Ravintola Emo — Restaurant in Helsinki sub-region

Great atmosphere! Good soup and bread! Nice toilets! Nice staff!

Then the things i assumed would be better for this restaurant/price category. Everything was good or quite good, but the expectations were a lot higher. Most portions also looked good or at least okay, so nothing critical.

Half of the food from six portions were very normal quality, for example fish was big but dry and the corn&lens with it was very basic food, a bit like leftovers at home. Same goes with the dessert, big portion bit quite dry pancake with ice cream definitely did not manage to provide any fantastic food experience.

Some were okay, just like quickly home made basic good food like the duck and pumpkin, but in a fine restaurant i would want it to be at least a bit fancy or interesting.

Some wines were very nice (Riesling and Austrian red at least), but this was maybe the first time that i had to wait long before getting another glass, not to mention that water glasses were never filled nor the empty bottle. Also a very big minus comes from the schedule, since we were promised in the beginning that the menu is quite quickly served, but it still took more than 2,5 hours to finish just six plates. In another restaurant I've been served over ten plates without any rush in the same time.

I would very much want to like Emo and give 4 (or even 5) stars but according to the last visit, this seems to be just a bit expensive wannabe fine dining restaurant. Or was it a bad day? Or maybe it once was good? The place really has...

The last time I visited this address, some 10 years ago, the restaurant was called OLO. Now, it’s home to EMO, a bistro-style spinoff from the OLO Group. On a Tuesday afternoon, a few tables were enjoying an early dinner. We opted for the Chef’s Menu, a 4-course set priced at €59. The meal started strongly with an amuse-bouche: a small bite of fresh summer vegetables and delightful fennel-infused focaccia. The starters, leek soup and beef tartare, were rich with bold, fresh flavors. The leek soup, in particular, was outstanding. However, the main course was a slight disappointment after such a promising start. The pike perch dish was technically flawless but lacked flavor. It was slightly oversalted, which overpowered the delicate flavors of the relatively mild ingredients. On a hot Helsinki day, the meal ended perfectly with a refreshing yoghurt parfait for dessert. Paired with raspberries and sandcake, it was the ideal light finish to a hearty meal. You can truly taste the talent behind EMO’s food. Each dish was well-prepared, showcasing some innovative approaches. Before our visit, Google reviews suggested that EMO struggled with its service. I’m happy to report that throughout the evening, the service was friendly, professional, and flawless. Everyone in the dining hall seemed to be having a great time. Two thumbs up for EMO—I would definitely...

Find another restaurant to eat at!!!

Extremely overpriced for the quality of food you get. We ordered the tasting menu for two and it was an absolute disappointment. The starters were mostly OK at best. They were followed by gnocchi with truffles, and it was just an oily mess with literally burnt mushrooms. As for the mains, the duck breast was cooked in all the wrong ways by someone who has no ideas how to render the fat on a duck breast or give it a crispy layer while leaving the meat itself tender. The duck meat was SUPER CHEWY, and it was a challenge to cut by a knife. Having returned it to the kitchen because it is not eatable, the chef argued back that it was "made to perfection". Thankfully, the waiter offered a fish replacement, which was overcooked, but at least did not require to break my jaw to chew. Very sad to know that such an amateur person works at a supposedly fine dining place. The dessert was also absolutely rushed and way too sweet.

All in all paid 280 euros to have a 40-euro kind of experience with such underwhelming flavors and lack of technique.

Do yourself a favor and go eat...