Restaurant «OLO», Helsinki

The time for our gastronomic tour of Finland was chosen deliberately: this time in Finland is a season of crayfish; so, the first stop of our journey was at the OLO Restaurant.

Restaurant OLO is located in the historical center of Finland’s capital – Helsinki, its neighbours are the office and residency of the President of Finland, Helsinki Cathedral, the Senate Square, and the old indoor market. From the restaurant’s windows one can admire the view of the Gulf of Finland and observe the unhurried life of the Helsinki south harbour, watching the huge ferries Silja Line and Viking Line set off on their slow night cruise to connect the shores of Finland and Sweden.

In the gourmet circles the restaurant is known for its dishes of Scandinavian cuisine, cooked in modern chef’s interpretation. The chef and idea man of the restaurant is Jari Vesivalo. In 2008, the restaurant was awarded one Michelin guide Star as a very good restaurant in its category (in terms of the cuisine).

The restaurant’s design is laconic in the Finnish manner and presents a compromise between functionality and aesthetic qualities. White walls, wooden floor, wooden tables and chairs. The tables are covered by linen tablecloths. Upon each table there are cast iron loaf forms, in every form bread is “ripening,” patiently awaiting its guests.

Although it was a season of crayfish in Finland, but we decided to turn them down; instead, we decided to have a gastronomic tour of Suomi, by ordering a test menu with the chef’s selection of wines.

All the dishes – and there were more than 15 of them (!), were cooked out of the local groceries and gifts of nature.  “Come and take potluck with us!” But there is no need to fear – all the dishes of the test menu are small, barely a mouthful, and they are purposed solely for you to form your gastronomic impression of the dishes you taste. So, you will not have any heaviness in your stomach from what you will have eaten.

The restaurant’s menu has the abundance of dishes of wild fowl, forest mushrooms, vegetables and root crops, berries, seafoods and freshwater fish. It includes the vast variety, beginning with classic combination of cabbage and forest mushrooms, and ending with well-forgotten latest fashion sweetbread.

Almost all the dishes are decorated with greens and edible herbs picked in the wild nature. The restaurant’s cooks use them as seasonings and as spices, as well as elements of decoration; notably, all of it is edible!

We were amazed at the unexpected gastronomic discovery of a dish in the form of ….. sea pebbles. In reality, the “pebbles” turned out to be a masterpiece of culinary art. When it lands on your tongue, the pebble explodes because of the temperature shock, filling your mouth with cool jelly of arctic cloudberry with the taste of umami and the aroma of sea breeze!

While you are still enjoying the succession of dishes and complements from the chef, there comes the turn of the freshly baked bread, which is served with home-made butter, sour cream, and, as Jews call it, spread on the base of green peas.

The restaurant’s wine card is also worthy to be mentioned separately. All the most exclusive samples that exist in the wine world are gathered here. But do not even hope to find here everyone’s customary Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir. The restaurant’s sommeliers did a great job. All the wines were carefully chosen and selected to match the dishes. The geography of the wines covers the whole world – or, more precisely, all the existing wine-producing regions. The restaurant’s wine collection consists of red, white, sparkling, fortified, and dessert wines. You will find an appropriate wine for any occasion. Especially we were impressed with one white wine. The wine has an exceptional taste and bouquet; it is not like any other of the known white wines. This wine can be rightfully called the restaurant’s “cherry-on-top.” I will not give you the name of the wine to keep up your interest. Visit the restaurant and discover this wine for yourselves. By the way, this wine is not sold in retail stores – it is directly delivered to the restaurant.

In the restaurant’s menu there are also local cheeses.  We are more used to the French or Swiss cheeses, but not the Finnish ones. As it turned out though, the Finnish producers can make absolutely astonishing cheeses, which by their gastronomic qualities are in no way inferior to those of France or Switzerland.

Well-trained and highly professional personnel works at the restaurant. We were pleased to see that our waiters tried to present the dishes they served in Russian language. And sommelier Eleanor deserves a special praise. Every wine with Eleanor has its own history, sometimes a morality tale, sometimes a romantic story, and sometimes – a thriller. Of course, after such an amazing presentation, you are involuntarily immersed into the fairy-tale worlds and the unexplored countries. All of this testifies of the high level of culture and education, and of the fact that you are welcomed here, and everyone will be happy to have you here.

Come to Finland, come to Helsinki, and have a gastronomic tour of Suomi together with the OLO restaurant!

The restaurant is open Monday through Friday, from 11.30 to 15.00, and from 18.00 to 24.00; on Saturday – from 18.00 to 24.00; Sunday is a day off.

The restaurant’s address: Finland, Helsinki, Pohjoisesplanadi,  5A; telephone number: +358(0) 10 3206250