Burger King opened 2nd restaurant in Helsinki – it happened again

22 02 2014

Have Helsinki resident’s missed Burger King so much, they have to queue up for hamburgers?

First Burger King was opened opposite the Stockmann department store on the 13th of Dec, 2013. What happened (click the link)?

http://www.metro.fi/uutiset/a1392272604404

Second Burger King was opened on the 14th January 2014 at Helsinki Central railway station, what happened then (click the link)?

http://www.metro.fi/uutiset/a1387800585624

Actually I like a lot of well-made burgers and crispy french fries, examples from Hard Rock Cafe Helsinki and Pirate Helsinki.

Hamburger at Hard Rock Cafe Helsinki - reijosfood.comHamburger at Pirate - reijosfood.com

But gosh! No more about this matter……


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Categories : Food, Helsinki, Restaurant, Travel

Man v Food in Helsinki

26 02 2013

You may have heard about Travel Channel restaurant TV-series Man v Food? http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/man-v-food

Or even watched it? Here is one You Tube example of the show, if you are not familiar what this is all about:

There are couple of restaurants in Helsinki which could offer challenge for Man v Food competition. One of the few is Restaurant Sports Academy, name tells you everything, it is a sports restaurant. Big screens and lots of sports stuff. Restaurant has on their a la carte list a hamburger which has quite nice name:

JÄRKÄLE (BOULDER) – WALL OF FAME

8 pcs 180g house burger steaks, fried and smoked bacon, warm cheddar sauce, grilled pineapple, onion rings and thaislaw salad

T’s & C’s of this challenge: Eat this giant alone in one day without leaving restaurant. Staff acts as a referee. If you win your name will be immortalized on Wall of Fame and you get your Giant for free.

If you really want to try “Man v Food” challenge and eat almost 1,5kg meat in this restaurant, web address is http://www.sportsacademy.fi/menu.html


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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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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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Ice Hockey World Championship 2012 at HARTWALL-AREENA

8 05 2012

Finland, world ice hockey champion from the last year, hosts together with Sweden 2012 games. Picture in the stamp presents one of the greatest goals in ice hockey history. With the puck suction-cupped on, Mikael Granlund brought his stick up and used the crossbar to scrape the puck off. It dropped behind a stunned Russian goalie.  See also You Tube video.

Update: unfortunately no medal this year. Russia won this time, congratulations!

Games in Finland are played at HARTWALL-AREENA in Helsinki. One gets easily hungry watching games but there are plenty of opportunities to dine or have a quick snack. HARTWALL-AREENA has following restaurants from which one could choose for example:

Platinum, fine dining restaurant with a la carte or buffet dining rooms. Trendy and cozy restaurant offers a modern and international menu. Golden Star Cafe, cozy and multifunctional restaurant with a bar. Silver Star Cafe, newly renovated place offering also lunch everyday. Cave restaurant, which is built into the rock; mainly for private occasions. There are also couple of fast food restaurants/cafes/bars.

Ub

http://www.hartwall-areena.com/en/index.php?id=64

All restaurants at Hartwall-Areena are operated by Restel Event Restaurants

http://www.tapahtumaravintolat.fi/en_GB/home

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THE goal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRROpiNAvPw

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BTW, Lady Gaga will perform at HARTWALL-AREENA on 27th and 28th August. Tickets for first concert were sold out right away; for 28th concert, tickets are available from 15th May.


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Restaurant review: Teatterin Grilli

1 05 2012

Restaurant Teatteri is one of the most popular places to spend evening in Helsinki night life or to relax at the terrace on warm summer day. Complex consists of dining room Teatterin Grilli, night club, two bars (Kellobaari and Teatteribaari), popular terrace and self-service wine & deli cafe. Decor is modern including pictures/paintings; one can catch a glimpse of those in picture below.

Decided to dine this time on Labour Day or 1st of May Eve instead of having lunch on May Day which is typical lunch and picnic date for celebrating spring and studies.

Teatterin Grilli a la carte list is tempting; many savory dishes which makes difficult to decide what to order. Think I have eaten here best hamburger ever, TG burger, which includes chilli flavoured shrimp mayonnaise and country style potatoes. Would also say it was worth of price 19,10€.

This time ordered for starters Starter selection Creamy langoustine soup, salmon roasted with black pepper and slightly smoked deer which is well qualified combination of single starters and Salmon roasted with black pepper, marinated fennel and avocado crème.
Soup was best part of the selection of 3 starters, otherwise quite ordinary tastes. Nicely arranged on the plate, however.

For main courses ordered  Fried whitefish, puikula potatoes mashed with lemon butter and vendace roe sauce and Grilled halibut, fried salsify and parsley sauce.
 Both fishes were well prepared and cooking time was rightly calculated. One needs to take Side orders for these portions like Country style potatoes, otherwise one might stay hungry. Mashed potatoes were replaced by vegetables; kitchen is ready to make changes if needed.

For dessert had Cheese Plate; manchego, gouda and Peltola blue. Portion could have included fig or fig jam because it was quite dry but Peltola blue is always savory and glass of port wine made it easier to enjoy dining.

Teatterin Grilli is always popular, need to make table reservation in advance. Got email reply in few minutes which might be the record in confirming reservation. Little bit focus on taste of food and restaurant would earn full 4, because all other elements are in good shape.

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

http://www.teatteri.fi/gallery

http://www.teatteri.fi/teatterin-grilli


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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: 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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