Helsinki to Beijing and back. On both directions it was one-tray service, which I somehow can understand on the overnight outbound leg of only 7hrs, but definately not on daytime inbound leg of 8hrs, when there is plenty of time for anything! When I asked about it on the way back, the reply was that as the outbound sector is one tray service due to short flight time, they cannot do it another way on the inbound, which to my understanding is total b******t.
On inbound flight they didn't have any menu cards, as "they were accidently loaded onto some other flight", but the choices were explained to each passenger the way they do it on intra-European flights. The menu, however was not the one you available online (I checked it right away when hearing no menu cards on this flight), but something different. That either explains why they didn't have the menu cards, or that the menu available online is outdated.
Service on inbound flight was great: professional, unhurried and friendly, especially one of the FAs that at the first glance looked like having eaten just lemons for breakfast, lunch and dinner turned out to be the highlight of the crew. It just proves, once again, that appearance can be deceiving. Now I also know what a real free-flow champagne service means 😅
One again: the dishes, especially ex-HEL, taste so much better than they look. Finnair really should start plating the mains onboard instead of just heating them up, it would take the dishes also visually to the level they mostly deserve!
HEL-PEK: Smoked fish mousse with crispy rye bread as amuse (excellent). Cold smoked salmon with horseradish coleslaw by chef Myllymäki for starter and for main smoked arctic char and salsify purée with dill seasoned white wine sauce. The starter (salmon) was good and the main (arctic char) was delicious. But somehow the started (roasted carrots with blue cheese creme) my companion next to me had, looked and also tasted better. Very good dinner, but this one tray service just doesn't do justice to it!
HEL-PEK Dessert: Strawberry cheese cake, tasty, even though some guys here are of another opinion. Yammy Jymy Coconut-Lime ice cream.
PEK-HEL Lunch: Starter... hmmm... well, it was ok, but let's put it this way: nothing memorable. Main: salmon that was bland (some pepper and salt did the trick, however) and overcooked, but did it's job of filling stomach. Anyway, this one-tray service just sucks.
PEK-HEL Dessert: Best part of the lunch, cheesecake was tasty.
PEK-HEL Light meal: Chicken and noodles, that was tasteless before adding some salt and pepper, that turned it into very tasty meal.