Sashimi, Unagi + Truffle Nigiri, Miso Salmon, Beetroot Sorbet at Restaurant Gaijin, Helsinki FINLAND

Sashimi Tasting - sake, aji, and hamachi, roe, wasabi-yuzu dressing, wakame, wasabi mayonnaise

Unagi & Truffle Nigiri - glazed eel, truffle, teriyaki rice, seaweed caviar

I visited Helsinki for the New Year, and visited a local Asian fusion restaurant called Gaijin. (What's funny is that "Gaijin" means "foreigner" in Japanese. It is pretty ironic for a restaurant to name themselves this way.) Overall, the dishes are easy to go down and many are quite delicious. I was very full in the end that I can't even finish my dessert.

Restaurant Front

Restaurant Gaijin is a fusion restaurant that introduces Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisine in a modern way. What I have here is a tasting menu with 10 courses of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese inspired dishes. If you are a drinker, the restaurant offers a list of sake, wine, and cocktails.

cocktail

Sashimi Tasting - sake, aji, and hamachi, roe, wasabi-yuzu dressing, wakame, wasabi mayonnaise

I personally don't like foie gras, so I requested to take it off from the unagi nigiri. It is a pleasant bite, but I prefer a plain unagi, rice, and seaweed. I feel like truffle and caviar were absolutely not necessary.

Unagi & Truffle Nigiri - glazed eel, truffle, teriyaki rice, seaweed caviar

Serving with gohan/Japanese rice, the Saikyo Miso Salmon tastes excellent along with the dashi sauce and cauliflower. The salmon is cooked just right and the outer crust of the salmon fillet is thin and with just the right "not too hard, not too soft" texture.

Saikyo Miso Salmon & Kelp Seaweed - saikyo-miso marinated salmon, charred cauliflower, kelp seaweed and dashi emulsion, bonito, seaweed caviar

For dessert, I actually really look forward to the sake gelee. I don't like alcohol, and this gelee really fits my taste. It has a light sake flavor, but it feels like the alcohol has evaporated from the process of making the gelee. It is chilly and the texture of gelee goes very well with the creamy beetroot sorbet.

Vanilla Beetroot Sorbet, crispy beetroot, sake gelee, vanilla flavored beetroot broth

Gaijin is definitely a restaurant that I enjoyed during my visit in Helsinki. It is quite pricey, I highly recommend it if you are planning to bring a date or celebrate birthday. (since it serves different types of alcoholic drinks)

Restaurant Gaijin Address: Bulevardi 8, 00120 Helsinki, Finland Phone:+358 10 3229386 Hours:  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 5:00pm – midnight 5:00pm – midnight 5:00pm – midnight 5:00pm – midnight 5:00pm – midnight 5:00pm – midnight 5:00pm – 11:00pm Website: http://www.gaijin.fi/