A humble Shokudo and Teishoku restaurant

Tokashiku beach

Aharen beach

I visited Tokashiki Island in December. Many shops and restaurants were closed because it was not a peak tourist period. I took a taxi from Tokashiki Port to Aharen Beach. The taxi lady was kind to show me the open restaurants.

After a lovely soak in the sun and sea, I headed to a family-run Shokudo and Teishoku restaurant that the taxi lady recommended for lunch. Teishoku serves set menus, and Shokudo serves a variety of inexpensive Japanese dishes. The interior of the restaurant was basic, with wooden tables and benches.

I ordered stir-fried vegetables on Okinawa soba (700 yen). I opted to sit outside because it was a beautiful day with cool weather. The dish tasted home-cooked, and the broth was flavorful. It was a simple yet satisfying meal.

喰呑屋バラック

Telephone: +81 98-987-3108

Opening hours: Open daily from 11:00 a.m. – 13:30 p.m., 17:30p.m. – 20:00 p.m.

Address: 145ｰ1 Aharen, Tokashiki, Shimajiri District, Okinawa 901-3502, Japan

The Yacht Club

In contrast to the Alexander restaurant, the Yacht Club restaurant offers a more casual dining experience with a laid-back ambiance and stunning views of the manor and the bay.

The atmosphere was very peaceful, with the occasional gentle breeze and chirping of the birds. The menu had a simple selection of snacks, starters, soups, main courses, and desserts.

I visited the restaurant for lunch. I ordered fish soup and a lamb burger. The fish soup was light and delicious, with a hint of lemony brightness from the fresh dill. The overall flavor of the burger was good, but the patty and bread were a little dry.

Unfortunately for me, this restaurant feels like every other restaurant. The service was average. The food was good, but nothing outstanding. In addition, the decor could use a makeover. After a memorable and amazing meal at Alexander, I was somewhat let down with the Yacht Club. I feel it should uphold a higher standard of furnishing, decor, and food.

Fish soup € 9

Burger with Muhu lamb with smoked cheese and fried onion €19

Pot of Earl Grey tea € 5

The Yacht club

Website: http://www.padaste.ee/cuisine/padaste-yacht-club/

Opening hours:

20 May until 31 May – Friday, Saturday & Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 18:00 p.m.
1 June until 1 September – Monday to Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 18:00 p.m.

Telephone: +372 454 8800

Address: Pädaste Manor, Muhu Island, 94716 Estonia

Nordic island cuisine at Alexander

As the only five-star hotel outside of Tallinn, Pädaste Manor is an epitome of luxury and tranquility, with its origins dating back to the 14th century. Located at the Pädaste Bay on Muhu island, this idyllic hotel is surrounded by lush forests and nature reserves, with a picturesque view of the bay from the sundeck. One highlight for me is the seawater hot tub located next to the sundeck. Is there anything more perfect than soaking in a tub out in nature with a gorgeous view of the bay?

When I entered the room, the first thing that caught my attention was the beautiful piano music playing in the background. I felt like I was transported to another world. It was welcoming and relaxing.

The rooms are fully equipped (including an iPad and PlayStation) with a wireless Sonos audio controller connected to a Bose acoustimass speaker system and furnished with tasteful furniture and opulent fabrics. The bathroom is elegantly decorated, with black and white diamond mosaic marble flooring.

I was impressed with the hotel’s thoughtful gestures for guests. For example, when I returned to my room after dinner, there were two chocolate chip cookies on each of the nightstands, and the bed was made ready for the evening, with the flat sheet folded nicely and the throw pillows placed at the end of the bed.

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The kitchen has its own vegetable and herb garden, which is used in the dishes it serves. Other ingredients, such as mushrooms and berries, are picked from the islands’ forests; meat and seafood are sourced from local farmers.

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Dinner at Alexander

The main entrance of Alexander welcomes guests to the Chef’s Table, a communal table serving the Islands’ Degustation menu to large groups. The winter garden is attached to this room and has a glass-enclosed patio overlooking the manor’s park.

