BONJOUR L'ESTONIE

Still the best curry in town

Anton Dwyer

TALLINN - As a Brit, I know quite a lot of my countrymen are xenophobic. One of them said to me once, without a hint of irony, that when he went abroad he didn’t want to eat  the local cuisine, “foreign muck” as he called it, he wanted a good British curry. There is one place in Tallinn where you go to get what has now become traditional British food, Cafe VS. The decor in Cafe VS is not what one would expect in a curry house. ...

Pearl Harbor

By Marge Tubalkain-Trell

TALLINN - There’s more to Tallinn than just the Old Town and the center – there is also Pirita.
This wealthy suburb of Tallinn has trees, a yacht harbor, private houses and, most importantly, the sea. When you drive – or walk if you have time – to Pirita, you can see the sea all of the time, boats leaving and arriving and some monuments along the way.
One place in Pirita worth checking out is Parl, (Pearl in English).
It’s a bit difficult to find even though it’s located in a big new building, with a bowling alley and apartments in the same building and it’s all right on the beach.

The first thing I noticed about Parl is how quiet it was. There were only a few people, the music was relaxing and smooth and while sitting beside the window, I could watch seagulls flying, boats floating, waves coming softly to the sand and Tallinn’s profile over the sea – the city that according to legend will drown when they finish building it.
The sky was cloudy and the sea was moody then and it felt great from where I sat – like nothing could ever bother you.
I imagined this place in the summertime, the quietness replaced with sunshine, sandy toes and people wanting to have ice cream instead of green tea. I thought there’d be nothing left of what I saw and felt on that day, but it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Is it ?

The man with three faces

By Marge Tubalkain-Trell

TALLINN - The first time I visited  a wine bar named “Kolme naoga mees,” the man with three faces, I was amazed. With it’s simple staircase going down to a cellar, candles and relaxing music it seemed to be nearly unreal, a place just out of my dreams. I thought if I ever make a fairy tale, I would use the place as something.
Now three years later the place still feels magical. Out of all the similar places in Tallinn it’s the one that really seems to welcome me. I don’t think it’s hard to make a place like that, but to give it a feeling of well-being is much harder. When I was there one Friday there was a man drinking wine and he helped the waitress to move tables and he also cleaned tables and  gave menus as well. The floor was wet, because the snow melted and water came inside. One lady was lighting candles and explaining to everyone: “Hello, I’m sorry, but tonight we have a  small Venice here.” She was so smiling and helpful  I thought  she must believe in that place a lot.

The interior of “Kolme naoga mees” is classically romantic. It has simple stone-walls and stone floor, small tables and lots of pillows. Despite lots of stone “Kolme naoga mees” still seems to be  comfy place thanks to the candles burning on each table, stair and even in the bathroom. In the corner is a lovely fireplace, altough I’ve never seen fire in it. They seem to prefer quiet, relaxing music as well.

Fast Food is struggling to take off in Estonia

By Siret Schutting

TALLINN - If you ever get the chance to visit one of the shady food shacks which look like they are going to fall over in the wind, called in Estonian shashlik-bars, you will notice that there are usually expensive cars parked next to them.

How do these places compete with McDonald’s and how do they make so much money ? Some locals believe that most of these joints are as sinful as what is on the  menu and that these places are centers for money laundering and other illegal activities.

Püssirohukelder : the tallest pub in the world

The highest pub in the world is 10,2 m high and is located in Tartu, Estonia.

Püssirohukelder is popular with tourists as well as with the local people. Once in a month there is a drinking compitition. The winner gets a beer mug with his name on it. Every time a winner of the compitition visits the pub, he can drink from his own tankard.

The Pub has found an entry in the Guinness World Records.

Müürivahe Reval Cafe

TALLINN - Among all the new hip restaurants and lounges in Tallinn, Reval Cafe chain stands out for it’s medieval touch, cozy atmosphere and  intimacy. The chain operates eight cafes in Tallinn city center, the newest one being on Liivalaia Street with outstanding design elements combining the modern glass building with historical details.
Müürivahe Reval Cafe is an exquisite dining place suitable for both formal business lunches and romantic dinners. The place opens at 7:30 a.m., attracting clients before work. Continental breakfast is served until four in the afternoon, which makes the place suitable for late sleepers.

The staff are friendly and approachable. The frequently updated chalkboard on the wall informs  customers about monthly specials and new dishes. The menu focuses on Mediterranean cuisine, offering a wide range of salads, quiches, soups and pasta. The classic Caesar salad with chicken fillet (75 kroons) is surprisingly nutritious for a starter dish. A single bite of their Tomato-Mozzarella Salad with a hint of asparagus, is like a journey to an old tavern in Naples where the recipe of mozzarella is a time honored secret.

Estonia Food & Drink report 2008 now available

DUBLIN (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c85449) has announced the addition of Estonia Food & Drink Report 2008 to their offering.

The Estonia Food Drink Report provides independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on Estonia's food and drink industry.

Estonia has been among the most attractive investment destinations in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region. The country is ranked fifth in BMI's revised Business Environment Ranking for the food and drink sectors, given its strong annual GDP growth, rising disposable income and the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI). However, the small size of the market - Estonia has a population of only 1.3mn - is one of the main drawbacks to operating in the country. Indeed, Finnish retailer Kesko and German Lidl recently made a decision to exit the country's mass grocery retail (MGR) sector. While this leaves more room for expansion for leading local players, primarily the Rimi Baltic and Maxima LT (formerly VP Market) chains, this space is clearly limited. Consequently, large-scale market entries are unlikely in the future.

Estonian vodka comes from Estonia

In cooperation with BNS

TALLINN - The European Union (EU) has approved a new liquor regulation according to which vodka produced in Estonia is protected in the EU by its geographic designation, Estonian vodka.

The EU will apply the regulation as of May 20. All Estonian vodka makers can apply for the designation from the Agriculture Ministry.

In addition to Estonia also the other traditional vodka making countries -- Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Latvia,Lithuania and Poland -- will get their geographical vodka designations, the ministry said.

The EU has debated over the definition of vodka for years. Several countries, including Estonia, applied for restricting the raw material of vodka to grain and potatoes but the EU favored a more liberal version.

The regulation to be applied from May does not restrict the use of raw material, but if the spirits used for the production of vodka is other than grain or potatoes, the raw material must be clearly indicated on the label.

European Penguins enjoy ice cold beer

Purple Penguin Design produced the website and promotional film or the UK launch of Estonian beer, Viru (pronounced ‘veer-oo’).

Produced in Tartu using fresh spring water and the finest malted barley, this crisp 5% lager is packaged in a unique octahedral bottle that encapsulates its character and quality. Unique in its quality, heritage and packaging, Viru is rapidly becoming the Baltic states’ most famous export.

Viru beer was originally sold in Estonia as ‘A Le Coq Premium Extra’. The beer has beer rebranded as Viru, due to its slightly risque name causing a commotion in crowded noisy bars. The directors of Brand Independence identified the international opportunity for the product and after some fine tuning of the recipe, re-branded it as ‘Viru’®.

The A. Le Coq brewery now produces the beer under licence and Brand Independence is successfully establishing Viru as a quality international beer brand.

Saaremaa Vodka ....