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Restaurant review: Grotesk Winebar – but not grotesque at all

11 10 2013

Name Grotesk for restaurant may sound odd especially in Swedish, but regarding reader’s votes in local wine magazine, Viinilehti, it has the best wine bar in Helsinki and 2nd best in Finland.
After this review we also have new reijosfood.com leader in Helsinki, rankings can be found on page “Restaurant reviews – rankings”.

Restaurant Grotesk is fine dining restaurant with affordable prices and relaxed athmosphere located in Ludviginkatu 10. Guide Michelin has granted Bib Gourmand -rating to Grotesk Meatbar as a proof of good value for money and it is partly owned by same the chef’s as Michelin star restaurant Demo.

Instead of Meatbar we visited Grotesk Winebar, which has 3 small dining rooms and enjoyed 8 tapas dishes with wines chosen by sommelier Pekka Koiranen. And what a fireworks; you seldom see so many rare prestige delights one after the other.

First two portions were served with semi-dry Chenin Blanc 2007 from Loire. Was a little bit skeptic about semi-dry white wine but it did not differ much from dry. Perfect choice for both two first portions.

Dinner started with Oyster with tapioca and pomegranate. Oyster was easy to eat and had enough citrus acidity. Then we were served Foie gras with briosse, beetroot pyre and mustard ice cream. If you happen to like foie gras (it is not everyones favourite for many reasons) you would like this combination. Mustard ice cream was excellent realization.

Next two portions were served with dry Riesling from Austria. Totally different sense of taste due to minerals and acidity but well chosen white wine for next dishes.

Smoked scallop with quinoa plate was brought in covered by smoking glass vase which was upside down. When the vase was lifted enjoyable smell of smoke surrounded plate. Pity that I was not prepared to take a photo. Whitefish with red pepper crumb smelted in mouth, it was like mince as it was so soft. Both portions were superb!

First red wine served was Pinot Noir; medium-bodied with light red color.

Next delicacy with Pinot Noir was Sweetbread with black trumpet mushroom and shiitake. Sweetbread was perfectly cooked and fungus paired nicely with it. After that came Pork belly with cabbage. Some at the restaurant really did eat the pork lard but we did not, otherwise portion was excellent.

Forth wine and second red wine was full-bodied andwell balanced Garnache from Spain. Again perfect choise to complement the taste of pleasure.

Quail legs were eaten with fingers. It would have been impossible to remove delicious and crisp meat with fork and knife. Tapas dinner was ended with Chicken liver which was yammy and well prepared. 8 tapas is not too much and they cost 44 €, affordable compared to quality and layout of portions.

Grotesk Winebar earns 5- for overall grade because of ambitious set of voluptuous portions with affordable prices. Portions are really small but give you a chance to taste eats which usually are available in Michelin star restaurants but at much more higher prices. Our dinner took 3,5 hours, so restaurant is not fast food place. You really have time to enjoy the food and the wines or the wines and the food depending how you want to stress your dinner.

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

http://www.grotesk.fi/en/winebar-2/

Comments : 7 Comments »
Tags: Bib Gourmand, Demo, food, Grotesk, Guide Michelin, Helsinki, Oyster, Pork belly, quail, Restaurant Grotesk, restaurant review, scallop, Sweetbread, tapas, Whitefish, Wine
Categories : Bar, Food, Helsinki, Restaurant, Restaurant review, Travel, Wine, Wine review

Restaurant review: Bocca (Estonia)

2 02 2013

Have visited at restoran Bocca several years ago when it was one of the first “gourmet” restaurants in Tallinn. Restaurant Magazine UK placed already in year 2003 Bocca as number 15 amongst the 50 of the worlds most prestigious and respected restaurants. Restaurant focuses on Italian kitchen serving traditional foods in its own way. 2012 restoran Bocca was ranked 8th best restaurant in Tallinn.

Restaurant is located in Old Town. It has dining room, bar and private room. Restrooms were interesting experience already first time. Which part of restrooms to choose, small picture with signs?

At 0645PM restaurant was empty, we were the first customers. At 0800 it was almost full, biggest group were Norwegians. If you like music song by Michael Buble, Canadian singer, you are at the right place!

For starters enjoyed Grilled giant prawns tals with melon, rocket-pesto sauce and green salad and Scallop and king prawn with asparagus in delicate white wine and ginger sauce.

Both dishes were excellent. Best part of scallops and king prawns was the sauce, really delicious. Had to use bread in order to eat all of it from the plate.

Main courses were difficult to choose because of many delicious choices, but decided to order Grilled royal seabream seasoned with red chilli in mushroom sauce and Oven roasted wild dove, potatoes topped with Gorgonzola and vegetables in a black truffle sauce.

Seabream was grilled as such which is always best way to prepare fish. Would have prefered side dish to be included, now portion was quite “lonely” as we asked to replace mushroom sauce with something else. Wild dove was great, small legs were a little bit chewy, though.

For dessert had always so tasty Italian “cake” Tiramisu and Saffron flavoured pear stewed in white wine with Drambuie liqueur sauce.

Tiramisu was not cake as it usually is but it really was tasty. Waiter first brought only spoon which made wonder what kind of dessert is coming? Served in Martini glass and experience was perfect. Whole pear tasted also scrumptious.

