Iltalehti’s food editor tested Lidl’s pop-up restaurant.
Restaurant Lidlerie has designed, among other things, its own logo. Eeva Paljakka
Lidl and Chef by Henri Alen joint effort restaurant Lidlerie is a great marketing feat.
On top of everything, it’s obviously successful, even though it’s a really big operation. The restaurant has gotten people moving, as it was meant to be.
The goal of the event is to draw attention to the store’s raw materials, which according to Lidl are of the quality of a top restaurant. All the ingredients used in the kitchen, including spices and oils, are from Lidl’s selections.
I got to eat a dinner arranged for the press, the menu of which was a selection of the flavors of Kasvimaa.
The menu costs 12.69 euros, as it only consists of the prices of raw materials.
If I had made the choice myself, I would have eaten the meat or fish menu.
Finnjävel Sali has changed its interior, and you really can’t mistake whose restaurant you’re sitting in now, because I can see Lidl’s logo on the wall throughout dinner. Stylish is not the first word that comes to my mind.
The restaurant hall is dominated by the Lidl logo. Eeva Paljakka
Before the food, I have to say a few words about the wines. They are a selection from Lidl in Latvia. The price is outrageously cheap. The price of a four-glass wine package is 6.43 euros. This is surprising in Finland. You can say that the price-quality ratio is right.
The dinner started with Alén’s much-hyped ingredients, i.e. musk pumpkin and blood orange. They were accompanied by pesto, in which the pine nuts were replaced with sunflower seeds. You should definitely try this at home as well. Sunflower seeds are significantly cheaper than pine nuts, but they are not inferior in taste at all. The dish was finished with burrata, which, according to Alén, is also one of his favorite ingredients.
The dish has an appropriately tangy acidity and a round flavor world. Probably good.
The delicacy risotto is simple, but so delicious. Eeva Paljakka
However, one of the best dishes on the menu is the risotto, which has become Alén’s trademark. Herkutati risotto is really yummy and delicious. Perfect in its simplicity.
The main course is smoked celeriac, grilled Japanese eggplant and delicious mushroom puree. A skillful dose, which is nevertheless quite even, without a major highlight.
The Åland pancake will blow your mind. Eeva Paljakka
The menu ends with Åland pancake, cardamom cream and baked apple sorbet. What a treat! The pancake tastes of seductive salty butter, the sorbet is velvety and the cream is perfect with a hint of cardamom. The portion is a full dozen.
I have to say that I was surprised at Lidlerie.
This is by no means the first vegetarian menu I’ve eaten. Still, once again I was surprised how full of rich flavors a vegetable menu can be when the chef knows his stuff.