Well it's located is a shopping mall so it's quite impossible to be very impressive, but the value for money here is quite extraordinary. For 15 euro you can enjoy an all you can eat buffet including good quality spanish sausages, meet and ham, with juicy vegetables, mushrooms, salads, pasta and fruits. Before they also had warm meat dishes but then the price was more than 20euro, making it hard to compete with the near by restaurants. This way its conciderably cheaper but still offering very good quaity - even though not warm - ingredients.
What's quite neat here is the Spanish radio really flavouring up the atmosphere for those who know Spanish or have been influenced by the Spaniard lifestyle. Strangely the 10 flat screens around the bar show Italian Serie A instead of La Liga.
It's a neat restaurant to drop by if you already happened to enter the Flamingo shopping center, otherwise you might want to try the equivalent in the Helsinki center - even though the atmosphere there is very different from this one.
Taking the occasional single tapas here doesn't make much sense, since they are really expensive compared to the buffet - and you can find all of them part of the buffet anyway.
maanantai 21. helmikuuta 2011
Ravintola Tori, Frederikinkatu
The kitchen being not necessary always Finnish, this still is a very Finnish restaurant with a capital F for sure. The staff, the customers and the surrounding represents some of the best Finnsih dining fashion at the time. The feeling is trendy but far from posh, more appealing to every day streetwalker than a born in Eira eurojack. Its straightforward, a bit loud, and well liked by students and expats.
The menu changes weekly, but the chefs know what they are doing and like to change the list quite often. Even it's not place for the posh, the food is absolutely delicious. My favourite is the house burger, which is juicy and served with oven cooked potateos. Also the risottos hre are good, just like in Italy or Spain. And don't forget the freshly squeesed beetroot juice, or why not the more common but as good carrot juice.
Restaurant is recently renovated, but hasn't lost it's "traditional Tori" look and feel. Come here to dine, have a coffee or just chill and use the free wifi if you are a nerd like me.
Really some of the best value for money you can get in Helsinki. But don't bring you jealous type girlfriend here since the place is often packed with hot chics who aren't necessarily quiet or shy like the rest of the town...
The menu changes weekly, but the chefs know what they are doing and like to change the list quite often. Even it's not place for the posh, the food is absolutely delicious. My favourite is the house burger, which is juicy and served with oven cooked potateos. Also the risottos hre are good, just like in Italy or Spain. And don't forget the freshly squeesed beetroot juice, or why not the more common but as good carrot juice.
Restaurant is recently renovated, but hasn't lost it's "traditional Tori" look and feel. Come here to dine, have a coffee or just chill and use the free wifi if you are a nerd like me.
Really some of the best value for money you can get in Helsinki. But don't bring you jealous type girlfriend here since the place is often packed with hot chics who aren't necessarily quiet or shy like the rest of the town...
sunnuntai 30. tammikuuta 2011
Restaurant Kuu, Töölönkatu 27
This one is a traditional (in Finland a resaurant which has been in operation since 1966 is definately traditional) restaurant serving some very nice items from the Finnish cuisine. Unfortunately it comes with a price that makes you wonder if you really get value for your money, but if you don't have to worry about the declining euro and rising Chinese invasion, you can have a very enjoyable night here.
Don't expect to meet may local expats here, since the place is mostly occupied by the Finnish upper class, whatever that means in european standards. Rich or poor, Suomi suomalaisille, perkele.
Let's starts with a couple of starters. I get a deliciously but not too creamy salmon soup with onions and brown rye bread. Anyone with a Finnsih grandma can appreciate a well made kalakeitto, and this stuff is good indeed. My partner orders a jokirapuliemi, basically a soup made of the water used to boil river shrimps. You won't get the shrimps, but the liquid is stunningly good. 11 euro for boiled water can seem rather far scretched, but trust me it's worth it. The title for the most delicious fishsoup goes for this one easily!
For the main course I order some italian gnocchi with herbs and vegetables, and my partner in the meanwhile decides to just get a bottle of wine. It's better than ordering a bowl of vodka and no-one questions the order. However the waitress has no idea how to pronounce gnocchi, which puts a crack on an image of a resturant expecting to justify high prices with priceless quality. Learn some italian baby, it ain't difficile. But Kuu is boasting to be traditional Finnish restaurant, so who cares, they were probably made from Finnish potates anyway. Gnocchis were a bet greecy by the way.
The desserts put Kuu back to the high class category, the crema catalana and rasperry sorbets are good indeed. The service is convenient and you get your orders nicely and quickly. Table reservation is recommended, even though we were able to just pop in and get the last remaining table.
A big minus was the vomit smelling male bathroom. Playing Sibelius did not make up for it. Apart from that, its good dining overall, with menu yet to be fully explored. Slightly overpriced whatsoever.
Don't expect to meet may local expats here, since the place is mostly occupied by the Finnish upper class, whatever that means in european standards. Rich or poor, Suomi suomalaisille, perkele.
Let's starts with a couple of starters. I get a deliciously but not too creamy salmon soup with onions and brown rye bread. Anyone with a Finnsih grandma can appreciate a well made kalakeitto, and this stuff is good indeed. My partner orders a jokirapuliemi, basically a soup made of the water used to boil river shrimps. You won't get the shrimps, but the liquid is stunningly good. 11 euro for boiled water can seem rather far scretched, but trust me it's worth it. The title for the most delicious fishsoup goes for this one easily!
