Via Ravintola
Restaurant: Via Ravintola - International Restaurant
Address: Ludviginkatu 8-10
Telephone: 09 6811370
Internet: www.viaravintola.com
Prices: up from 13 euro
Food: unimaginative mix of standard Asian and Italian dishes
Service: Young and fast
RESTAURANT
This lovely but large restaurant manages to disguise itself into your neighborly alley cat joint with class. One really feels very cozy to see the large tables and art Nuevo styled pillars and ornaments that light up the place in classic shade of marble white.
Via Ravintola has most clever table arrangement. They have small single tables for two or three also there is crowded area, where the tables are crammed skin-close and you get to cook up among noisy customers. Furthermore there is this fascinating looooong bar table, where you get to eat above others and finally large friends and family tables for groups. These group tables are the places for those social and happy – for people of Helsinki – who dare to embrace Southern European ways of exchanging light kisses while meeting old friends (notice their stiff backs and necks while they lean forward). Obviously this is very popular restaurant.
SERVICE
Great expedient service! We were swooped away by the waitress with lightning reflexes. We were shown to our table and given the menu. Couple of minutes of checking the selection and the order was in. Very promising indeed. At every stage the service was impeccable, except while trying to get our bill. Had to march to the cash register to get service where I received friendly service. Because of their hard work, I felt touched to leave a tip.
FOOD
Terrible food. I blame that on the two young chefs who were working in the kitchen. Beef that was offered in skewer wasn’t rinsed and tasted dull with its chili-flavour. Egg noodles were too sour, probably because of a bad choice of oyster sauce brand. And what the hell is this thing with cabbage? Why it can be found from almost every dish? Cheap filling perhaps? Tiger prawn wok was even worse. I have three words for you – green bell pepper. Just add some vinegar and that is exactly how it tasted. Word of advice – never ever order seafood in Helsinki, unless you do it in a true Asian restaurant.
Zen Sushi Japanese restaurant
Restaurant: Zen Sushi – Japanese restaurant
Address: Kämp Galleria II Floor, Pohjoisesplanadi 29
Telephone: 09 671367
Internet:
Prices: Lunch >8 euros, sets >10 euros, single dishes >2 euros
Food: Good, fresh, and neatly done sushi
Service: Fast and friendly
LOCATION
Zen Sushi fits like a glove to the atmosphere of shopping center Kämp. It is clean, spacious and has lots of windows so expect to be observed by passing by shoppers. Try to get that piece of sushi into your mouth with dignity and under any circumstances, don’t make yourself a fool by fumbling with the food - focus to those chop sticks! You have been warned, now you can go and eat at Zen Sushi, it’s right there in the center anyway.
HISTORY
The same Finnish-Japanese couple that is associated with Ichiban sushi restaurants runs the Zen Sushi. I have already lost count on the number or locations of Ichiban, but that much I know that this restaurant brand has been around. Zen Sushi has the feeling of upsizing from the old. The couple has experience on running a sushi restaurant and looks to me like they now want to take the concept a step or two forward.
INTERIOR
Great looking place that to my opinion accommodates some Feng Shui lessons. Ordering counter faces the door and divides the space in two. On the back the sushi chefs can work uninterrupted and there is lot of room to go around as the tables are sprinkled far and wide, retaining harmony though. Good idea to cover the lamps with almost transparent fabrics, this further extends the clean overall impression of the place. Eating utensils are single packed and plates and cups are cheap pottery that e.g. China is full of. However it all looks pretty impressive and Finns that are only familiar with Iittala’s clean forms will think that everything is so fascinatingly original. Good job here, less is really more and one can also save up with the set up costs.
FOOD
To be perfectly honest with you, we (my wife and I) don’t actually have much factual knowledge on sushi, we just used to go these great sushi buffet styled restaurants in Taiwan. It was really great, lingering among made-to-order-chefs and checking who is making what. Oh, my poor belly was stuffed to the max after those nights. So because of this we just take different sets from the menu and some soup.