From June to August, Alexander is open only for dinner during the summer. The restaurant offers a prix-fixe menu of a 3-course Table d’Hôte menu for €74 or the 7-course Islands’ Degustation menu for €131. I opted for the 3-course menu.

As an appetizer, I was served three types of crisps (rye, poppy seed, leek ash) with a chive dip, sourdough bread, homemade crisps, and salted Saaremaa butter. Next, I ordered a homemade apple juice soda, which was refreshing and delicious. It tasted like an apple juice virgin mojito.

The dinner began with an amuse-bouche (fried quail egg, mustard seeds with spinach dip), followed by an entrée (pile perch and cucumber), then the main course (Lamb, carrot, and chanterelles). Finally, it culminated with three courses of desserts: sunflower seed moose, oat ice cream, and four assorted bite-size sweets and cake.

Amuse-bouche

The quail egg, with its runny yolk, was cooked perfectly. The spinach was savory, and the mustard seed added a nice crunch to each bite.

Entrée (Pile perch, kaffir garlic sauce, lovage ice cream, goats cheese, cucumber)

The Pile perch and cucumber was an exciting dish. I have never seen fish served with ice cream. The taste of the lovage ice cream reminds me of a herby matcha ice cream. It was smooth, with a hint of bitterness and mild sweetness. The pairing works. It was refreshing with subtle, delicious flavors. Unfortunately, I did not like the kaffir sauce. It was quite a strong, unique, and acquired taste, which overpowers the fish’s natural flavors.

Main course (no picture)

The lamb is accompanied by chanterelles picked from the nearby forest, carrots cooked three ways (puree, pickled, stir fry), and beef sauce. The lamb was tender, smokey, and flavorful. The beef sauce was loaded with umami and paired with the carrots’ sweetness, accentuating the flavors of the lamb.

Desserts

Sunflower seed mousse, white chocolate sauce, and sunflower seed dust.

Oat ice cream, gooseberry from the forest, whipped cream, kama cookie, berry sauce covered in a white chocolate dome, and dark chocolate crumble.

Buckthorn praline, cranberry nougat, financier, and elderflower candy.

The desserts were delicious with a delicate taste. They were not overpoweringly sweet, which I like. Alexander’s Chef de Cuisine- Stefan Berwanger personally served the last dessert to a few tables. I was fortunate to be one of them. He thanked the guests for coming. I told him the food was amazing, and I had a great dining experience.

fried quail egg, mustard seeds with spinach dip

Pile perch with cucumber

Sunflower seed mousse

Chocolate, oat ice cream with gooseberry

Buckthorn praline, cranberry nougat, financier, and elderflower candy

The whole dining experience took around 2 hours. It was a total seduction, of course, after course. There were many exciting pairings and tastes, and each dish incorporated distinctive and local elements typical of Estonia. The staff was exceptional! They were welcoming, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. The waiter in charge of my table was polite and humorous. He ensured that my dining experience was a smooth one from start to end. He is one of the best waiters I have encountered.

Breakfast

Breakfast is served at the table in British high tea style. You are served with a selection of bread and pastries, fruit salad with vinaigrette, and a three-tier serving plate with an assortment of cheeses, salted fish, and cold cuts. The Juniper and gouda cheese are on the top tier, followed by salted Salted Saarema trout, fish salad, and baltic herring. The bottom tier is the roast beef, pork neck, and chicken liver pate. In addition to that, there is an a la carte menu with a selection of beverages and healthy and hot dishes.

The scrambled egg was cooked the way I like it—fluffy, moist, and evenly cooked. The pancake was perfect, too. It was fluffy, soft, and had absorbed all the syrup goodness.

Overall, I absolutely loved my stay and dining experience at the manor. It was a seamless blend of luxury and history. I could not have asked for better!

Alexander

Website: http://www.padaste.ee/cuisine/alexander/

Opening hours: September – May: 13:00p.m. – 15:00p.m. , 19:00p.m. – 21:30p.m.

June – August : 19:00 p.m. – 21:30 p.m.

