Tallinn - Bread, Beer and Beautiful Food, Tallinn, Estonia

I was blown away by the food; fresh, thinly crusted brown bread with slightly salted butter; exquisite gourmet dishes; hand-crafted fruity beers; sparkling sophisticated cider; mouth-watering desserts and pastries … Where was I? Top London restaurants, Parisian haute cuisine? No, I was in Tallinn, capital of Estonia. My food fest began at restaurant MEKK MEKK means the taste or the essence of Estonian cuisine. A cuisine that has taken the best from all the nations that have occupied or controlled this country – Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Finland and Russia. According to the main chef here, Rene Uusmees modern Estonian cuisine is rooted in traditions, culture and the simple wisdom of their grandmothers. My overall impression was a respect and love of food that resulted in dishes made from wholesome, freshly prepared ingredients. My smoked salmon starter was delightful and the prelude to a perfect dining experience.

I doubted the quality of my MEKK experience would be repeated as this restaurant is based in a five-star hotel, the Savoy Boutique Hotel. I was wrong. My next culinary experience was at a lovely restaurant with a lot of history. Restaurant Leib resto ja Aed is situated at the far end of a pretty courtyard adjacent to the city walls. Visitors may wonder why the path through its garden is lined with famous Scottish personalities including Sean Connery. The interior with beautiful wooden furniture and paintings on the walls was reminiscent of a British pub which was not surprising as the building originally housed the Scottish pub, home of the Scottish Club. As it was a cold winter’s day we ate in the cosy interior but in the summer guests can also eat on the terrace outside. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).