Bistro Dagmar - favourite foods and a relaxed atmosphere

Restaurant company Oy Botta Ab expanded outside the Ostrobotnia building for the first time when a casual block bistro and wine bar – seating around 100 people – opened on Dagmarinkatu. The head chef Mikko Nyman and his team cook up their favorite dishes from around the world at Dagmar. 

– We're an approachable restaurant, and that vibe extends to what we do. We all get involved in thinking about what to put on the menu, and we've come up with a lot of ideas together. They are then tested in production, and if the idea turns out to work and is suitable for serving, the food is put on the menu, he explains.

Dagmar's dishes are meant to be eaten alone or shared. 

– Good, varied offerings, responsibly and according to season, Mikko describes the food offerings.

– We wanted to bring a relaxed, approachable restaurant to Töölö. Everyone is welcome here, from baby to grandpa. It's been a pleasure to see that the place has been well received and that, for example, we already have regular customers, Mikko says. 

– In the summer we will open a terrace with more than 60 seats, so there will be plenty of space to relax and enjoy the summer!

Functionality in the kitchen is important 

All areas of the restaurant underwent a complete transformation. For the restaurant's kitchen, Mikko was keen to have functionality and the ability to work smoothly in the kitchen, according to the needs of the moment. It was also important to make efficient use of the kitchen's square footage. 

– The functionality of the equipment and its placement will largely determine what can be done in the kitchen in the future. Above all, we wanted a kitchen where we could work sensibly, he explains. 

The ergonomics of the kitchen were easy for Mikko to solve, as they are part of the features of the equipment that was already purchased. 

– The ergonomics of the equipment is so predefined by Metos that there was no need for us to think about it ourselves. Ergonomic equipment, adjustable table tops and wheeled solutions are important for us, he says. 

After the drawings, the plans came to life with 3D modelling by Metos' kitchen designers, which helped to further visualize the space before they were finalized.

– For example, the distances in the kitchen became much clearer through the modelling, and we adjusted the plans further based on that, Mikko says.

– The kitchen turned out really well, even though we already knew that it would be challenging to fit everything we wanted into the square footage. We didn't have to give up anything we wanted. We now have a wide range of good equipment to do whatever we want to do.  

The kitchen also had such new equipment that the staff had no previous experience with it. A Metos trainer gave a training session on how to use the equipment, which helped them to get up and running straight away. 

– The training really opened what you can do with this equipment. Now we have all our equipment in daily use, says Mikko.

He also appreciates the efficiency and speed of the after-sales service for the kitchen equipment. As the equipment is in constant daily, heavy use, the functionality of the service is essential for the success of the restaurant. 

– Everything has gone well with Metos, and the cooperation has been good in every way, Mikko concludes.  

Read also: Good Kitchen Design Brings many Benefits to the Everyday Life of a Professional Kitchen

Read more about Metos Training Service

Dagmar Bistro Wine & Bar is located at Dagmarinkatu 4, 00100 Helsinki. Lunch is served on weekdays from 11-14, AfterWork is served Tues-Fri from 14-17 and favourite dishes are available from 17.00 on Tues-Fri and all day on Saturdays.