Kosmos — Restaurant in Helsinki sub-region

I want to start by saying that I really wanted to love Kosmos. I really wanted it to be an exceptional experience where the historical significance of the venue comes to life between the starters and the mains and I suddenly find myself inexplicably moved by the transcendent milieu, the old-timey service, the food reminiscent of decades past. Alas, this was not to be.

My overall estimation is that the food was pretty good but for this price, it could have been better. The perch fillets that my wife ordered didn't taste as fresh as they should have, considering they cost 34€. My minute steak was quite decent. My father loved his Wiener schnitzel, which he is apt to do. As for the rest of our orders, no-one really mentioned them.

I had high hopes about the venue but in the end it felt a little bit underwhelming. I liked the retro vibe and the artwork but maybe because we were seated right in the middle of the restaurant, it was difficult to converse at a normal volume. It was so loud, I could barely hear the person across the table. In this sense, the acoustics resembled a beer hall rather than a restaurant. We were also packed in quite tightly between the other tables and it was just not very comfortable.

Finally, the service. Wait, I know what you're going to say: "it's supposed to be like that. It's alluding to an old-fashioned service culture!" And I can agree with the sentiment. Not everything is supposed to be slick, polished and ingratiating. But I just can't bring myself to agree with the end-results. My wife took maybe four extra seconds to make sure she was ordering the right thing off the menu and the waitress was already getting impatient. It's a weird vibe: you've come to enjoy a dinner with the family at a fairly expensive restaurant but you suddenly feel vaguely unwelcome and under pressure to perform with maximum efficiency. As if you were supposed to memorise the menu before coming and are too afraid to ask any questions or check because you don't know what kind of a response you're going to get.

Okay, these grievances aside, it was a decent place. The food was good enough. Bring guests from overseas and show them how Finnish restaurants used to be back in the day. Maybe we'll have a drink or a bite to eat on the terrace someday but I don't think we'll be making another family...

Well-prepared dishes with good flavours and nice textures

N60°10.085' E24°56.381' The first impression was not good. An abandoned terrace, while others were filled with people and a horse made of beer cans in the display window. Upon arrival, the receptionist asked us to pay for storage our coats in the cloakroom. Very unusual for restaurant.

These first impressions were completely reversed by the Art Noveau interior of Alvar Aalto. Kosmos is a classic restaurant and a well known in Helsinki for its traditional Finnish atmosphere and classic dishes such as reindeer, sweetbreads, kidneys and succulent fish options.

During our visit in May 2018, we ordered the three-course menu for €48 per person with salmon entrée or soup, reindeer or fish main courses and dessert. The main courses may not be very modern, but they tasted excellent. We just enjoyed well-prepared food with good flavours and nice textures. There is nothing wrong with that.

Service is an integral part of a good dinner, which enhances the experience. At Kosmos, you can still witness professional old school waiters from the time when serving dinner guests was a lifelong profession before cheap part-time students retired them. Nothing less, the service was excellent.

Kosmos serves good food, well prepared with great service....

Finally had a change to visit this legendary place! It's grazy that the place is this old!

I loved the schnitzel! Is it even possible that something could be almost bit too crunchy? 😄 The smash was quite smooth for my liking, but it complimented the ultra crunchiness of the schnitzel.

The 100th birthday edition red wine was superb!

The service was top-notch, professional yet with a special attitude and a lot of cheeky and witty humour (but very modestly expressed, just perfect).

It was very loud, noises echo in the big space. Atmosphere was otherwise very great! Lot of art to admire.

The clientee was interesting mixture of people, from young to old, from expensive suits and glitter dresses to woolly sweaters and jeans, from more old and new academic looks to creative/suffering/succesful artistic looks. Their statement to serve "impartially the wealthy and the poor, the civil elite and everyday customers" was to be felt there, the colourful bunch of customers as a living proof of it!

Happy 100th birthday Kosmos, may future bring hundreds of...