Michelin Star Food at Olo

Hey everyone!

The fabulous folks at #MyHelsinki had organised such a full schedule during my stay that I was blown away by all that I got to do, but my introduction to Finnish food started at the Michelin star restaurant Olo right next to the presidential building, opposite the market square in the middle of town. I met Elisabeth who was the star who organised our trip from my Helsinki, and the amazing Youhou, my guide for the weekend.

We then made our way to Olo, and prepared for the incredible super packed taster menu which showed a mix of Asian and Lapland inspired dishes, that were made to my taste. I do not drink when I travel so instead of a paired wine menu, I was greeted with a selection of some of the most ingenious juices which complemented each dish. I was so inspired by the juices that I actually want to create a perfume from one of the combinations. It was insane.

The food was just outrageous, we were met with dough in traditional skillets on the table which were later cooked and formed part of the taster menu. We met the chef who explained the fourteen years Olo’s been open for, and the Michelin star awards. The combination of sustainability was apparent as all the ingredients combined different methods of invigorating the local ingredients. We chatted about how Finland traditionally used fermentation and pickling, they had access to fish and berries, and everything was delicate and sophisticated in a way that highlighted the star ingredient of each dish.

My favourite juice I tried was a mix of smoked Lapsang tea, chamomile and Persian lime which was just amazing like I can’t even describe it, they were so interesting and the sommelier explained each pairing. One of the dishes was a reincarnation of a traditional Finnish Summer soup, which my hosts explained was common as part of the school dinners. It was a broth with new potatoes and delicate vegetables, it was really delicious.

I absolutely loved the whipped dessert with the raspberries, it was a coconut cream and was lighter and more of a mousse texture. It was just amazing to see how they had created all the different textures and flavours, but by the end I was falling apart from the jet lag and I didn’t fully appreciate the final dish, which was blackcurrant jellies in a bed of sugar. I was ready to sleep at that point. It was just a delight however and a total treat of an introduction to the cuisine.

I highly recommend and I included the menu to show the meat options below.