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Copas y Tapas – Finnish food & Spanish wines

18 11 2016

Restaurant Copas y Tapas is one of the best Finnish food restaurants in Helsinki. The name might be a bit misleading, but allmost all ingredients and dishes are Finnish. What is unique Spanish, are the wines, which are usually from small Spanish producers.

As have visited at Copas y Tapas several times, this post is not typical review. The idea is to clarify that restaurant serves Finnish food dispite the name. What is also remarkable that most of the ingredients come from local or small producers, which usually are listed when dishes are served to the tables.

Menu of the Day costs 49€. You can choose from four different main course; fish, vegetarian and usually from two meat options. Usually one meat dish is a little bit more expensive due to ingredient. Restaurant also prepares vegan versions. Recommend to ask for that when making reservation and you can enjoy delicious set of dishes.

Starters always include three bites, usually delicious soup and two other small dishes.

This time pictures tell more than writing. If you would like to know more about dishes, please ask.

Usually let waiters to choose wines which pair with dishes.

This time had for aperitif Raventos i Blanc, nice and bubbly cava http://www.raventos.com/

For main courses recommendations were Laderas de Leonila with beetroots and Altos Iberico with ragu. Both wines matched perfectly with food.

Digestive or dessert drink was Gramona Gra a Gra from pinot noir grapes. Already favourite from last visits.

If you are interested in wines at Copas y Tapas you can always hear short lecture of wine origins, procuder and wine itself. Restaurant start to import themselves wines next spring, which sounds fascinating.

As Copas y Tapas is family run business, you can see it in the service. Extremely polite but natural.

This time shall only give overall points which is 5 without no hesitation.

http://www.en.copasytapas.fi/

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Tags: Copas y Tapas, Restaurant Copas y Tapas, spanish wines, vegan
Categories : Food, Food and Wine, Helsinki, Restaurant, Restaurant review, Travel, Wine

Restaurant review: Hard Rock Cafe Helsinki

5 11 2016

Hard Rock Cafe Helsinki was established in October 15, 2012. It’s location is excellent, opposite to Stockmann Department store by Aleksi street. Dining room and bar are at the 2nd floor and shop at the 1st floor.

All restaurants must develop their operations in order to attract new customers and keep existing. Visited HRC in October 2016, when they had special vegetarian menu. Hard Rock Cafe Helsinki was celebrating Vegetarian Awareness Month by expanding its legendary menu offerings and introducing brand new limited-time meatless options.

For starters there were no vegan options available, so ordered only main courses.

Vegan main course was KEFTA BURGER A house made burger of potato, shiitakes, portabellas, balsamic glaze, barley, thyme and seasonings served on a burger bun with a sriracha hummus, arugula and tomato.

It is now easier to find vegetarian/vegan options in restaurants in the Helsinki area. It was a nice option having a vegan burger made from other ingredients than lentils or chick peas. The burger was juicy, and hummus was a good addition to the dressing.

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For meat dish ordered ORIGINAL LEGENDARY® BURGER Topped with smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, golden fried onion ring, crisp lettuce and vine-ripened tomato.

Every half-pound burger (225g) is made with HRC proprietary blend of premium grade beef. Grilled medium well and served on toasted brioche with seasoned fries.

Must say that quality and taste of burger had improved a lot compared to last visit. Burger itself was enough “moist”, couple of times it had been quite dry making it almost difficult to eat. Also fries were well prepared, big enough not to be over cooked.

For wine had young 35 South Organic Cabernet-Carmenère-Merlot 2015. Wine was full-bodied, medium tannic, with blackcurrant and blueberry notes. For vegeterian month organic wine suited well.

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Below is a picture of Vegetarian Menu. It could easily become part of the regular menu as they did a great job at putting the menu together.

Hard Rock Cafe chain is quite successful because of concept and food (if you do not dislike that kind of dishes). Service is quick and polite and always chance to practice english.

Once there was even Planet Hollywood in Helsinki, but global restaurant concept did not survive.

O’Learys has established restaurant in the capital area. Tries to serve similar food with sports concept. But unfortunately food is not at the level what HRC can offer

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

Some examples of decoration….

http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes3/menu.aspx?LocationID=627&MIBEnumID=3

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Tags: Hard Rock Cafe Helsinki, HRC, organic, vegan, vegetarian
Categories : Bar, Food, Food and Wine, Helsinki, Restaurant, Travel, Wine

Restaurant review: Gaijin – re-visit

19 09 2016

“Gaijin” is Japanese word meaning “non Japanese” or “alien”. Restaurant has been extremely popular from the date it was established, which means you must prepare to reserve table enough early. Easiest you get the table at 17.00 ro after 20.00. Before eight, you have 2,5 hours time to dine which is common nowadays in trendy and busy restaurants. There is also possibility to eat in the small bar, but tables are not actually meant for eating due to height.