Dinner ended with green tea, biggest portion ever seen, must have been 1 litre and espresso and grappa. Ready to pay and leave.

Food was delicious but service was maybe not at the same level prices would let you expect. But best Italian restaurant in Tallinn does not let you down. Photo galleries on the walls are also worth to look closer, click picture and zoom.

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

http://www.bocca.ee/?action=page.main

Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: grappa, italian restaurant, King prawn, Michael Buble, Restoran Bocca, scallop, seabream, Tallinn, Tiramisu, wild dove
Categories : Food, Restaurant, Restaurant review, Travel, Wine

Restaurant review: Brasserie Kämp

7 08 2012

Hotel Kämp is a historical hotel in Helsinki. The hotel was originally built in 1887 by Carl Kämp. The building was demolished and the facade was rebuilt in 1965. The headquarters of the bank KOP were situated in the building for almost three decades, until 1995. A major restoration project, started in 1996, culminated in the reopening of Hotel Kämp in 1999 as a Luxury Collection property of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. A shopping centre, Kämp Galleria, was also opened within the same city block. All rock and pop stars spend their nights in Hotel Kämp. Last week Bruce Springsteen, the Boss, was there.

Dining at Hotel Kämp gives a possibility on a culinary journey from East to West. Eastern food is offered in restaurant YUME , where you can enjoy modern Asian hawkers- and finger food with a Modern Asian Temptations -concept. Brasserie Kämp offers a wide range of European food brasserie style and Kämp Bar offers you the unique cocktails; in fact mainly champagne, wine and beer which customers usually order. Bar is also very popular on Friday and Saturday evenings. You can also enjoy Sunday brunch at Brasserie Kämp. After building heated terrace a year ago you can dine “outside” all year around like in many brasseries in Paris. In the 2nd floor there used to be a la carte restaurant Signe for almost one year but it did not seem to exist anymore.

A la carte list is short which makes ordering easy, if you find suitable dish. Recommend to order gourmet “fast food” like salad or hamburger which is really luxorious. Especially French fries are maybe the best in the city.

Wanted to challenge kitchen and decided to order for starters ARTICHOKE RISOTTO Goat Gryere flavoured artichoke risotto rucola and SALMON CARPACCIO AND SCALLOPS Red Grapefruit vinegrette flavoured Salmon Carpaccio and fried Scallops with Asparagus salad and Le Grûyère AOC cheese. Taste of risotto was ok but quite mild. Main problem was wetness, it was like soup which risotto’s usually are not. Smelt cheese or lots of olive oil; difficult to taste. Scallops were perfectly fried as they were not like gum ball’s. Unfortunately not any more hot as they shoud be. Salmon carpaccio is always delicious.

For main courses ordered CATCH OF THE DAY Fresh Fish of the Day which was Whitefish and season vegetables and Cord-fed Chicken Grilled Corn-Fed chicken served with Pumpkin puree and Barley, Madeira Sauce. Whitefish was roasted with professional way which enabled to eat also skin of the fish. Almost half of the season vegetables included lentils, maybe not so seasonal. Chicken was great, not too dry and pumpkin puree was delicious. Barley should be used more often in dishes as it was used in Wanha Makasiini few days earlier.

You could order cakes from the cake trolley but was too full. Green tea and coffee served from luxorious set of dishes ended dinner with glamour.

Brasserie and Cafe Kämp is perfect location to observe passers-by on Esplanadi promenade. You can also watch swanky cars parked front of Hotel Kämp or driving to the hotel garage.

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

http://www.hotelkamp.com/brasseriekampbareng

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Tags: bar, Barley, brasserie Kämp, carpaccio, chicken, Esplanadi, fine dining, Kämp, Kämp Glleria, lavaret, review, risotto, rucola, scallop, Signe, terrace, Whitefish, Wine, Yume
Categories : Restaurant, Wine

Restaurant review: Gastone

1 07 2012

Note! Kitchen under construction until Christmas 2012!

Restaurant Gastone represents Italian kitchen with style. It is privately owned one of the best Italian restaurants in Helsinki. In the summer one can dine at the small terrace. Inside tables are quite close to each other and at busiest time it might be quite noisy.

Home made bread with olive oil is always served as soon one has placed the order. Wide selecion of Italian wines to choose from the wine list.

For starters ordered Carpaccio organic beef carpaccio with parmesan cheese and aioli and Capesante marinate al lime e gamberi tigre Lime marinated Scallop, Grilled Tiger Prawn and Aioli. Carpaccio was tender and but not frozen as it might sometime be. Would have changed aioli to plain olive oil. Scallops are better when they are fried, prawns were a little bit too salty.

For main courses Pasta del pescatore Fresh Linguine Pasta with Tiger Prawns, Octopussy, Garlic and Herbs and Arrosto di Salmerino con sughetto di zafferano Roasted Arctic Char, saffron Broth and Fennel. For the fish ordered one of the four available side dishes Patate novelle alla Gastone Gastone Summer Potatoes.
Pasta was delicious though it was a little bit over cooked. Fish portion included also onion which was not listed and neither waitress mentioned about it when asked. Archtic Char was also a little bit over roasted.