For the main course I order some italian gnocchi with herbs and vegetables, and my partner in the meanwhile decides to just get a bottle of wine. It's better than ordering a bowl of vodka and no-one questions the order. However the waitress has no idea how to pronounce gnocchi, which puts a crack on an image of a resturant expecting to justify high prices with priceless quality. Learn some italian baby, it ain't difficile. But Kuu is boasting to be traditional Finnish restaurant, so who cares, they were probably made from Finnish potates anyway. Gnocchis were a bet greecy by the way.
The desserts put Kuu back to the high class category, the crema catalana and rasperry sorbets are good indeed. The service is convenient and you get your orders nicely and quickly. Table reservation is recommended, even though we were able to just pop in and get the last remaining table.
A big minus was the vomit smelling male bathroom. Playing Sibelius did not make up for it. Apart from that, its good dining overall, with menu yet to be fully explored. Slightly overpriced whatsoever.
Tapas Bar Teos at Runeberginkatu 61
Its just great to have an authentic tapas bar in Helsinki. There are plenty of others of course, but only a few can accomplish the real atmosphere that makes it easier to forget that you have actually ended up in Helsinki looking for some decent food.
The place looks welcoming, but the finnish staff member makes it very clear that the table should have been reserved and only one table is free for sitting even the whole restaurant is empty on sunday 3 pm. Ok I get it, this place does get packed super quickly, but let's not get ridiculous ok?
We finally get served by some authentic spaniards which lifts the atmoshere quickly. The tapas menus are welcoming and decently priced. In fact you can get a whole menu starting from 15 euro including plenty of variety and well made snackies. The omelette and the bruschettas are all good, but the absolute favourite is the baked onions and the delicious aioli, and the spicy peppery meatloaf. Some point deducted from the mozzarella which should've been the juicy buffalo type of course, no? All the rest is good as well, if only all the customers would be spanish and you wouldn't have to look the desperate finns around this place is as good as it gets. A few glasses of sangria and the crema catalana tops the experience which must be repeated.
This is a good place for spending a night with friends and making new ones as well, but it does get packed quickly after seven pm.
The place looks welcoming, but the finnish staff member makes it very clear that the table should have been reserved and only one table is free for sitting even the whole restaurant is empty on sunday 3 pm. Ok I get it, this place does get packed super quickly, but let's not get ridiculous ok?
We finally get served by some authentic spaniards which lifts the atmoshere quickly. The tapas menus are welcoming and decently priced. In fact you can get a whole menu starting from 15 euro including plenty of variety and well made snackies. The omelette and the bruschettas are all good, but the absolute favourite is the baked onions and the delicious aioli, and the spicy peppery meatloaf. Some point deducted from the mozzarella which should've been the juicy buffalo type of course, no? All the rest is good as well, if only all the customers would be spanish and you wouldn't have to look the desperate finns around this place is as good as it gets. A few glasses of sangria and the crema catalana tops the experience which must be repeated.
This is a good place for spending a night with friends and making new ones as well, but it does get packed quickly after seven pm.
lauantai 29. tammikuuta 2011
Macu, Mediterranean cousine
A comfy but classy restaurant on the 1st floor of the Crowne Plaza hotel in Töölö offers some good value for your buck in a pretty quiet environment. It's a typical hotel restaurant meaning you wont find many people outside the hotel guestlist, but therefore the surroundings are quiet and suite also for the panic disorder type.
A basic tagliatelle with shrimps (14,90€) works well for a starter. Made with a typical from-the-store-counter fresh tagliatelle, but the shrimps are decent quality. Not exactly sure how the Finnish restaurants keep their seafood fresh at the heart of the winter, they certainly dont use the live stock in aquariums like many fine restaurants elsewhere. Probably banned by the government here.
So you cant help thinking that the octapus and scallops must be out of the freezer (or even worse, from a jar) but it's all good by Helsinki standards. The pine nuts are unnecessary as well as the pea pedicels, the olive oil missing from the serving but a fresh pasta can never go wrong for an italian.
For the main course I chose the cheapest on the menu, "maissikana", roasted chicken with some corn polenta. Good value for money (16.90), the polenta especially good even though buttery, with all you can take bread and a decent wine list that I am not going into.
Service is quick and decent leaving a good feeling behind. It's a hotel restuarant, missing all personal falovor, but as mentioned before, offers decently priced good food for the lazy traveller who doesn't like to explore the neighboring restaurants or is already sick and tired of them.
A basic tagliatelle with shrimps (14,90€) works well for a starter. Made with a typical from-the-store-counter fresh tagliatelle, but the shrimps are decent quality. Not exactly sure how the Finnish restaurants keep their seafood fresh at the heart of the winter, they certainly dont use the live stock in aquariums like many fine restaurants elsewhere. Probably banned by the government here.
So you cant help thinking that the octapus and scallops must be out of the freezer (or even worse, from a jar) but it's all good by Helsinki standards. The pine nuts are unnecessary as well as the pea pedicels, the olive oil missing from the serving but a fresh pasta can never go wrong for an italian.
For the main course I chose the cheapest on the menu, "maissikana", roasted chicken with some corn polenta. Good value for money (16.90), the polenta especially good even though buttery, with all you can take bread and a decent wine list that I am not going into.
Service is quick and decent leaving a good feeling behind. It's a hotel restuarant, missing all personal falovor, but as mentioned before, offers decently priced good food for the lazy traveller who doesn't like to explore the neighboring restaurants or is already sick and tired of them.
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