Dinner at Ainoo, Helsinki

In January I went on a business trip to Helsinki, Finland accompanied by a Greenlandic seal and a Russian silver fox to keep me warm during daytime temperature of  between -10'C and -15'C. Well, it is not that cold, when it is not windy as it is most of the time here in Denmark, where +4'C due to the wind feels like -10'C. Another good thing about travelling during the Winter period in the Nordic region is, that the traffic neither on land nor in the air is collapsing due to snow, ice or just low temperature !!!

One evening I went out to look at some of the wonderful design shops located in Helsinki as well as to find an interesting place to eat instead of at the hotel. And here I passed by Restaurant Aino located in the city centre. Quiet unusual all the guests eating here were females !!!

As starter I choose to have blinis served together with mushroom salad and with melted butter poured on top of the blinis. Apparently the season from mid January to beginning of March is referred to a blinis season in Finland, as the very cold Winter weather demands a high calorie intake fitting very well eating blinis served with melted butter. Good size of a nice crispy blinis.

As main course I was not in doubt at all, when I eat game, so here I choose reindeer fillet with port wine sauce, potato cake and cep mushrooms. I just love to eat Bambi !!! Excellent taste and the texture of the reindeer fillet was so soft, that you could chew with your eye lashes.

In total I ended to with paying approx 65 € for food and 1 glass of white wine. I will give this meal 5 stars combined with a return next time I am in Helsinki.