There is always something new at the restaurant Ö

In this picture the chef of the restaurant Chez Dominique in Helsinki Hans Välimäki and Ö’s own chief of the kitchen Roman Zastserinski are happily and contentedly gazing from the kitchen of Ö toward the dining hall. There is a reason to be happy. Only praise was heard from the dining hall for their joint menu.

Currently there is a new summer menu at Ö. But you can always ask for dishes not listed in the menu. What might those be?

No other chef speaks of foodstuff the way Roman does: with respect, knowledge and love. There is always an interesting product to be found in his kitchen that he is experimenting with. Diners can partake in those experiments if they know what to ask for - and if no one has beaten them to it.

And if you have no luck getting to taste an experiment, don’t worry. Everything in the menu is an approved result of experiments and tests.

This dish – king crab with warm quail eggs and rhubarb is one of the most interesting combinations among appetizers.

The crab legs are wondrously juicy, and when biting a quail egg the yolk flows out to provide a sauce. The rhubarbs are poached in syrup. The tart mousse made from cherry tomatoes helps release the taste of the crab. That is what culinary art is about!

The most intriguing of main dishes is rabbit fillet in brain mushroom sauce. Brain mushrooms are poisonous! But if carefully boiled three times, the poison disappears, leaving only the unique taste.

In addition to the fillet, the rabbit’s kidneys are also used in the dish. The fresh cherry tomatoes dried in the oven on the spot add an interesting touch. Like a small sweet and sour explosion in your mouth.

Poppy strudel remains decorously in the background but has an important role in the ”team of tastes”, showing the unlimited possibilities of using local products.

The dessert that best fits into the ensemble is curd brule with rhubarb sorbet and strawberries. This dish is always on the menu but the ingredients change by season.

After the dessert it’s obvious that every dish in Ö’s menu has a personality of its own. Everything is worth tasting.

The menu itself is not lengthy, but each season is likewise short.