Dash Coffee & Zestii Kitchens — Restaurant in Helsinki sub-region

Oma maa cafe, Great people and place, horrid drinks : Based on the reviews me and my wife chose this place for our weekly cafe sit down. I ordered a cappuccino with lactose free milk and my wife ordered a hot chocolate. Once it arrived I took a sip of my cappuccino and I was pleasantly surprised that it was delicious, when I kept on sipping on the cappuccino, this rancid taste of fishiness slowly starting to creep up with each sip. It got to the point where the fish taste was so strong and became very unbearable to finish the cappuccino, I made my wife taste it and she also got the same taste with the cappuccino. The hot chocolate that my wife ordered was no different in quality, the smoothness of hot chocolate with a dolup of milk was short of nothing but chocolate coloured water with a dolup of milk as a show and melted chocolate underneath.

When I went up front to the desk to question the great gentleman that was working on the counter and he had a try, He claimed that there was no fish like taste and gave me 3 guesstimate explanations about the fishy taste : The running water might be bad The cups might have some sort of left over residue This is a dutch style coffee roast and not a Finnish or Italian style roast so the taste might be different than what everyone is used to.

I can give the benefit of the doubt for 1 and 2 but with number 3, I have bone to pick : I have BEEN in the Netherlands, I have visited coffee shops within Netherlands ( check my account for reviews if you are thinking that I'm lying) and thus far the Cafes that I have visited within the Netherlands, I have never come across a fishy tasting cappuccino or coffee. The person that was on the counter did give me a regular cup of coffee with oat milk and that was actually good. No fishy after taste.

So I came up with two hypothesis that this might have happened because still I give this place the benefit of the doubt: If they're using a dishwasher with the coffee cups, The filter might have not been cleaned for a while. The lactose free milk that was used might have gone bad and was still chosen to be used within the coffee as when milk has been spoiled or gone rancid, Milk can develop a fishy taste.

Im willing to give this place a 2nd chance another time, But untill then, I invite everyone to try this place for themselves and arrive to your own conclusions as this might have been a one...

What a GEM of Helsinki! We found this cafe while on a holiday from the US. The owners (Mathew and Kevin) are focused on using fare trade and high quality organic products. Their coffee is sourced by women owned and staffed farms in Rwanda, that they have traveled to!!! How many startup cafés do that???

They roast right in the cafe and their attention to quality, detail and taste shows. The coffees are the best I have had. Smooth, not bitter or acidic like you get with a LOT of commercial coffee companies. You know the ones.

The staff is great, engaging, attentive and friendly.

They are getting ready to open a second cafe in the Maria01. I believe there is a new cafe opening in the airport that will feature their coffee as well. Right as you go down to baggage reclaim. So, try it there and visit one of their cafés and take some beans home. We are taking 2 kilos home with us. They also sell their coffee to other cafés and do many functions in the city.

The kitchen is run by a rotating group of top cooks (they don't consider themselves chefs, but I do). I had the best porridge, saucy eggs, breakfast croissant and empanada. We visited them 3 times because the coffee and food was SO good.

They fall into my category on Dinning Experience. A MUST visit...

This café is an absolute gem! From the moment you step inside, you’re welcomed into a warm and nurturing atmosphere that feels like a cozy embrace. The ambiance is peaceful and relaxing.

The service is beyond amazing. You can feel that the owner and sfaff are genuinely passionate about creating a wonderful experience. You feel welcomed, you feel at home.

Coffee is outstanding! Smooth, rich, and perfectly brewed. And the croissants! Oh. My. Goodness. Hands down, one of the best I’ve ever had in my entire life—so light and shatteringly crisp, it melts in your mouth.

Highly, highly...