Welcome to My Best Helsinki
RESTAURANT REVIEWS 3

RESTAURANT KUURNA
A spot that everyone seemed to be talking about when it was new.

Kuurna is very different from other restaurants in Helsinki. Its small size (22 seats) and a bit grungy look, paired with skill and passion for their product, the food, make Kuurna's two young, enthusiastic chefs the owners of the most popular new restaurant in Helsinki.

The house (er .. little cottage) is full, night after night. There is an open (anything but fancy) kitchen, a "rough" vaulted ceiling, and not a lot of space. The chefs double as servers, although they do have one waiter. The going is sometimes a bit clumsy, but homey, intentionally eschewing any pretentiousness.

The plates are simple, but skillfully prepared, from fresh, high quality ingredients, some greens from their own garden, with some of the fish promptly delivered by fishermen from the day's catch.

The small menu changes weekly, and offers just one choice of either a vegetable, fish or meat starter and entree. A three course dinner costs 32 Euros and a 2 course dinner 27 Euros. A really good deal. And it gets even better when you consider this:

The wine list is one of the few reasonably priced wine-lists in Helsinki. What makes this truly commendable is that the wines on the list are not "cheap" wines, and the variety is very well thought out.

The Emilio Moro Ribera is very attractively priced (it definitely needs to breathe a while), as is the Billecart-Salmon Champagne. The broad range of producers and regions virtually assures a satisfying match.

Those willing to spend to satisfy their demanding or refined wine tastes can also obtain satisfaction with the Gevery-Chambertin offering, or, on the white side, the Condrieu. The wine list displays a hip side, with an offering from Alvaro Palacios in Priorat, makers of the muscular "L'Ermita" which can bring hundreds of Euros per bottle, food friendly Shiraz from the Barossa valley and of course the never miss Allegrini Amarone.

Both chefs have worked in London, and brought to Helsinki not just what they learned as chefs, but something that we have missed there for years: different seatings.

Numerous times we have witnessed patrons without reservations trying to get a table at a half full Helsinki restaurant (where we were already dining), only to be turned away because the "restaurant is fully booked". No amount of pleading has helped. Then, during the course of the evening, we have witnessed the empty tables stay empty for hours -or for the remainder of the evening.

We have seen this happen in all levels of Helsinki restaurants, including some of our favorites, and have been puzzled over the poor business sense of turning (groups of) patrons away, only because a restaurant has a reservation for table a few hours later -or not.

So, kudos to Kuurna for the seating policy, even though it comes with a Finnish twist: strict enforcement of non-lingering.

Kuurna is located in beautiful Kruunuhaka, "just behind" the Presidential Palace.

The sign outside the restaurant states plainly ”Ravintola” ( the Finnish word for Restaurant), but this is the place.

Address: Meritullinkatu 6, 00170 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9 670 849, info@kuurna.fi

These talented people also own the popular restaurant Ateljè Finne

RESTAURANT ELITE 
Elite has longstanding traditions as an artist hangout and since 1932 artists and other cultural types -and yes, also non-artists have filled its rooms. Those rooms used to be so thick with tobacco smoke that we steered clear of the place.

But now that Finnish restaurants are smoke free, even non- smokers - and people who value using all their senses while eating and enjoying wine - can happily enter this historic establishment.

Elite has also been known for good food and friendly service. Our local agent visited Elite in 2010: link to the review.
Address: Eteläinen Hesperiankatu 22, Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9 61285200

KATAJANOKAN KASINO  

Katajanokan Kasino now an event space, for various parties and celebrations.
It is located on Katajanokka, a bit of a walk from the market square, behind the Uspenski Cathedral.
The restaurant is in a mansion-like building, on it's own lot by the sea. The main dining room on the ground floor is grand in an old style.

Upstairs there are smaller rooms for private meetings and dinners and there is also a big banquet room for larger parties. The restaurant also has a terrace facing the bay, and, a few steps down, summer outdoor seating in the garden, by the water. The garden is wonderful for dining or drinks

Summer patio on North Esplanade. Sasso & Fishmarket

now reside here. Click image for larger view.

KABUKI
Lately, our "local agents" have not been very happy with this restaurant. They feel that if you have access to top quality sushi where you live, you might be disappointed here. Still: Kabuki is very popular among locals who dine on their own dime. The smallish space is often full. Reservations are highly recommended.
The room is "different"; not a stiff temple of imported Japanese décor, nor one of these white-beige nouveau-modernist dime-a-dozen restaurant spaces of today... Its a fun, funky room donning lots of ice hockey memorabilia and some rock memorabilia.
The owner is a big hockey fan and has received the hockey stuff directly from the players, and the "rock stuff" from Finland’s best-known rock band, Himi.

Address: Lapinlahdenkatu 12, 00180 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9- 694 9446 

Seafood starter plate at Seurasaari Restaurant. Click photo.

Helsinki South Harbor. Click for larger view:
This is he view from the now closed Palace Hotel Terrace Bar.

BRASSERIE KÄMP
"The colorful international atmosphere at the Kämp offers a wonderful way of breaking away from everyday routines. Drop by the Kämp bar any time: for a café or lunch at Helsinki center, a glass of champagne, or whenever you want to treat yourself with an exquisite meal."