Decided on third visit again to trust on chef’s skills and ordered tasting menu, MENU GAIJIN and VEGE, which you can also get as vegan version. But before eating tasted aperitives like Gaijin Martini which was really refreshing and tasty drink. Not os strong as martini’s usuallu are, but that was not a problem at all.

Gaijin menu included following dishes:

MUSSEL & YUZU HONEY

green shell mussel, yuzu-honey dressing, seaweed caviar

PORK BUN

pork belly, kimchi mayonnaise, pickled cucumber, soft bread

SASHIMI TASTING

selection of sashimi, roe, wasabi-yuzu dressing, wakami, wasabi mayonnese

SASHIMI PRAWN, FOIE & ROASTED ALMOND “NIGIRI”

Tigerprawn “nigiri”, foie gras, truffle, teriayki rice, almond snow

ROASTED “SAIKYO MISO” SALMON & CAULIFLOWER

‘saikyo’-miso marinated salmon, cauliflower, truffle, dashi emulsion, bonito

BABY BACK PORK RIBS

pork ribs, soy mirin caramel, togarashi

SEARED SCALLOP & X.O

seared scallops, rare chinese X.O. dressing dressing, X.O. mayonese, crispy garlic, seaweed caviar

GAIJIN TONKATSU PARTY

grispy fried pork, salad leafs, Japanese pickles, Gaijin’s kimchi, sesame dressing, chilli paste, brown butter mayonnese

PUMPKIN & LICORICE

pumpkin & almond cake, licorice ice-cream, pistachio and vanilla creme anglaise, licorice cream, licorice marengue

You could order matching wines, but decided to have red wine, Antonutti, from Merlot grapes. Colorful label on the bottle. Wine itself is quite basic but paired well with all dishes enjoyed.

Most of the wines are quite expensive except few “table wines” like Antonutti. On the other hand asian fusion food does not require vintage wines as the taste of wine disappears under the spices and herbs.

Instead of describing and reviewing all dishes, I summarize dining experience.

All dishes were delicious and savory. The whole menu, when it comes to taste, was better than last time I ate it. More spices were used and if you look at the partly rare ingredients, combining them to different dishes, was briallianty done.

Could have given even litter better grade for FOOD, but using only pork for 3 different meat dishes menu included, lowered the grade. Last time also chicken and lamb was used.

VEGE version was also excellent. Maybe later will post a review about it.

Restaurant Gaijin is cozy and relaxing place to eat as all 4 restaurants which are owned by same chef’s.

Service is great as you could expect although the spaces between tables are narrow. Ingredients of all dishes are opened up every time although remembering all of them must not be easy.

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

http://gaijin.fi/?lang=en

Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: asian food, Boulevard Social, Bronda, Farang, Gaijin, vegan
Categories : Food, Food and Wine, Helsinki, Restaurant, Restaurant review, Travel, Wine

Restaurant review: Gaijin – re-visit

18 09 2016

Gaijin menu included following dishes:

MUSSEL & YUZU HONEY

green shell mussel, yuzu-honey dressing, seaweed caviar

PORK BUN

pork belly, kimchi mayonnaise, pickled cucumber, soft bread

SASHIMI TASTING

selection of sashimi, roe, wasabi-yuzu dressing, wakami, wasabi mayonnese

SASHIMI PRAWN, FOIE & ROASTED ALMOND “NIGIRI”

Tigerprawn “nigiri”, foie gras, truffle, teriayki rice, almond snow

ROASTED “SAIKYO MISO” SALMON & CAULIFLOWER

‘saikyo’-miso marinated salmon, cauliflower, truffle, dashi emulsion, bonito

BABY BACK PORK RIBS

pork ribs, soy mirin caramel, togarashi

SEARED SCALLOP & X.O

seared scallops, rare chinese X.O. dressing dressing, X.O. mayonese, crispy garlic, seaweed caviar

GAIJIN TONKATSU PARTY

grispy fried pork, salad leafs, Japanese pickles, Gaijin’s kimchi, sesame dressing, chilli paste, brown butter mayonnese

PUMPKIN & LICORICE

pumpkin & almond cake, licorice ice-cream, pistachio and vanilla creme anglaise, licorice cream, licorice marengue

You could order matching wines, but decided to have red wine, Antonutti, from Merlot grapes. Colorful label on the bottle. Wine itself is quite basic but paired well with all dishes enjoyed.

