Restaurant review: Rugosa

11 03 2018

Restaurant Rugosa was opened in January 2018 in Lauttasaari in one of the recently completed apartment buildings. The best part of Rugosa is that it takes only 10 minutes to walk there as it is located on the home island.

Specialities are charcoal grill and huge aquarium, which is only for viewing. Fishes are not used for cooking although there are fish dishes on a la carte list. Restaurant is open every day from noon until evening, but only weekends until 23.00.

Dinner starts with home made pita bread with hummus and tsatziki. Really delicious and can actually replace the starter as there is plenty of it.

Only vegan dish for starter is Salad a la Rugosa Naturel. For another starter ordered Blue cheese and Garlic Snails.

Salad was basic and fresh.

Snails were tasty, combination of cheese and butter with herbs made the dish excellent although there was nothing extraordinary. And there should not be as this is traditional starter. More pita bread which unfortunately is not the best bread to wipe hollows clean as it a bit hard.

For main courses ordered Falafels a la Rugosa and Charcoal grilled fillet steak.

Vegan option was nicely presented but falafels itselves were a bit dry. Although menu says that there is also vegan mayo option, restaurant had not yet made that.

Steak was tender as it should be. Waitress forgot to ask how it should be prepared; it was medium minus. Would have anyway liked medium plus ripeness. Mushroom sauce and potato cake supplemented meat. This ensamble made dish quite heavy, maybe grilled roots have been better choice.

For wine ordered house wine Portuguese AdegaMãe Pinta Negra Tinto 2016. Excellent quality/price ratio and definately best part of dinner.

Dining room is spacious but as Rugosa seems to be quite popular, best to make table reservation at least on Friday and Saturday evenings.

There is lots of potential to be the number one restaurant in Lauttasaari. Casa Mare and Blue Peter face now real competition which hopefully encourages them to further develop their businesses.

Portions look spectacular and they are big. Some fine tuning and food grade raises easily.

We did not plan to order aperitives but as nobody asked if we wanted, we sticked to wine.

Ragusa deserves 4 points for overall grade because of location. But as mentioned earlier restaurant have all odds to get higher.

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

http://www.rugosa.fi/

 

 





Restaurant review: Bistro Telakka in Lauttasaari

20 05 2017

Summer restaurant Bistro Telakka opened it’s doors just before MayDay. First warm weekend in Helsinki and had to have late lunch there. Telakka operates in the premises of Yacht Club Sinbad like Blue Peter in HSK. By the way, Telakka means shipyard in English.

Restaurant renews its menu every summer and this year it seemed to be very promising. More ambitious and more vegan versions.

For starters ordered Vietnamese summer rolls, ginger-sweet chili dressing. Extremely healthy version of so called spring rolls but as it is summer (almost), rolls were cold, not stir-fried as spring rolls usually are. Carrot dominated as filling and coriander as a taste. Promising start as said before about the menu.

Main courses enjoyed this time were Salmon and tiger prawn smoked at Telakka, asparagus, summer potatoes and lime hollandaise and Roasted Cauliflower Ras el Hanout, warm soy bean-millet salad, lemon yoghurt.

Fish dish looked luxorius as prawn was placed on top of salmon. Salmon was perfectly smoked, not too dry and very soft. Summer potatoes will hopefully be new ones when they are available because of the name. Fried potatoes are not that summery.

Ras el hanout or Rass el hanout is a spice mix from North Africa. It plays a similar role in North African cuisine as garam masala does in Indian cuisine.  Light and tasty dish perfect for a summer day, but it was more like a salad or a started dish when talking of the serving size.

Avarage price of wine bottle on short list is about 35€, which is really affordable concerning wine prices in Helsinki restaurants in general.

Telakka bistro - reijosfood.com

 

Telakka bistro is excellent supplementary dining place in Lauttasaari. Food is excellent when it comes to outlook and taste. With existing prices bistro is quite expensive compared to size of portions and the interior of restaurant.

Terrace outside tempts to dine outside but as May has been one of the coldest in Finland so far, one should have dine inside. We were lucky to have sunny afternoon and could eat at the terrace.

It is a little bit difficult to review service as you have to order from the bar inside. Portions are brought to the tables, no need to pick them by yourself.

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

http://www.bistrotelakka.fi/

 

 





Restaurant review: Blue Peter

25 10 2016

Blue Peter is situated on Lauttasaari island by Gulf of Finland 4 km from Helsinki city centre. In the summer time it is really popular due to large terraces and HSK sailing club members. Restaurant is open all year around hosting private events also in the winter time.

Had dinner in October on Friday. Because of Autumn vacations, restaurant was quite empty. On top of that windy weather might have reason for lack of customers.

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Menu changes nowadays enough often, which is good reason to visit nearby restaurant.