It didn’t take more than a moment to get our orders in and then just few minutes to get our sets to the table. I guess there was this window of opportunity for us, as we just made it before lunch hour ended. Pretty fine selection but as with other Finnish sushi restaurants, there still is serious problem with variety. Salmon is the fish of choice for a Japanese restaurant in Finland that wants to keep the costs down. Makis’ they had too and that is understandable, because they don’t often don’t need any fish to bring flavour. With these two secret weapons, Zen Sushi is able to introduce fairly decent price level and ok quality. Miso soup was also tasty and abundant, but we could hope to get more Wasabi and ginger with our portions. Green tea was available separately and one could go and take refills, but we didn’t really need to. Tea was bit plane, but as Finns are accustomed with their Lipton, there is little chance for a restaurant to educate them.
SERVICE
Not a single bad word for personnel. Everything happened in a flash and there was all the time a friendly waitress in sight. This probably changes during the rush hour, but all in all quite remarkable level of service for a restaurant in Finland. I can recommend this place, just remember those shoppers that casually linger by.
Correction
Thank you for that lovely person, who emailed me and told that the correct way to write Mai Thai is actually Maithai. I reposted the whole article, because there were some hideous errors with editing function. I believe I got it right this time. You can also leave a comment if you think that my opinion is wrong and your opinion is more correct, because we do not want to give bad rep for places that do not deserve it.
Maithai Thai restaurant in Helsinki
Restaurant:
Maithai – Thai RestaurantAddress: Annankatu 31-33
Telephone: 09 685 6850
Internet: www.maithai.fi
Prices: Normal portions average around 12 euros.
Food: Tasty and wide selection
Service: Bit overburdened (slow) but friendly
FINNISH RESTAURANT ARCITECHTUREIn Finland we have the habit of constructing our buildings so that we have small outer halls before entering the interior rooms from outside. This is because in the winter, it can be pretty cold and snowy outside (also in Helsinki). If person would be able to directly walk into a restaurant, floors would have lot of melting snow, not to mention the cold draft which would come from outside on every door opening. So we have these small halls that function as a convenient passage between outside and inside. In these tiny spaces you can clean your boots before entering and make sure that heat is not wasted. Nobody actually pays attention on this so floors are wet and slippery anyway, but it is like with gifts, it is the thought that counts, right?
Why would I start with such a paragraph? In Maithai restaurant, this small entryway is remarkably tiny. So the feeling of a close-knit family restaurant is present from the very first step. Restaurant consists of one open area, which is filled with tables and chairs. Oh, by the way, to me their chairs are inconveniently soft, and as I prefer to sit on something solid, it was total torment for me to wobble constantly. There are couple of coat racks, so hang your jacket there or lay it on the chair of your liking and sit down. Not that much choice actually, since most of the places are taken - Hey, this is one of the most popular ethnic restaurants in Helsinki. Next time, I better make a reservation, just to be on the safe side.
MENUIs everyone sitting comfortably? Good. Here comes the menu. Service is speedy even the place is bit crowded. How come there are so many people anyway? Well, even we are slightly off the Helsinki city center, we are still within short walking distance from traffic hot spots like bus, train and metro stations. Also the food in this restaurant is great, surely Maithai is among the best restaurants of Helsinki.
Now let’s see what we shall order. On the menu, they have all sorts of Oriental dishes fish, meat and vegetables. They even have some dishes that are especially spicy. Curry dishes are said to be superb, so you might want to try one of those. Hmm, I will order my regular Sweet and Sour Chicken just to be able to make some comparisons between different Asian restaurants in Helsinki (I am getting QUITE fed up with this choice that about 60% of Finns do, whenever they visit Asian restaurant). My lovely wife orders a dish of shrimps in coconut milk. We choose to drink water and leave Thai beer - not to mention spirits - for more adventurous or thirsty customers.