Instead of describing and reviewing all dishes, I summarize dining experience.

Could have given even litter better grade for FOOD, but using only pork for 3 different meat dishes menu included, lowered the grade. Last time also chicken and lamb was used.

VEGE version was also excellent. Maybe later will post a review about it.

Restaurant Gaijin is cozy and relaxing place to eat as all 4 restaurants which are owned by same chef’s.

Service is great as you could expect although the spaces between tables are narrow. Ingredients of all dishes are opened up every time although remembering all of them must not be easy.

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

http://gaijin.fi/?lang=en

Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: asian food, Boulevard Social, Bronda, Farang, Gaijin, vegan
Categories : Food, Food and Wine, Helsinki, Restaurant, Restaurant review, Travel, Wine

Restaurant review: Holiday

21 08 2016

Restaurant Holiday is lively neighbourhood restaurant, bar and summer terrace, located on Katajanokka island. Building is old and siuates just below Cathedral of Uspensk. Spot was established by same group as The Cock and it operates under Royal Ravintolat new concept. This means that founders are responsible for running the business. Holiday’s kitchen serves seasonal menu with seafood, fresh fish from the nearby market and modern veggie dishes. Notice that meat dishes are not available.

Menu and wine list are quite short which makes ordering easy. It is worth to check also cocktail menu as they are also innovative.

White fish was under the vegetables, new asian fusion way to prepare spiced lavaret. However, taste of fish disappeared under excotic ingredients but it it always good to see innovative cooking. Close to ceviche type of starter, which seems to be popular in trendy restaurants.

As other starter ordered from Garden Greens Fried sweet potato | mayo-zu | tomato

Crispy, and perfectly seasoned fries. The tomato sauce was not your regular sauce; it was cooked with garlic, and other spices that gave it a rich flavor. The mayo was left out for a vegan option.

For one main course had from Fisherman’s catch Soft shell crabs | Tokyo gold | mayo-zu | sushi rice | furikake.

Whole crabs were well prepared, crispy and tasty. You must like furikake (Japanese seasoning) in order to enjoy the whole dish as it is part of it. And look at the flower!

A full of flavor bowl. The tofu is perfectly fired, and other additions like ginger, not added to the list of ingredients, give this dish even more flavor.

For wine had Spanish El Gallito from Merlot grapes. Merlot is not so typical grape in Spain and wines are usually quite light as this one too.

You can watch chef’s working in open kitchen. Small space requires seamless teamwork.

Vegan food has quite remarkable role in restaurant Holiday and it tasted good. Dishes are imaginative and also well prepared.

When weather is good terrace is one of the most popular in Helsinki. When sun shines it is difficult to find free seat or table. Also dining room is very popular and one interesting detail was that 80% of the customers inside were women. Maybe the lack of meat on the menu is the reason?

When dining inside prepare for noise because DJ is playing music quite loud which makes diners raise more they voices when speaking over the table.

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

http://holiday-bar.fi/

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Tags: El Gallito, Katajanokka, Restaurant Holiday, Restaurant Holiday Bar, vegan
Categories : Bar, Food, Food and Wine, Helsinki, Restaurant, Restaurant review, Travel, Wine

Restaurant review: Roster Helsinki

13 08 2016

Roster is a Bar & Restaurant near Market Square opposite to statue of Havis Amanda. New concept replaced restaurants Sasso and Fishmarket in order to provide more trendy and casual way of fine dining. Chef Kari Aihinen and Paul Hickman and part of restaurant Savoy team established the restaurant and as it called Roster Helsinki, one can expect similar concept in some other cities.

You can drink aperitives in the bar before heading to tables upstairs or downstairs for dinner. One option is to book one of the three Chef’s Tables next to open kitchen and watch chef’s preparing food.

What makes Roster Helsinki attractive restaurant, if not already otherwise, is the pricing of wines. Wines are priced with fixed margin, which makes quality wines more affordable. Enjoyed Ned & Henry’s Shiraz 2013 from Hewitson. Usually this wine costs close to 100€ in most restaurants, but “only” 46,40€ in Roster. Wine paired well with all dishes, full-bodied with light spices.

