Cuisine exchange: Helsinki comes to Tallinn

  • 2009-03-04
  • By Jana Belugina

FINNISH DELIGHT: Some of Finlands top chefs have come to Tallinn to present their menus.

TALLINN - Helsinki has earned a strong reputation for serving good food. In recent years it has become one of the trendiest cities for cuisine in Europe. Most Finnish chefs have become famous for the way they use fresh, raw materials 's making the most out of seasonal local products.
Traditional Finnish cuisine has undergone a transformation, resulting in a unique flavor that is highly rated by gourmands the world over. Of course, not many Tallinners would think of traveling to Helsinki for just a great dinner and delicious cocktail afterwards, so some of Helsinki's best restaurants are coming to Tallinn to strut their stuff.

From the end of February until March 7, one of the biggest shipping companies on the Tallinn-Helsinki route, Viking Line, is working with the Eat&Enjoy project to organize a visit from some of the best Finnish chiefs to the Estonian capital.

Helsinki restaurant's menus have previously been presented in Saint Petersburg and Berlin. Last year six of the best Tallinn restaurants migrated to the other side of the Gulf of Finland, and Helsinki chefs presented their specialties there. Now it is time for Estonia to give its Northern neighbor their own kitchens.
One of the best Tallinn restaurants from the Soviet times, Gloria, will present the menu of Helsinki's OLO restaurant 's which uses fresh products from the entire Nordic region to present "modern Scandinavian cuisine." The main idea behind the term is to combine traditional tastes from childhood with a modern touch.
Egoist, a famous top class restaurant, is the most logical partner for the Finnish Chez Dominique. Chez Dominique, which owns two Michelin Stars restaurants, has been included in the world's best restaurants list for two consecutive years. Both Egoist and Chez Dominique specialize in French cuisine, so loyal customers of both won't be disappointed.

The Best Breakfast in Finland, which the Finnish hotel Klaus K is famous for, can be tasted in Tallinn's luxurious Hotel Telegraaf. For the preparation of its breakfast, Klaus K uses only fresh Finnish products.
Instead of a menu list, the restaurant hands out a map of Finland where the origins of the raw materials used in the meal preparation are marked. This makes it easy to check where the delicious goat cheese comes from, or which region produces the best berry jam.
Demo, another Michelin star restaurant in Helsinki, will display its menu at Vertigo, one of Tallinn's trendiest restaurants.

The best bar in Finland 's A21 Cocktail Lounge 's will serve its famous cocktails mixed from the freshest ingredients in the relatively recently opened Tallinn's Lounge Bar, Muuseum.
Tallinn's Pegasus restaurant will host Loft from Helsink; Ribe will host Atelje Finne; Monaco will host Mecca and hotel Savoy will host Helkan Keittion.

To find some great Finnish food without making the trip across the straights, try the best of the best while Helsinki restaurants are displaying their food in Tallinn and keep hope that this will not be the last time the two cities exchange chefs.