I booked a table inside the restaurant, but when we arrived, we were pointed to a table outside. Luckily, the two people in our party, who had preferred a table inside due to health reasons, did not mind. It was lovely outside, though, and we...were served very soon, also with plenty of water in the hot weather.
The menu was written on a chalk bard, in Finnish and English and in very simple terms. We ordered two large tasting plates to share, and, as the waitress urged me to do so, I also ordered a main, a salad with smoked trout. The tasting plate had been described as "meats, tapas style, with vegetables" and I repeatedly asked about any sauces or honey or so, and the waitress assured me that there was nothing of that sort on the tasting plate. The waitress asked me about allergies, but I clarified that I have diabetes. The tasting plates arrived and included some very delicious items such as smoked beef and salmon. There was some sweet sauce in the centre of the plate, soon covering some of the savoury items, and the 'fermented' vegetables tasted not tart at all, as I expect from fermented vegetables, but very sweet, as if covered in syrup (what happened there?!)
The Salad a la Harmooni was described in the menu as "spinach, nettlepancake" and I chose the option of "rainbow trout". I had ordered it without nettlepancake, but with more salad. What I got was a massive portion of quinoa (why???) with some vegetables in it such as carrots and also very sweet tomatoes, again, as if covered in some kind of syrup. The trout, or salmon, was delicious, and so were the few spinach leaves on the plate. It was 22 Euros though for a quarter of a plate of non-sweet, non-starchy food, and most food going back.
While everyone else in my party was super happy with the service and food, I found the experience very disappointing. I am not sure what (else) I should have said or asked for. As the waitress asked me towards the end of the dinner, whether I want a dessert, I realised that she might not understand diabetes at all. Although I drank a lot of water, I developed a massive headache over night and felt sick the next day, which, to be fair, could be due to the hot weather, but I think the sugar must have contributed to it.
In summary, I generally avoid restaurants with complex dishes, but the problem is when menus don't list the sides. When the menu looks simple, I expect simple. That's why I didn't want to publish a rant online, but rather share my experience for people in similar situations.More
