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restaurants
Photo: Dinner in the Sky
T H E B A LT I C G U I D E ™ AU G U S T 2 0 1 4
■ A meal with a view
■ Pegasus
Dinner in the Sky will visit Tallinn from 12-17 August in the square of the Estonian Academy of Arts (Tartu mnt. 1). This year, chef Vladislav Djatšuk of Tchaikovsky restaurant in Tallinn and chef Jouni Toivanen of the Michelin starred restaurant Luomo in Helsinki will be taking to the skies to prepare an unforgettable meal at 50 metres high. Djatšuk is Estonia’s first chef to make it to the Bocuse d’Or finals. He is known for modern Russian and French cuisine. Toivanen is known for his innovative flavour combinations and use of modern gastronomical technology.
Pegasus, a long-running Tallinn restaurant has reopened its doors in its original location in Tallinn’s Old Town. The playful menu boasts international cuisine with Estonian flavours. Dishes are well-prepared, beautifully plated, and combine subtle flavours that go well together. Service is fantastic, and while the weather stays warm enjoy a meal outside on the large street patio. Harju 1, Tallinn Old Town I1.
A new burger in town TEXT & PHOTOS KRISTINA LUPP
T
he famous burgers from Kuressaare, Saaremaa are now in Tallinn! Owners Derek Ewen and Fleur Sprenk have brought their all-local, all-Estonian burgers to the Old Town, just in time for summer. I caught up with Derek in Tallinn to talk burgers, poutine, and local Estonian food. Dereku Burger is all about fresh, local ingredients. How do you tackle the problem of seasonal ingredients in a country like Estonia, where the growing season is so short? Yes, this is a difficult challenge. If we can’t get to the produce, we have bring the produce to us. For the past seven years we have worked with farmers on Saaremaa through such organisations as Saare Mahe Selts, Saaremaa Turundus Ühing, organised farmers markets and
open air markets like the Kuressaare Turg. We started a store in Kuressaare called Turuköök where the public could buy direct from our farmers and at the same time, we could use them in our supply network. In Tallinn, the short answer is that for a long time we have built up good will and good faith with our supplier network on Saaremaa – this helps us get our food fresh and direct. In Tallinn, we are hosting Saare O.T.T. which will allow our customers to pick up pre-ordered and pre-packed orders for food from our growers, and also give us a fresh supply of farm produce. So, when we can we try to get our tomatoes from the greenhouse, but sometimes we have to go Spanish. We do our best. It’s not easy. Dereku Burger started in Saaremaa and has now moved to Tallinn. How was the move to the “big city”? Have you had to do anything different?
Poutine The team at Dereku Burger.
Yes – Our challenge has been to stay true to our ‘one burger at a time, one happy customer at a time’approach, but Tallinn has a way bigger grill than we have in Kuressaare. Apart from your own burger, what is the best burger you’ve ever had? The best burger I have ever had…I was seven and it was a burger in Toronto at a bar restaurant named Hector’s, near Yonge and Eglinton. I can’t tell you any more, because
we are going to soon replicate cate it on our own menu. Stay tuned d please! Can you tell those who are nonCanadians just what poutine is and what makes it so delicious? Poutine combines the best of three worlds in one dish: melted shredded cheddar, rough cut deep fried potato wedges and hot beef stock seasoned gravy… yum, I have to stop now. Even talking about poutine induces withdrawal symptoms.
Dereku Burger in Tallinn is located in Tallinn’s Old Town. Burgers are grilled fresh to order and all ingredients di t are organic and local, when possible. You can also look forward to a food market opening up in front of Dereku, where you can buy local produce. Or just enjoy a burger on their rooftop patio. ■
Location Dereku Burger Aia 8, Tallinn Old Town G3.
A meat lover’s paradise – that even vegetarians can appreciate TEXT MIKKO SAVIKKO, PHOTOS ANDREI CHERTKOV
As a guest, the server shows you to your table. This is necessary, because together with the terrace, the restaurant can seat many people; and the restaurant can be fully booked, even on weeknights. To ease the speed of service, pressing the button on the little black device affixed to the table can bring a server to your table or request the bill. For families with children there is a play corner inside and a playground outside. A weekly menu can be found on the first few pages of the long menu. The favourite dishes from
Talleke ja Pullike means lamb and bull.
this part of the menu sometimes make it to the regular menu, among which are meat dishes prepared in the Josper oven and Uzbekistani dishes. For those
that love grilled meat you can also find a flank steak on the menu, as well as fish and vegetarian dishes, smaller portions and desserts.
The lamb comes from New Zealand and the Angus beef, from Australia. You could have a taste of a few dishes, shared among friends, including the entrecote, buffalo tenderloin, lamb, and marbled New York steak. The Baltic Guide tried them all. With quality fresh ingredients and proper preparation, it turns out you don’t need any more seasoning than salt and pepper. Warm rolls and flavoured butter was brought to the table before the meal. The restaurant also has a pastry chef who prepared a meltin-your-mouth pavlova. If you get a table right in front of the kitchen, then you can watch the Uzbek cooks at work.
A 200g filet mignon cost 14.50 and a 300g entrecote, 15.30. The least expensive bottle of wine costs 13, and there are also six different beers on tap, starting from 3.40 for 500 ml. ■
Location Talleke ja Pullike Ehitajate tee 109, Õismäe. The café is open from 9am and the restaurant from 12 noon. The restaurant is located near the Õismäe Nurmenuku store and near the south entrance of the zoo. Take trolley bus number 6 from the Kaubamaja stop or trolley bus number 7 from the Baltijaam train station. It takes about 20 minutes to get there. Get off at the Nurmenuku stop.