For starter ordered Spicy lobster soup by house and roasted brioche . Dish was delicious and tasted lobster, but meat pieces on the bottom of plate were pieces of crab. However, bull’s eye for soup!

Do not order sausages so often but decided to try House sausages with sauerkraut poultice and Jaloviina mustard. Basically dish would have been excellent, but as sausages were not enough warm = hot, had to decrease points. Additional side dish, sweet potato pyre, was tasty as well as sauerkraut.

Blue Peter is especially summer restaurant, but it does not mean, that in can be cozy also in the winter time.

Starterd earned 4 for Food, but main course dropped points.

But it is great that there is stylish dining place outside of Helsinki centre, because it is not easy to survive all year round. Especially in the summer one of the restaurants you should visit.

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

Eng

PS. click the link and check the video!





Restaurant review: Casa Mare – cozy bistro

9 03 2015

Zenato rose at Blue Peter - reijosfood.com

Restaurant Casa Mare is most popular all year round bistro in Lauttasaari. 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.

In the summer time terrace surrounds restaurant building, cozy place to dine if weather allows. There is also bar if you just want to have a beer or drink.

You do not actually need to order starters, if you settle for salad buffet. It is simple, few basic salads and home made bread, but always enjoyable. Also self made spread is a must with the bread.

Salad from Buffet at Blue Peter - reijosfood.com

For starters ordered Snacks Tiger shrimp marinated with garlic and chili, Pesto marinated shrimps and toasted bread as well as Parma ham and melon.

You get only one tiger shrimp, if you order that snack. A little bit difficult to share. On the other hand another snack included bunch of basic shrimps. Parma ham with melon is usually safe choice as it was at Casa Mare.

Snacks at Casa Mare - reijosfood.com

For main course had Chicken with goat cheese Chicken fillet, grilled goat cheese and Casa Mare pesto.

Basic portion with basic flavors but always enjoyable bistro dish.

With most of the main courses you have to choose side dish. Chose Honey seasoned root vegetables, which has always been delicious. Asked to leave onions from one portion away which succeeded easily.

Chicken and goat cheese at Blue Peter - reijosfood.com

Restaurant Casa Mare has one rose wine on their list and ordered that. Zenato Bardolino from Veneto, Italy is basic fruity rose wine and it pairs well with bistro type of food.

Service is always polite and quick although restaurant was full of customers. You can not make table reservation for small groups but usually you are able to get table. Have been lucky as we always dine by the window.

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

Restaurant Casa Mare lauttasaari, Helsinki – Place





Restaurant review: Blue Peter – all year round open yacht club

2 02 2014

Blue Peter - reijosfood.com

Blue Peter, covered by snow and ice, is a restaurant in Lappland…….Not exactly, but snowfall during the past 24 hours made me imagine so.

Blue Peter - reijosfood.com

Actually Blue Peter is situated on Lauttasaari island by Gulf of Finland 4 km from Helsinki city centre. In the summer time it is really popular due to large terraces and HSK sailing club members. Restaurant is open all year around hosting private events also in the winter time. On the evening we dined, there was a private party for 140 people. Not bad at all for summer restaurant.

For starters decided to order Smoked salmon mousse with malt bread and Thai-salmon soup from Soup and Salad menu, which ended the same day we dined.

Smoked salmon was more like hash than mousse because it was quite dry. Otherwise tasty starter. To add asian style spices to salmon soup is brilliant idea and must try also at home.

Smoked salmon mousse - reijosfood.comThai-salmon soup - reijosfood.com

Main courses were Reindeer fillet with game sauce and potato gratin and Whitefish, soy-ginger sauce and jasmin rice.

Reindeer was soft and tender and perfectly prepared. Potato gratin, I think, might have been more or less convenience food or not. Whitefish could have been fresher than it felt and sauce seemed to be more soy than ginger based. But whitefish is always delicious, choose it always if it is available in restaurant you eat.

Reindeer at Blue Peter - reijosfood.comWhitefish at Blue Peter - reijosfood.com

For desserts had to order the favourite one; Crepe with strawbarry jam and vanilla ice-cream. As the only lactose free dessert was sorbet we asked if kitchen could prepare something else and they did; Chocolate muffin with vanilla ice-cream.

Crepes are best in Helsinki, as I have stated in previous reviews, and can confirm it again. But pimped dessert was bull’s-eye, just baked muffin with ice-cream was really a sweet. We even suggested that restaurant should add it to their a la carte list. Let’s see if that will happen.

Crepe at Blue Peter - reijosfood.comMuffin and ice-cream at Blue Peter - reijosfood.com

For wine we had Weingut Liebfrauenstift Riesling QbA Trocken which is guaranteed safe choice. Suitable amount of acidity and minerals.

As you will get Geisha and/or Fazerin Sininen chocolate with coffee and bill that might be enough for dessert. Or nice take away to pamper yourself later.

