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Chez DominiqueCity/Region: Helsinki
Pride of Helsinki's very worthy cuisine scene is the Michelin starred restaurant, Chez Dominique, imbued with elegance through and through, from the inventive signature dishes to the minimalist décor. The ever-changing menu blends traditional Scandinavian with French gourmet touches to produce items like pigeon stuffed with foie gras or roasted lamb from the Pyrenees. The beautifully prepared dishes are prepared under the direction of top Finnish chef, Hans Välimäki. Open for dinner Monday to Saturday, and lunch Tuesday
to Friday.
Address: Rikhardinkatu 4
Website: www.chezdominique.fi
SundmansCity/Region: Helsinki
For many years Sundmans has set the standard for Helsinki fine dining and can be consistently relied on for high-class cuisine, a beautiful setting and elegant atmosphere, top class service and the best desserts in Finland. The landmark restaurant is housed in five rooms in a 19th-century empire house designed by Finnish architect Carl Ludwig Engel, offering a view across the Market Square. Only the finest ingredients are used to create the dishes on the menu, which are modernized Finnish. Another plus for this restaurant is its extensive wine cellar, the selection housed in a magnificent vaulted chamber, which can be hired for private functions. Open for dinner Monday to Friday. The wine cellar is open Monday to Friday from 11.30am and Saturday from 6pm. Closed Sundays. Reservations are essential.
Address: Eteläranta 16
Website: www.royalravintolat.com/sundmans/index_eng.asp
BellevueCity/Region: Helsinki
Helsinki is renowned for its Russian restaurants, and probably the best of the bunch is Bellevue, which is reputedly the oldest Russian restaurant outside of Russia. It also claims to produce Russian favorites that are better than you will taste in the home country, and gourmets tend to agree. Characteristics of Russian cooking are soups, black bread, pastries, caviar and fish dishes. Bellevue's menu contains all these, for example a set menu featuring beetroot soup, Chicken Kiev and Baked Alaska, or try post roast bear steak or roast fillet of reindeer off the à la carte menu. The ambience is pleasant, the décor unpretentious but classy, and the service friendly and efficient. Open Monday to Friday for lunch and dinner, and Saturday for dinner only.
Address: Rahapajankatu 3
Website: www.restaurantbellevue.com
LappiCity/Region: Helsinki
For a taste of traditional Lapland in the heart of Helsinki, Lappi should be a definite dining experience on any visitor's itinerary. Finnish dishes, including reindeer of course, are served up on the rustic wooden tables in a warm, friendly 'log cabin' atmosphere. If you want to just pop in for a drink the attached Kelonkolo bar will give a sample of the ambience to be enjoyed in the restaurant itself, where specialties include dishes like reindeer tongue and liver, grilled breast of snow grouse, or grilled fillet of elk with turnip and red wine sauce. Reservations are essential at Lappi, so popular with tourists that its menu is printed in eleven languages. The restaurant opens daily for lunch and dinner.
Address: Annankatu 22
Website: www.lappires.com
Kynsilaukka Garlic RestaurantCity/Region: Helsinki
If a pervasive scent of garlic tickles your taste buds, Kynsilaukka Restaurant in Helsinki is a must, particularly in a country where this renowned root is a rarity in local cuisine. The atmosphere is intimate, and the quality of the fascinating dishes excellent. The menu includes items like hot goat's cheese as a starter, loaf of salmon, lamb stew or noisettes of pork as a main, all imbued with garlic. Side items like garlic jam and garlic beer spice up the experience. Snails sizzling in garlic sauce are, of course, a hot favorite. The restaurant opens at 11am on weekdays and 1pm on weekends.
Address: Fredrikinkatu 22
Website: www.kynsilaukka.com
Papa GiovanniCity/Region: Helsinki
The far north has not been left out of the worldwide penchant for Italian cooking, and Helsinki boasts its fair share of Italian restaurants, from fast-food pizzerias to top-notch gourmet establishments. Papa Giovanni's in the city's World Trade Center is rated one of the latter. This is not a spot for the ubiquitous pizza, but the small, quality menu does offer several meat and fish dishes, and various pastas, at a comparatively reasonable price. The restaurant is very proud of its lobster pool from which diners can pick out their chosen lobster for immediate preparation. A handy touch is that each item on the menu is listed with a recommended wine. The restaurant opens Monday to Saturday until late, and for lunch on weekdays.
Address: World Trade Center, Keskuskatu 7
Website: www.papagiovanni.fi
OmenapuuCity/Region: Helsinki
Extremely popular because of its casual ambience, vast menu, reasonable prices and child-friendly attitude, Omenapuu has earned a well-deserved reputation in Helsinki for offering value for money. This family restaurant has a play area for children, but this does not impact on the comfortable brasserie style décor or the pleasant dining conditions. The menu offers something for everyone and spans the entire gamut of international cuisine. Some examples are burgers; reindeer fillet; fish dishes; and an array of pizzas. A good value Sunday set brunch, with live jazz music, is offered during autumn and winter. Open Monday to Friday from 11am and Saturday 12pm.
Address: Keskuskatu 6
Website: www.ravintolaopas.net/omenapuu
NuevoCity/Region: Helsinki
The décor, clientele and menu at Nuevo Restaurant and bar are upmarket and trendy, but fortunately the prices, along with the setting in an alleyway off Helsinki's Market Square, remain more historic. This restaurant is particularly attractive in summertime when diners can sit on the sidewalk terrace with a view of the harbor. Inside, stainless steel and glassware gleams as guests enjoy a varied menu and affordable wine list. Fish dishes are the favorite here, but the menu includes some eclectic meaty offerings like almond roasted lamb, or beef fillet. Open daily for lunch and dinner (from 2pm on Sundays).
Address: Sofiankatu 4
Website: www.ravintolaopas.net/nuevo
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