For dinner ordered fish and vegan dishes. Was actually going to order Wagyu BBQ, but beef was fineshed.

To start with you get warm bread and with starters green salad without extra charge.

Fish starter was C.O.D Amanda Lemon verbena seasoned cod, capers and clam crème.

Usually spiced “raw” fishes are salmon and whitefish, but cod suits perfectly for same purpose, when it is prepared like C.o.d Amanda.

Fish main course was Mrs. Pulpo Grilled octopus, Romesco sauce, avocado and chickpeas. Pulpo is difficult to prepare after octopus has been frozen. It becomes soft and loses it’s crispness, which was partly the case in M.r.s Pulpo. However, sauce and add ons were delicious and paired well with octopus, as well as Ned & Henry’s.

Vegan starter was Grilled Salad Grilled baby gem lettuce, tomato, avocado and jalapeno mayonnaise.

The lettuce was too soft, but the dressing, which was replaced by a vinagrette to make the vegan option, saved this dish.

Vegan main course was BOND Special Fried cauliflower, coriander and peanuts.

This is the only vegan option in the menu. A big head of cauliflower covered in too much peanut butter sauce. Not the most creative vegan dish.

Before dinner had visited restaurant terrace and enjoyed lunch. You could choose small dishes one by one but chose to taste all of them Bit’s and Bites. You could also call this tapas or antipasti.

Two type of cheeses, grilled sweet pepper, spiced whitefish, foie gras and sausage/olive bowl were excellent. Dish also included roasted almonds and pop corn, but could have survived without those. Suitable separately with beer, but not so matching with Pinot Noir red wine.

Roster Helsinki is combination of fine dining in casual athmosphere. Dishes are ambitious and their names entertaining.

Overall grade is 4+ because of pricing of wines. That way should be more common and would definately attract customers to explore better wines they would not usually do at restaurants.

REVIEW (FISH): FOOD 4/5 – SERVICE 4+/5 – OVERALL GRADE 4+/5

REVIEW (VEGAN): FOOD 2+/5

REVIEW (LUNCH): FOOD 4,5/5

https://rosterhelsinki.com/

Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: Roster, RosterHelsinki, vegan
Categories : Food, Food and Wine, Helsinki, Restaurant, Restaurant review, Travel, Wine

Restaurant review: Sunn

5 05 2016

Restaurant Sunn

Restaurant Sunn is located at the edge of the Senate Square, directly opposite to the Helsinki Cathedral. The name of old building is also called Sunn, which has inspired the naming of restaurant. The view from the second floor, where restaurant is, is one of the best in Helsinki.

Sunn is open every day of the week serving brunch on Weekends, lunch and dinner. This gives the traveler a chance to see all the festive seasons with the locals including Christmas, May Day and Midsummer.

Actual idea was to try dishes from dinner a la carte menu, as there was also some interesting vegan options. But instead of a la carte, restaurant served May Day Eve buffet “Let’s party”. Should have guessed that because of the special day.

Starter buffet included many goodies, but as vegan choises were limited, restaurant served special starter edition to the table. Duck breast, curry chicken, salads and cheeses had main roles.

The vegan starters were: Cabbage and broccoli, beet root and spinach, asparagus, cherry tomatoes and strawberries, and tofu and potatoes. The tastier was the one with strawberries. This mixture worked well together. The tofu and potatoes was missing something; some salt would’ve added enough flavor to this dish.

Main courses, 3 options, were served to the table. Chose Whitefish ”Monte” with asparagus, cauliflower and spring onion sauce and pimped version of Asparagus, fried mushrooms and truffle-boletus foam.

As it is asparagus time, all main courses included that vegetable.

“Monte” might mean hill or mountain as dish was placed in layers on the plate, or not? However, fish was excellent, cooked as it should. Sauce tasted delicious and paired nicely with whitefish.

Tofu can be paired with about anything, but in this case the combination was a bit bland.

Dinner included also dessert buffet which included different type of cakes. As it did not offer so many vegan choises, also got one portion to the table.

Remember to ask window table and you can enjoy of one of the best views in Helsinki. Part of the windows open to narrow side street, so try to get table by window which opens to the Senate Square.

Senate Square

Buffet was average although the name was fancy, “Let’s party”. If you compare it to many other buffet’s available during May Day time, you could eat similarly everywhere.

