Lasipalatsi (the glass or crystal palace) is a well know restaurant located in the very heart of the city.
Because of its relatively high prices - even by finnish standards, its customers base is made of those who can afford to fork out 50-70€ for a 3 courses diner à la carte (liquors/wine not included). Once inside, the quaint charm with its slightly outdated but charming interior decoration (reminiscent of the 30's), the impeccable and very professional waiters brigade working in white gloves and the cosy relaxing atmosphere are all good and well. But things become a little trickier when it's time to actually eat. As a general rule, expectations grow with the prices. The more expensive a restaurant is, the more demanding a customer becomes. Fact! Alas, the quality/price ratio is not quite there. My diner (cold fish sandwich cake & pike perch) was absolutely tastless. Blindfolded, it would have been absolutely impossible for me to say what i was eating. Saila on the other hand had an all meat diner (beef carpaccio & rack of lamb) very tasty and delicious. So, depending of your choices, your dining experience can be good - not great, do not expect a "waooow factor" here - or less good (i do not employ the word "bad" because bad it ain't). If i add cheeses and 2 chocolate truffle cakes, the check is already at 115€. Now let's add a couple of Martinis, a bottle of Chablis 1er cru, 2 glasses of vintage Portwine and 2 glasses of vintage Tokay, and we almost reach the 250€ mark! Finland is not a cheap country when it comes to food and liquors, but then again, even by finnish standards, this place it way too expensive for the food on offer.
BUT...
We were invited, so we paid nothing. Zero. Nada!
That makes this diner the best we ever had in Helsinki.
The wine cabinet. Lasipalatsi has some good bottles.
Along the regular wine list, there is another one with some special bottles.
The best part of the dining experience is to be found here.
This Chablis 1er cru "Montée de Tonnerre" 2007 costs 81€.
Now, if you go to Alko Arkadian myymälä (near Kamppi), the same bottle costs 31€.
50€ profit for the restaurant... not bad!
Smoked whitefish sandwich cake with fish roe.
It's like swallowing a big spoon full of mayo. Tasteless!
Carpaccio of Limousin beef with marinated Chanterelle mushrooms.
One word: excellent.
Pike Perch à la Mannerheim.
Perfectly cooked fish, but the sauce was awfull. Like a thick white sauce
with pieces of button mushrooms and an ocean of liquid butter.
I hope Field Marshall Mannerheim had better ones during his time!
Rack & neck of lamb from Åland.
(islands between Finland and Sweden in the gulf of Botnia).
The meat was tasty, juicy and cooked to perfection,
but why oh why was it served with mash??
Selection of finnish cheeses and fruits. Veeery good indeed.
Chocolate truffle cake with mandarine ice cream. Good combo.
... and glasses of Tokay & Portwine.
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