Wine at Blue Peter - reijosfood.comCeisha chocolate - reijosfood.com

Blue Peter is especially summer restaurant but it does not mean that in can be cozy also in the winter time. Evening we visited there were decorations from past DTM, German Touring Car Masters, race in Helsinki. Wonder if there was some kind of remembrance earlier on coming next weekend?

???????????????????????????????Fireplace at Blue Peter - reijosfood.com

Desserts earned 4+ for Food but unevennes in starters and main courses dropped points. Our waitress forgot one of our orders, but as we got espresso and green tea for free, it corrected the event.

But it is great that there is stylish dining place outside of Helsinki centre because it is not easy to survive all year round. Especially in the summer one of the restaurants you should visit.

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

http://www.bluepeter.fi/articles/632/





Restaurant review: Pirate Helsinki – Christmas buffet

20 12 2013

Santa Claus - reijosfood.com

Traditional Finnish Christmas buffet usually includes freshly salted fishes, roes, Christmas ham, casseroles and rosolli (beetroot, pickled cucumber, apple, carrot and whipped cream). Restaurant Pirate Helsinki did not serve casseroles but instead of that many rare delicacy traditional dishes.

Pirate Helsinki served 5th time Christmas buffet in cozy and vivacious athmosphere. Silent Santa Claus welcomed guests next to the entrance.

Menu is unfortunately only in Finnish but it includes for instance herrings, roes, smoked fishes, game dishes and different type of roots. For dessert you can choose Finnish cheeses and sweet desserts.

Pirate Christmas menu - reijosfood.com

Only dish served to the table, first on the menu, was chestnut soup, which was delicious. Mulled wine, however was not the best one tasted, as it was partly based on Wana Tallin liqueur.

Chestnut soup - reijosfood.com

All other foods and dishes were on the buffet tables. Because of the wide selection of dishes available, I am not going to bore you by writing detailed description and review of each piece of food tasted. Instead, picture is worth of a thousand words.

Pirate buffet - reijosfood.comPirate buffet - reijosfood.comPirate buffet - reijosfood.comPirate buffet - reijosfood.com

Buffets can be insidious, you can eat too much and you notice it only after you have finished dinner. But if you decide just to taste small pieces of each food, then you can survive.

First plate: roes, freshly salted fish and herrings

Second plate: not picture but included warm fish dishes

Third plate: raindeer and elk with parsnip pyre and boletus stew

Fourth plate: Finnish cheeses

Fifth plate: gingerbreads, gingerbread cupcake, macaroni, marmalades and chcolates

Pirate - reijosfood.comPirate - reijosfood.comPirate - reijosfood.comPirate - reijosfood.com

Pirate manages well in serving Christmas buffet dinner. In the summer time going is more simple but as relaxed. Chef Markus Maulavirta was helping in the kitchen which could be seen in the high level of buffet. One + more for the overall grade if wine list would have been as luxorious as buffet. Three white and red wines do not necessarily pair with all available savory foods.

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

Santa Claus II - reijosfood.comMerry Christmas - reijosfood.com

http://www.pirate.fi/index.php?pinc=1&lng=joulu





Restaurant review: Blue Peter

18 10 2013

Restaurant Blue Peter is situated on Lauttasaari island 4 km from Helsinki city centre. In the summer time it is really popular due to large terraces and HSK sailing club members. Restaurant is open all year around hosting private events also in the winter time. Suggest to try it instead of hotel meeting rooms.

We had dinner outside of busy season.

For starter had Crayfish Skagen, which has always been excellent. Thick and juicy crayfish tails are better than basic shrimps and combined with well prepared topping, it is really mouth-watering delicacy. And the massive heap of crayfish is really prestige.

Blue Peter - reijosfood.com

For main course we ordered Salmon with dill-potato smash and herb oil. Fish was perfectly roasted but sweet potato (correction: it must have been pumpkin) did not match as well as carrots which the portion usually included. Balancing sweetnes for salty fish was missing.

Blue Peter - reijosfood.com

For dessert, of course, Crepe with Old fashioned ice-cream and strawberry jam. It would be convenient to have at least one choice of lactose-free or low-lactose ice-cream because suggested sorbet does not pair with delicious crepe. We also paid normal price for the portion although decided to order it without ice-cream. Crepe is propably best in Helsinki as mentioned in earlier post, but would also value if both of us could really enjoy it with all side dishes.

Blue Peter - reijosfood.com

Blue Peter is THE summer restaurant and therefore after busy season it might feel a little bit quiet. After combining bistro and a la carte menus, selection of portions have decreased. Sometimes it is good to focus on fewer choises, but now only warm fish available in seaside restaurant are vendaces. This may be partly because of game season as you can enjoy of elk and rabbit.

Waiting already for the next summer, sunshine, cold drinks and cheeese burger at the terraces and maybe surface renovation of the chairs at the dining area.

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

http://www.bluepeter.fi/articles/632/





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





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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