Would be interested in to try a la carte, which was the original intention and still is in the plans.

Service was good and especially serving one starter and dessert to the table made it even better.

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

http://ravintolasunn.fi/restaurant/

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Tags: buffet, Helsinki Cathedral, May Day, Restaurant Sunn, Senate Square, Sunn, vappu, vegan
Categories : Food, Food and Wine, Helsinki, Restaurant, Restaurant review, Travel, Wine

Restaurant review: Grön

25 03 2016

The idea behind Grön, which was opened in November 2015, was to create tasty, focused, plant-based and inspiring food that concentrates on high-quality ingredients. All this is prepared in an atmosphere that should make guests feel relaxed, happy and welcome.

Restaurant offers a small selection of à la carte dishes as well as a four course “Grön Menu”. The food is based on seasonal, organic, wild and the Scandinavian produce.

The name Grön (Green) also means that vegan and vegetarian dishes should be in major role. With only about 20 seats, Grön is one of the smallest restaurants in Helsinki. Therefore, with growing popularity, it is wise to reserve table in time.

For starters had vegan ones, Beetroot with beetroot leaves, woodruff flavours and beetroot broth and Broad beans “Nordic hummus”, seeds, sprouts and fermented buckwheat bread.

The idea of serving beetroot in different formats sounds brilliant but the uppermost taste was raw root. Dish was also quite difficult to eat due to long beetroot slices and big salad leaves after broth was poured on the vegetables. Must be careful not to splash red color on clothes.

Nordic hummus consistency was more like mashed potatoes. Not very tasty. What made this dish worth ordering was the buckwheat bread. The consistency of this bread was very meaty; hard to believe it was bread.

For main courses had Smoked chicken with onion, jerusalem artichokes and a sauce of roasted chicken skins and as vegetarian option Celeriac cooked in grain crust with grain “porridge” and hazelnut.

Smoked chicken was cooked properly as it was not dry. Also the taste of sauce was perfect and paired well with vegetables. The amount of potatoes was bounteous and partly concealed the taste of artichokes.

The main course…..Seeing the word “porridge” in quotation marks, made it sound like it would be porridge like, not actual porridge. To make things worse, the consistency was more like baby food. If you’re vegan, make sure to ask to leave the cheese out. It is not included in the list of ingredients, but it was mentioned by the waiter that it was what “made the dish”.

Restaurant has separate wine list in a small notebook and you could enjoy vintage wines, but the prices are not so affordable. Decided to order from “standard” list organic Marcosaras’s Chiopperttino, which tasted like a combination of cigar box and sheep stables. Very organic, very original would say.

Restaurant Grön is trendy place and it’s chef Toni Kostian was chosen as chef of the year at Gastro Fair in Helsinki on 18th March 2016. Gastro arranged competition between cook’s. As restaurant is small, one interesting detail of taking advantage of all facilities, is wine cabinet in toilet.

Service was polite and easy-going. When it comes to food, unique dishes and way to prepare them will keep restaurant busy for many months to come.

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

http://www.restaurantgron.com/

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Tags: Grön, Marcosara, organic, Restaurant Grön, vegan, vegetarian
Categories : Food, Food and Wine, Helsinki, Restaurant, Restaurant review, Travel, Wine

Restaurant review: The Mess

18 03 2016

The Mess claims to be the living room of the Mothership of Work (MoW) working space collective. MoW is recently opened co-working hub for creative companies and individuals. Restaurant The Mess, which was officially opened on the 4th of March 2016, serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and keeps doors open late night. Role models for concept come from New York.

Entrance divides restaurant in two spaces, bar/dining room with kitchen and second dining room. As music is played quite loud and if you only come to eat, second dining room might feel better.

Dinner menu is quite short which applies to wine list too. The Mess stresses that it has taken into account special diets as well as vegan choices. Therefore, post includes review of tasted vegan dishes.

For starter ordered HOD DOG Spiced pork sausage, red onoin jam, sauerkraut

Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: organic, Restaurant The Mess, The Mess, vegan
Categories : Bar, Cafe, Food, Food and Wine, Helsinki, Restaurant, Restaurant review, Travel, Wine

Reijosfood

Copas y Tapas – Finnish food & Spanish wines

Restaurant review: Hard Rock Cafe Helsinki

Restaurant review: Holiday

Restaurant review: Roster Helsinki

Restaurant review: Sunn

Restaurant review: Grön

Restaurant review: The Mess

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