break + stars

Hi all,

Every one has seen that the sommelier has not been really active in his blog lately.

I have to admit that I have lost motivation to write. It is not that I would not have ideas to write, but I feel it difficult to find time to write here.

So, I thought of putting the blog to (not-so-dry) dock until I find the energy to start writing again. Now I feel that I am 105% committed to my work here in Stockholm.

A very pleasant big thank we got today at work in a form of a nice shiny Michelin star; actually we got one and half (rising)! Quite good accomplishment for a restaurant being open for nine months. But now starts the real work and our goals are in future and giving excellent top class service every evening. I think that it is the most challenging thing in a top restaurant - to keep up the consistency in quality.

Nice news from Finland with Postres getting their first star - they could not miss that one. Frankly, they are the best restaurant in town with Demo. I find it extremely positive that all the star restaurants in Helsinki are now small privately owned, it was not actually a big surprise to me that G.W. Sundmans lost their star. I think that this is good wake for Royal Ravintolat to sharpen up and really start thinking in new way and making their restaurants more different from each other. Maybe they could even loose their idiotic policy in wine buying (V&S Finland paid 100k€ just to become their biggest supplier). Go see their wine lists for their restaurants - each one is same kind with shit wines (except Savoy) . Or wait a moment, let me think again. No, that will probably never going to change :(

p.s. Grotesk three weeks ago in very quiet monday evening in Helsinki was excellent. We had a very good menu with my good friend Topi. Excellent price/quality. And foxy waitress!

p.s.s. Big thanks again to Ester and Piia in for the wines!