Beautiful rooms, great location, but the reviews have been mixed since Kämp re-opened.

Photos of Brasserie Kämp.

Address: Pohjoisesplanadi 29, 00100
Phone: (358)- (0)9- 5840 9530

Culinary & Cultural Events / Spaces:

TEURASTAMO - The ABATTOIR
- in ENGLISH

TEURASTAMO - Popular Place for Food Events & other events or just to relax in a hammock or beach chair.

RESTAURANT TORI
Nice, casual place, located by a small square in Punavuori. During the warm months it is quite pleasant to sit outside, on their patio.

Address:Telakkakatu 2, 00150 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9 - 687 43 790
Second link
Restaurant Tori now has a spinoff, called Alppitori , in Kallio neighborhood.

RESTAURANT SATKAR
Nepalese cuisine. 
Address:Fredrikinkatu 46, 00100 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9 - 611 077
second link

MURU DINING
Address:Fredrikinkatu 41, 00120 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9 4289 1213
Email: varaukset at murudining.fi
The Finnish Gastronomic Society named Muru the restaurant of 2012.
TableONline Review

KOKOMO TIKIBAR & ROOM
"Kokomo Tikibar & Room is a restaurant, cocktailbar and a club. Exotic food, diverse coctails and the interior authentic TIKI style and the music just right for the atmosphere. Kokomo is a place ot have fun at and to enjoy life".

Address: Uudenmaankatu 16-20, 00120 Helsinki
Phone: -(358)- 44- 7398 125
Email: Email: varaukset at kokomo.fi
second link | events

Chaîne des Rôtisseurs:
WINNER OF THE 2009 'Concours International des Jeunes Commis Rôtisseurs' competition: LASSE KOISTINEN from FINLAND.

CHAIN DES ROTISSEURS: FINLAND Only in Finnish.
Chaîn des Rôtisseurs, advice on table etiquette
;-D ... oh, well ...

RESTAURANT SAVOTTA
serves traditional Finnish food - the olden days kind.

"Savotta's kitchen cherishes the Finnish food tradition. The tasty and heartly dishes with a home-made touch echo the best traditional recipes perfected in the course of generations. The Menu includes Finnish lake fish, game and berries from the pristine forests and from carefully selected suppliers."

Address: Aleksanterinkatu 22, 00170 Helsinki (By the Senate Square)
Phone: (358)- (0)9 7425 5588
Savotta's image gallery

RESTAURANT SAAGA
"Genuine tastes and feelings of Lapland." Lappish cuisine - both traditional and modern, Lappish decor & plates & atmosphere.

Address: Bulevardi 34, 00120 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9 7425 5544
Saaga's image gallery

Corner of Annankatu & Bulevardi. Winter.

RESTAURANT ALPPITORI
Alppitori describes its food as European & Mediterranean, but its food definitely has a traditional Finnish twist, with many dishes leaning toward the comofort food category. In that group, the meatballs are popular.
Alppitori's web-site is mostly in Finnish, with the menu page partly in English. Alppitori on fb.

Address: Kirstinkatu 15, 00510 Helsinki,
in Kallio neighborhood.
Phone: -(358)- (0)50 - 4126619

See Alppitori's sister restaurant, Restaurant Tori

Restaurant Aino
"Finnish flavors, emphasising modern cooking, using best fresh ingredients available in Finland, including freshwater fish, reindeer, game, root vegetables, mushrooms and berries."
Address: Eteläesplanadi 21, Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (09)624 327
Email: myyntipalvelu@marcante.fi

SUMMER RESTAURANTS (on islands around Helsinki):

RESTAURANT SAARISTO on LUOTO/KLIPPAN island, in the South Harbor. An absolutely wonderful setting for a summer restaurant, on a tiny island in the South Harbor. A must.

CLICK ON PHOTO for place names

and a much larger view of Klippan island & surroundings.
second link / location on map / image gallery
Address: Luoto, 00140 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9 7425 5505
Email: sales at asrestaurants.com

NJK on VALKOSAARI in the South Harbor.
Address: Valkosaari, 00140 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9 6128 6500
second link

BOATHOUSE
Address: Liuskasaari, FI-00140 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9 6227 1070
second link
third link

SÄRKÄNLINNA
Address: Särkänsaari, 00130 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9 1345 6756
-our review on restaurant page 2

Click photofor place names & larger view:

Taxi boat arriving at Särkkä Island pier.

CAFE CHAPMAN -on Suomenlinna Fortress Island - our review on restaurant page 2

WALHALLA -on Suomenlinna Fortress Island
Address: Suomenlinna A10, 00190 Helsinki
Phone / Fax: (358)- (0)9 - 668 552
Email: walhalla at kolumbus.fi second link

UUNISAARI -sorry, in Finnish only.
Address: Uunisaari, 00150 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9 636 870
second link (in English)

RESTAURANT SAARI -on Sirpalesaari Island
Address: Sirpalesaari, 00150 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)9 7425 5566

RESTAURANT PIHLAJASAARI -on Pihlajasaari Island. Island & restaurant images
Address: Pihlajasaari, FI-00150 Helsinki
Phone: (358)- (0)45-129 2000
(358)- (0)40-546 5350

SAARI = ISLAND in Finnish.