SURROUNDINGSTime to look around, wood panelling, rather plain finishing. Restaurant tries to liven things up with special decorations from Thailand. I have to admit that they do create somewhat authentic far-away feeling even one can see that items are not expensive. Lights have been dimmed, so we have very intimate atmosphere. On the background we have a melodic vocal music that I mistakenly mix with Chinese folk music, until my wife assures me that it is not Chinese that they sing. She should know, as her mother tongue is Chinese.
FOODSeven minutes pass quickly and my dish arrives to the table. Now that was fast! Quite a huge portion, I tell you, also have lots of rice on a separate bowl. I wonder whether we are able to finish all of this. Chicken looks and smells nice they sure know how to cook in this restaurant. My wife is happy with the food it has been a long time since she had such a dish with sea fragrance. Hah, I am pleased for her, Asian people really take their food seriously, so it would have been an emergency of some size if the dish had been... After some nice food and conversation, we finally manage to finish our dishes, although there is plenty of rice left. It would be nice to relax a bit but we decide to show some respect for the owner and release two desperately needed chairs that can accommodate anxious customers that are waiting to be seated.
Paying is quick procedure (don't you just hate parting with your money, no matter how well-spent?) and we take off. The Helsinki night is treating us nicely, as there is no wind and no rain. We walk on and compare our experience, food was excellent and people were nice, although the crowd slightly increased our waiting time. One thing that we agree is that for sure, this is one Thai restaurant in Helsinki that is worth visiting more than once.
Kok Thai - Thai Restaurant in Helsinki
Restaurant:
Kok Thai – Thai RestaurantAddress: Runeberginkatu 56
Telephone: 09 4548093
Internet:
Prices: Starting around 10 euros and climbing up to 20
Food: Tasty coconut milk dishes, spicy but sweet, great spring rolls, others average.
Service: Lousy, yet friendly
BACKGROUNDThis night out didn’t start too well. There was this Italian guy that we were supposed to meet. We are waiting him to call, no call. We call to his hotel and there they say that he is already checked in, his room doesn’t answer. We go to the hotel, but it is no use, nobody knows where he is. We then start to look for a restaurant, we kept on walking along Runeberginkatu. It took forever, but there just didn’t seem to be any worthy restaurant to go. Finally we are about to exit Töölö and move on towards Pasila, huh no thank you, enough walking already. We get in to closest restaurant – Kok Thai. Now remember, you don’t have to walk all the way here, just take the tram number 3T from center and you are there in no time.
INTERIORBelieve me, I had lot of time to ogle the interior design of this restaurant. It manages to distract your eye with all sort of cheapish glimmering things. I haven’t seen pictures of Royals in other restaurants of Helsinki, so this is either refreshing little quirk or then I need to get out more (yes, yes, yes those of you, who know me, are already sending me street maps so that won’t get lost as I get out from my little hole). Kok Thai has showed effort, I give them that. There are plants, those glimmering decoration items and music all in all ok package.
SERVICEI had to go and get menus myself, go to counter to get my order in and ask checks from the counter by myself, didn’t bother to go to kitchen to actually make my food, so we waited about 20 minutes just to get the spring rolls to the table for heavens sake. By the way there were only one couple in the restaurant that hadn’t gotten their order, so definitely no queue with the orders. We waited for the main course for another 15 minutes after finishing the spring rolls. What is this? Do Thai restaurants have some secret sign language to get service?
PHONE CALLRemember that Italian guy we were supposed to meet? It’s he, who is calling he has lost his luggage and had stayed at the airport for four extra hours to entangle the mess. Now he is only packing wallet, cell phone and the clothes he’s wearing – talking about travelling light. Beats me why the hotel personnel thought that he had already checked in. Italian guy decides to go and buy some personal items and then back to hotel to sleep. Welcome to Helsinki.
