant that had 3 wine classes simultaneously at the table. Would have hoped a little bit more balanced timing for waitering, but staff explained well the contents of portions and what wine was served with each dish.

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

http://www.restaurantdemo.fi/demo_en

https://reijosfood.com/2012/03/14/michelin-star-restaurants-in-finland-2012/

http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/web/Restaurant/Helsingfors_Helsinki-00120-Demo-119682-41102


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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.


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Restaurant Review: Messina (Spain)

29 05 2012

Restaurant Messina is ranked 2nd by TripAdvisor customer reviews in Marbella. Messina is quite small with about 30 seats. Made reservation 2 weeks ahead and restaurant called to reconfirm it same day as we dined. All seats were occupied by diners by 9PM, so obviously restaurant is very popular place.

Decor is modern, background music played was soft lounge e.g. like from Hotel Costes albums. Waitering was professional and polite, contents of each portion were described in detail.

Greetings from the kitchen were generous. Smoked Bressaola, Serrano and other stuff in stone “cup”; aroma of smoke was strong when waitress raised cover. Parsley with cheese in sticks with some additional ingredients and “ice cream” in glass cube were brilliant performance by the kitchen.

For starters we ordered Ingredientes de sushi y espuma de arroz – Sushi “de-fusion” with a rice foam and Cecina de Salmon – smoked dried salmon with tomatoes and olive powder. When sushi was brought, thick gray steam raised from small grid after waitress poured ginger liquid on it, amazing! And when soft tuna fish was dipped in rice foam, wasabi and ginger liquid, combination was marvelous. Salmon with add on’s was also enjoyable.

For main courses chose Salmonete con meloso de quinoa – Red mullet with sweet quinoa, shimps and octopus and Corvina de conil – Sea bass/Crocker. Both fishes were properly cooked and accompaniments suited well for them. Octopus under red mullet was crispy and asparagus under Crocker enough crisp also.

For wine we chose Radix rose wine. Almost red but still rose with strong bouquet and flavor. Good choice for wide taste of the world during dinner.

Dessert was Queso y vino – Cheese and wine. Four different types of cheese with 4cl glass of Pedro Ximenez sherry. Cheese and port or sherry are always unbeatable combination; with these cheeses sherry was bulls eye.

Restaurant Messina provides culinaristic and artistic dinner experience one should try if visiting Marbella.

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

http://www.restaurantemessina.com/ (Messina website is not up to date when it comes to a la carte list)

http://www.paresbalta.com/default2.asp


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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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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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Michelin star restaurants in Finland 2012

14 03 2012

Michelin Guide has updated it’s list of rewarded restaurants. All 5 existing Michelin restaurants kept their stars Chez Dominique in lead with 2 stars. We hoped that Chez Dominique would earn third star, but unfortunately not. Work or even food art of Hans Välimäki would have been worth of it.

Restaurants with Michelin stars are:

Chez Dominique, Rikhardinkatu 4, Helsinki: 2 stars (owner Hans Välimäki) http://www.chezdominique.fi/home_cd2?

Demo, Uudenmaankatu 9-11, Helsinki: 1 star (owners Tommi Tuominen and Teemu Aura) http://www.restaurantdemo.fi/demo

Luomo, Vironkatu 8, Helsinki: 1 star (owners Jouni Toivanen and Mika Mattila) http://www.luomo.fi/en/restaurant/

Olo, Kasarmikatu 44, Helsinki: 1 star (owners Pekka Terävä and Petri Lukkarinen) http://www.olo-restaurant.com/home.html

Postres, Eteläesplanadi 8, Helsinki: 1 star (owners Samuli Wirgentius and Jari Liimatta) http://www.postres.fi/

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Bib Gourmand restaurants are:

Farang, Ainonkatu 3, Helsinki

Gaijin, Bulevardi 6, Helsinki – (new)

Grotesk, Ludviginkatu 8-10, Helsinki

La Table, Lönnrotinkatu 27, Helsinki (new location)

Solna, Solnantie 26, Helsinki

Interesting is that Farang and Gaijin have now both Bid Gourmand (excellent price/quality ratio) logos; both owned by chefs Tomi Björk and Matti Wiberg.  Also interesting is that Grotesk, owned by same chefs as Demo, got Bid Gourmand logo. First time same owners have two restaurants in Michelin Guide.

http://www.viamichelin.com/web/Restaurants#resultSearch@address=&merge=Helsinki&sK=1792&sejour=&michelin=false&arrivaldate=&nights=&people=


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