Ask

When it comes to dining at Michelin-​starred restaurants, I actually prefer lunch to dinner. It is usually a calmer time to visit and the price of a menu is easily half compared to having an evening meal. Last week we visited one of the newer restaurants in Helsinki that has been rewarded a star by Guide de Michelin, Restaurant Ask.
The concept of the restaurant is pure ingredients, produced ecologically or bio-​dynamically, sourced from local (or as close by as possible) farms and producers. The place reminds me of Volt in Stockholm and the concept is very trendy right now. Almost, but not quite, passé. The wine list has also been thoroughly considered and sourced from small and medium-​sized producers. The champagne list is to die for (Selosse, Doquet Tarlant, Veuve Forny etc) and the selection of reds and whites interesting, however, only from the «old-​world». Next time, I will make sure to come with a bigger group so that we can order by the bottle.
The lunch menu was simple: four courses selected by the chef. There was a possibility for a drinks pairing, however we came to the conclusion that it was too early for too much wine and decided to just pick and choose a few glasses: an apéritif and a glass with the food. The bubbly by the glass was Veuve Forny & Fils Blanc de Blancs served from a magnum bottle. I really like Veuve Forny and think it is a good value for money champagne, however, the blanc de blancs fell a bit short, and at 17 € a glass it was not really worth it. I was happy though that it was served from a Lehman glass. I have been meaning to try those out.
The food was absolutely beautiful, and tasty of course. We had Tagates and greens for a starter, a white fish for seconds (my date had some new potatoes and egg as he is not the one for seafood), ox and roots for the main course and a sweet strawberries with elderflower shaved ice. On top of that we had home baked bread with yummy butter, root chips with a yogurt dip, and as palate cleanser, spruce sorbet. The food was very well made and we enjoyed every bite. I paired the food with a Portuguese, dry Vinho Verde (green wine) and my date with a local micro-​brewery beer. Both tasted wonderful with the fresh ingredients. To finish the meal, Ask had coffee prepared with a Chemex! This is a big plus as it is not many restaurants that cater to the coffee-​curious. We have never really understood why quality coffee is so widely neglected at great restaurants. It is, after all, the last «course» on the menu and the last memory of the meal. Ask’s selection of coffees was from Johan & Nyström. Good, but nothing exciting, so we passed and headed somewhere else for our coffees. However, I really appreciated that Ask had thought about this.
All in all the experience was very positive. Not outstanding, but I get it why Ask received it’s star. Service was very friendly. Not as knowledgeable (wine-​wise) as I think it «should» have been, but really the waiter was very sweet and sought answers to all of our questions (even the stupid ones). The price for the four course lunch was 49 €, so I would say it was ok, but not cheap. The drinks pairing was priced at 41 € (I expect it contained 3 – 4 drinks). But as we just took individual glasses, the restaurant charged us 10 € per drink. This, I feel was way better value than the champagne apéritif.
Dear Ask, I will definitely visit again. And next time, I will bring some friends and raid your wine-​list. Looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us next time!

When stepping into Ask, a small Michelin starred bistro, I somehow felt I had seen the place before. It has simple yet elegant design and a fairly small space (seating 26 people). When seated and looking around I could see that it reminds me a lot of a Stockholm restaurant called Volt and as the menu and wines were presented I realized that it was not only the look but also the concepts and ideas that are similar. The focus is on local and seasonal produce and a lot of ecological. The wines are all either ecological or bio-​dynamic.
The service started off a bit slow but they quickly apologized for keeping us waiting and after that were very attentive and also good at answering all questions we had. The wine list was very interesting and not too badly priced, especially the selection of Riesling was impressive but also nice champagnes and some good Portuguese wine stood out.
The set menu we had contained no bad dishes but there were some that stood out in being really great. The best dishes was the stew of ox tail. It was so good I wanted to lick the plate. The new potatoes with the perfectly prepared egg and the sauce of burnt butter were excellent as well. The desserts were good but more fresh than sweet so something I really liked but not for everyone. Will probably return a larger group to be able to sample some more wines as the list by the bottle was much more extensive,

Enjoyed one of the best meals ever at restaurant Ask in Helsinki this week. Ask restaurateurs Linda Stenman-​Langhoff and Filip Langhoff have created a small, cosy restaurant in the heart of Kruununhaka in Helsinki. With mere 26 seats it is truly a neighborhood kind of place. Their emphasize is on small farmers and producers — also in wine they favor smaller producers who seem to have passion for wine-​making and great stories to tell about their products. All food produce comes from organic or biodynamic farming and they are prepared with love, care and genuine enthusiasm. The food looks like food — but at the same time it tells a story of its origin and surroundings.
We enjoyed the eight course menu with accompanying wines. Substitutions for the vegetarian were subtle and tasty. The wines were really thrilling — powerful, bold and beautifully presented. We took the wines in half portions and that really worked well.
Highly recommended.

Ravintola Ask is without a doubt one of the best restaurants in Helsinki. And that is not just according to my humble opinion. The Michelin jury agreed and awarded the small restaurant in Kruunuhaka a Michelin star. Ask is run by the couple Filip and Linda who together with their staff are doing an amazing job of making your evening an unforgettable experience.
They offer a list of eight outstanding dishes and gives you the opportunity to choose four out of them or go for the whole menu. If you have the time (about three to four hours) go for the full experience. You can also choose a wine menu in combination with the food. Single wines are a good choice as well. But in any case ask for their recommendation. All their wines are carefully selected and have their own story.
When it comes to the food be prepared to be amazed. The dinner starts of with two small greetings from the kitchen to give you a first hint of what is still awaiting you.
At Ask they don’t need many words to explain their dishes. The menu doesn’t reveal to much. The food here speaks for itself. All their ingredients that come from farmers and producers are organic and biodynamic.
If you want to experience Ask for yourself don’t forget to book a table in advance. The restaurant is quite small. And if you are planning on having all eight courses don’t be there too late. It takes a while.
Enjoy and have a wonderful time at Ask!

We went here for our last night in Helsinki. What a find! I splurged on the 8 course menu and it was spectacular. Some of the best courses I’ve had. Some highlights: the false morels with rice, essentially a risotto with this lemon jam that was surprising and delicious when you got it in a bite. The apple granita with toasted buckwheat, white chocolate and sorrel (a mild salad green) that came off just like apple pie. To finish the evening the owner came and chatted with us about what he’s trying to do. Seasonality in Finland, he’s got it much tougher than Alice Waters in Berkeley. Delightful service, wine and food. Thanks Ask.