Hidden away from the centre of Helsinki, this tiny restaurant is a fusion of Japanese and Finnish cooking. The very simple menu has a three, four or five course option. We went for the five course, wanting to try everything. The space is bright, clean and open, and we watched the chefs work as we sipped Iki green tea beer.
The waitress explained every course in English. The first course was delicious potatoes and beef with linen seeds, which reminded me a bit of Brazilian picanha, dipping the umame sirloin in the crunchy seeds. Then a salad with beautiful chantarelles and peas, followed by a chirashi bowl and miso. By this point we were very, very happy.
Then the dessert: a strange cheesecake that tasted like it was made of rubber (or at least, tofu). I don't even eat dairy anymore, so I wouldn't have minded if it was vegan, but if you have to ask...which we did, and the waitress confirmed it was cheese. A disappointing end to an otherwise great meal. read more