CROWDI hope that other nights, customers aren’t like what we experienced. Two drunken groups were shouting and messing about while trying to speak Thai to get waitresses’ attention. I came close to loosing it, but on our neighbouring table three Korean (yes, I can distinguish Asian languages) teenagers were constantly so hilariously happy that I also forgot my bad temper as my food finally arrived.
FOOD Food was so sweet and soft, yet spicy as hell. I considered ordering beer or something else to drink to help my palate, but none of my favourite beers were on the menu. The balance of beef and vegetables was bit off the mark, but coconut chicken soup was excellent. It made me tear at first, really surprised me as I had my guard down, but next mouthfuls were just pure enjoyment. We had ordered menu for two, because we wanted to eat quickly. If we had know the speed or slowness of this place, we would have taken our time to really order something special. Now we ended up having the worst stereotype sweet dessert - fried banana and ice cream. It turned out to be better than in most places I’ve had it.
Review arrangements
I have this guilty feeling of ranking all those restaurants with numbers or stars, seems to be way too quantitative and exact method for me. Instead I edited my entries a bit and used verbal summary. Furthermore I’ll use ranking placement on the right side of the screen. Every restaurant category has the best on the top, so instead of giving them numbers, I’ll compare restaurants to other restaurants on that niche, whether it be Chinese, Japanese or something else.
Getting around in Helsinki
INTRODUCTIONPeople are always so amazed, how easy it is to get around in Helsinki when I explain it to them. I guarantee that you will feel so too.
First, we get over the hump and throw in the hardest facts. Helsinki is not the promised city for metro and it is under utilized in Helsinki. You have to use buses, trams, taxis and your feet, if you want to get around conveniently.
Everybody knows how to use taxis and most of us enjoy a small walk, so no problems here, but trams and buses are a whole different matter and here comes the hump (finally).
HARD PARTYou need to have a route map for buses and trams if you want to find your way to correct destination (optionally you can choose your lucky bus/tram number and jump in) outside the city center. Best place to get your hands on these maps is the central railway station, HKL has its offices underground you get all the needed info over there.
So, here you can get the route maps (unfortunately I can’t be there to help you with reading, but I’m sure you manage) and tickets. You might want to consider buying a time-based ticket that enables you to take any public transport in Helsinki. Ask the HKL personnel about your choices, you just might find the perfect match. Single trip is quite expensive, so you will save money if you have to use public transportation even if that is for few times.
When you use buses, you have to present a ticket or pay the fee driver checks the situation as you get on the bus. Bit dishonest people can take trams quite carelessly, since ticket check-ups are very rare. Just hop in and drive around. If somebody asks you for a ticket, you can use some strange language and franticly wave with your hands. I have personally seen it work couple of times. Helsinki loves its tourists and usually let’s them go with a warning. Don’t tell them you heard this from me, please.
EASY PARTOk that was the hard part. Now comes the easy part. You don’t have to walk around Helsinki with a map in your hands and sore neck from that constant head turning. You can quite simply plan ahead and check your routes from Internet. Here is the address:
http://aikataulut.ytv.fi/reittiopas/en/
Look what a lifesaver! You just enter the “from” and “to” addresses, choose relevant time of the day and click a button – there you have your best choices. Now you can just choose the option that pleases you the best. Could it be any simpler? As it happens, yes! You also have a map that shows you the route on map and presents detailed stop lists if you want. You can always print these lists out if you need them on the location.
If you run in trouble in the middle of Helsinki city jungle, you can use mobile version of the system, here is the address for that:
http://aikataulut.ytv.fi/reittiopas-pda/en/
So you see, this service is all you need (+ bus money). Little tip. You can use this service to check how to get to one of those restaurants that I have reviewed here. I seldom leave house without consulting this service first – and I live in Helsinki!
Tax-free shopping in Helsinki
INTRODUCTIONThere are some questions, which always pop up in conversations with visiting foreign friends. Mostly they come from Asia and they are always keen to know, how to do tax free shopping. Here I explain tax free shopping very briefly so that you have a solid starting point for tax free shopping frenzy the very moment you arrive Finland.
IS TAX-FREE SHOPPING FOR YOU?First of all, tax-free shopping applies only for those items, which are sent outside EU or which you take outside EU by yourself. Ok, we got that straighten out, right? As you can see, traveling inside EU is dull task and can’t compare to the joys of outside traveling.
HOW DOES TAX-FREE SHOPPING WORK?There are three basic ways, in which to benefit from tax-free shopping:
- Do what we usually do, and shop around at airport tax-free shops. Convenient by time-pressed, plane won’t wait.
- Shop at distinguished retail store like Stockmann (can’t really think of any other) that has tax-free export service, which will deliver the goods to your desired address outside EU. You get the tax back at the point of purchase and avoid carrying around a troublesome load of gifts. Two final words – handling fees.
- Shop at tax-free store that uses Global Refund’s “Tax-free shopping” –sign. You carry the goods around while in EU area and don’t use them e.g. don’t drink that liquor. The moment you leave EU, customs official will stamp your Global Refund Cheque and whole fleet of different refund options opens up to you. Take the money and run, wait it to be transferred to your account or home etc.
MORE INFORMATIONTo get detailed information about the practicalities involved in tax-free shopping in Helsinki, you can look out stands in major specialty stores, airport, harbor and Stockmann. I would suggest a combination of airport and Stockmann because of the added convenience. Moreover, any handling and shipping fees that come from using export services are easy to deal with by shopping even more! Hah, just kidding, take care of you account balance.
To go or not to go
FIRST CHOICETo celebrate Eastern, my wife is taking me out for a dinner (word of warning for all you ladies out there this is what you get when you fight for emancipation and empowerment, ha, ha, just kidding). She has two restaurants in her mind the other is quite shady little place called New Bamboo Center. It is supposed to be Malaysian-Chinese restaurant, but if we end up there, I will just call it Chinese restaurant in my coming restaurant review.
SECOND CHOICEAnyhow, the other choice is – actually I am not sure what the place is called – a Japanese restaurant that is insanely (ok, ok, we don’t have such places in Helsinki, but I tell you it is expensive when compared to other Japanese restaurants in Helsinki) expensive. The thing is that this dining joint is supposed to have most amazing seafood soup for 20 euro per bowl. This bowl – people say – is enough for two, hence making one person’s share 10 euro. Not bad for an expensive restaurant that also delivers delicious food.
RESULT?She has been hovering between the choices, but she knows that if she asks from me – no seafood for me please! You get the picture, we would end up to that shady little Chinese place, and what kind of Eastern celebration that would be? Very tasty, I would say, but she would beg to disagree. I’ll keep you posted on this.
Hullu Kukko - Crazy Rooster
Restaurant:
Hullu Kukko – International RestaurantAddress: Simonkatu 8
Telephone: 09 6859660
Internet: www.hullukukko.fi
Prices: Pasta and noodles ca 14 euros, beef and stakes ca 20 euros.
Food: Great food with a garlic twist
Service: Professional and friendly
LOCATIONAlmost in the Helsinki city center stands this great restaurant that offers many garlic-flavoured foods. This is a great place to visit by foot if you are staying in center of Helsinki. Moreover, this is a great place to drink a glass of wine (well maybe two glasses or maybe a whole bottle).
AREALiterally, Hullu Kukko means Crazy Rooster, but I can assure you that only insanity in this restaurant appears in the low priced check as you are leaving the restaurant. Downstairs of Hullu Kukko restaurant is a bar area that functions as a relaxed environment for discussion. The bar offers refreshments in Hard Rock atmosphere. It is quite convenient to first eat and drink in the restaurant and then move to the first floor for a drink or two. Well, anyway, on the right, there are stairs, which take you to this second floor restaurant. Let’s go.
INTERIORSoothing pastel and some perky orange colours are the first impression after entering, then comes the sign, which states: “Please wait here to be escorted to your table”. Soon the waitress comes and asks whether we have a reservation. Obviously we don’t, but luckily there is a table for two, if we are quick enough to finish our dining in two hours. Hah! No problem.
It is mainly because of the Friday evening that people are wearing some of their finer outfits – anyhow, I start to regret not deciding to take a suit, watching well-dressed people sipping wine, makes me want to order champagne or something equally extravagant.
MENUThe menu of this restaurant is straightforward. They don’t offer wide selection of dishes, instead, seems like their philosophy is to focus on the wines. Food is there to compliment the wine of your choice, lots of salads, starters, bread and some fish, chicken and beef dishes. No wonder they favour garlic flavoured foods, they sure make you want to drink.
It is chicken for me (thank God they don't list sweet and sour on menu) and mushrooms (turn out to be one big, whole mushroom) for my wife. It didn’t take long to get our order in, but we came in just in time before people dine out, so we were among the first in the order line.
SERVICEWaitresses engage into lively discussions about different wines, which is a relief in a country like Finland, where people are not that educated on wines, yet. The restaurant is very clean and organized, but not flashy. On the walls they have paintings (or are they framed pictures?) that radiate Central European atmosphere. A huge espresso machine that has a classic feeling dominates the bar. As I already said, it wasn’t the prime time yet, so food arrived rather quickly, meanwhile we had been devouring some delicious bread. The best meal of the week, I can assure you. My lovely wife had similar thoughts about her mushroom dish. It was soon eight o’clock and the restaurant started to be crowded, this meant that we quickly asked for the check and walked out. The bar in downstairs was already completely packed.
Ichiban Japanese restaurant in Helsinki
Restaurant:
Ichiban - Japanese Restaurant.Address: Mikonkatu 8, 2nd floor
Telephone: 09 672345
Internet: www.ichiban.fi
Prices: Small Lunch 7,50 Large Lunch 9,50. Outside lunch hour, sets are over 10 euro
Food: Simple sushi below average Helsinki quality
Service: You might get some, occasionally
LOCATIONIchiban is located in the same office building block as the Helsinki World Trade Center. Although this might sound glamorous and expensive, you will notice that the surroundings of this small restaurant are almost dubious, since that side of the block is badly designed shopping center. Badly designed, in which way? Well, first of all, on your way to this second floor restaurant, you can choose from several different entries that take you to the bottom of the escalators that lead to the restaurant. If you spot the advertising signs that restaurant has on the street and other parts of the shopping center, don’t expect to have much directional guidance from those...
If you manage to find the escalators, and I am sure you will, don’t be stunned to find them out of order and decorated by graffiti. So, up you go and arrive you shall. Ignore the menu that is taped on the window - just walk right in.
INTERIORWhat will you see? You will see, a long and narrow room, with a big window on the back, counter and kitchen on the left and few tables on the right. Is the table by the window taken? If not, go and grab it! It is the best table in this restaurant.
On lunchtime, you order from the counter and pay at the same time, but as the rush hour vanes, you get real ordering service to the tables and the general feeling of eating out. Back to our lunchtime haze - after you have paid and taken necessary utensils, you can go to the table and wait for the delicious set of sushi.
Now we have some time to admire the setting of this small piece of Japan in Finland. Tell you what, I bet it were not skilled Japanese artisans who made the woodwork in this restaurant, every cozy (unfinished) little detail points to Finnish construction worker, I might be wrong of course, maybe it is all done by the owner.
FOODOh, no time for more daydreaming, the set is already on table. Waitress shoves the portion in front of me and rushes away. No extra points for service, I tell you. Salmon-nigiri, Tuna paste-nigiri, Shrimp-nigiri, sort of a Chaking-sushi and Sushi rolls. Hah, this is what you get for not having a large and dynamic economy that would enable speedy raw material deliveries. At least the salmon is fresh, and truly tasty. Others will do as I think about the price I paid for them. Gulping down mouthfuls, some green tea, vinegar ginger... Hey! Where did my sushi go? I knew, I should have ordered that bigger set, next time I know what to do.
All good things must come to an end. I put on my coat and walk out, down the stairs as the escalator only runs up, somebody should fire the designer, ah, and probably they already did...
TAO OF LIFEI feel almost adequate, as I should, I am working soon so I am not supposed to feel too good, right? Helsinki autumn gives me an extra surprise and turns on the shower. I forget where I came from and focus on getting into cover.
Ming Inn Chinese fast food restaurant
Restaurant:
Ming Inn Chinese Fast Food RestaurantAddress: Eerikinkatu 42
Telephone: 09 693 2360
Internet:
Prices: Normal portions average around 7 euros.
Food: Tasty but little variation
Service: Fast and rugged
While reading this review, you will probably start to wonder whether I am writing a paid advertisement, let me tell you that I just really like Chinese atmosphere and therefore the company of five Taiwanese ladies created overly authentic mood to the restaurant. The restaurant was bustling with Chinese conversation, giggles and laughter. Before we go any further, let me tell you a secret, actually many Chinese people in Helsinki favour this restaurant, because of satisfactory food, low prices and available seats.
LOCATIONLocation for Ming Inn restaurant is bit off the Helsinki city center, so you better reserve about ten minutes for walking or take a taxi instead. In Helsinki, the streets are very easy to follow and you will not get lost, so I recommend walking. Walking on the streets of Helsinki also help you to build up some appetite. Ok, enough chatter!
INTERIORAs you arrive to Ming Inn restaurant, you should take notice that the left side of the restaurant is a smoking area and non-smoking area is on the right. So, be careful where you leave your jacket, in case you are not a big fan of tobacco smelling clothes. In Finland and also in Helsinki, pick pockets or thieves are very rare individuals, so you dont have to watch your belongings constantly, but better safe than sorry.
Now you are ready to choose a table of your liking and then we get down to the ordering business. By the way, their sturdy seats have something you can lean on. If you have seen some American movies from sixties, then you have the right image, when I call them diner lounge seats. Hah, I really dont know the right word for them, but maybe you can give me an email and enlighten me.
FOODFinally, back to that ordering business. Menu has more or less the basic items, exactly those dishes you would imagine to be available in standard Chinese restaurant. They make great chicken, so I recommend that. Also do try their appetizers especially the soups are great. If you have a group of people, they offer convenient dining sets with appetizers, main course and dessert. These sets offer even bigger bang for your euros (bet you expected to read "buck") than the normal single dishes.
They have a really fast chef, if there is no crowd in the restaurant, your dish will come in couple of minutes, unless you choose something that requires steaming or boiling. So, stick to the fried dishes if you are in desperate hurry to get some food to your plate and to stomach from thereon. This restaurant is a great take-away place and almost half of the customers seem to order out.
SERVICEWhat about the service then? I am happy to report that it is friendly and speedy. For me it is soup and spring rolls for others, everything came to the table in a flash. Main course presented an unexpected challenge. Dishes were very large and we were not able to finish them all, luckily we chose tea as a dessert, instead of fried bananas and ice cream, so we werent completely bloated. Restaurant was happy to offer us a doggy bag, so we didnt loose anything.
All in all, we all left the restaurant, invigorated by the discussion and satisfied with the service we received. This is one of the Chinese restaurants in Helsinki that you can depend on to provide value for your money.
Starting with restaurant reviews
I do not have that much need to try out the hotel services in Helsinki area, so in the beginning I will be posting restaurant reviews. All the reviews are based on my personal and first-hand experiences. I have received no compensation while doing that so sponsoring has not tilted my opinions. However, my opinions are tilted by my tastes that skew towards Asian cuisine.
On the sidebar, I have created categories for links into different reviews, you can easily get into reviews in that way or alternatively by using the search function on the top of the page. I hope you enjoy the reviews as much as I have, while doing the field research.