Telephone: +372 454 8800

Address: Pädaste Manor, Muhu Island, 94716 Estonia

Rukis cafe

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Rukis is a cozy cafe with rustic country decor serving delectable desserts, pastries, and freshly baked bread. I love the color contrast of the purple table cloths against the wooden furnishing. Rukis is located in Tallinn Old Town, a stone’s throw away from the historical landmark – Viru Gate.

When you enter the cafe, the aroma of freshly baked bread wafts in the air. There are two display cases filled with mouthwatering desserts, cakes, and homemade chocolates. As I had made a table reservation in advance, I got a table by the window.

I was excited about my first meal experience at Rukis, especially after browsing through the dessert menu on the cafe’s website. The breakfast menu had a good variety. There were porridges, different kinds of egg dishes such as eggs benedict and omelets; assorted homemade jams, thin pancakes, open sandwiches, and etc.

I got myself a Cappuccino, thin pancakes with honey, and a Marzipan Panna Cotta. I don’t usually have dessert for breakfast, but they look too good to resist. I looked around the cafe, and almost every table had desserts.

The thin pancakes were light, delicate, and buttery with crispy edges. Yum! The Panna Cotta came with a lingonberry sauce, topped with chopped pistachios and lingonberries. The colors were enticing. The creaminess and sweetness of the Panna Cotta balance out the sourness of the lingonberry sauce.

I revisited the cafe on another day for afternoon tea. It was a beautiful day to sit outside, have a cup of tea, and a slice of cake. I wanted to try something that is more Estonian-ish, so I asked the waitress to recommend a dessert that is popular among the locals. She was helpful and friendly. We headed inside to the display case, and she suggested a few of her favorites, with the cream cheese rhubarb cake being her favorite. She commented that the ingredients used were typical in Estonia. I have never had a rhubarb cheesecake before, so I decided on that cake. I also ordered hibiscus tea to go with my cake. (I would have loved Earl grey or English tea, but it was too late in the afternoon for me to drink anything with caffeine, or I would be up all night.)

There were four layers to the rhubarb cheesecake. The first was a gelatin topping, followed by cream cheese, then rhubarb, and lastly the crumbly cookie crust. The cheesecake was stunning! The sweet and the sour flavors were well balanced. It was a delicious and memorable cheesecake.

In my opinion, this is one of the best places for breakfast, cakes, and pastries in Tallinn.

Cappuccino €3.50

Classic thin pancakes with honey €5.20

Marzipan panna cotta €3.90

Cream cheese rhubarb cake €4.50

Hibiscus tea € 2.00

Rukis

Website: https://rukis.ee/?lang=en

Opening hours:

Sunday -Tuesday 8:00 a.m.-20:00p.m.

Wednesday -Saturday 8:00 a.m.- 21:00p.m.

Telephone: +372 517 3261

Address: Viru 11, Tallinn

kalambuur – A humble seafood eatery (permanently closed)

Hidden in Hirvepark in a charming cottage is a family-run seafood restaurant serving fresh local fish dishes. The restaurant is owned by Estonia’s famous fisherman and chef – Vladislav. The surrounding is quiet and green. On a chilly day, the restaurant offers blankets for customers dining outside. An unexpected but gorgeous location for a restaurant.

The interior is cozy and warm and decorated with various fish pictures and decorative sea elements, invoking a strong sense of the sea.

The staff was friendly and welcoming. The menu is a simple menu with various appetizers, main courses, and desserts. All ingredients used are local and fresh.

Soup with salmon and pike quenelles € 5.50

The soup had a beautiful delicious light broth. The fish quenelles were lightly seasoned, allowing the natural flavors of the fish to stand out. The lovage adds a sharp lemon aroma to the soup.

Crusted cod with sun-dried tomato pesto €16

The cod, nestled on a bed of creamy, buttery mashed potatoes, was cooked beautifully with a crispy sun-dried tomato pesto topping. The topping had a good balance of flavor – savory, herby, nutty, with a hint of acidity.

Kalambuur

Website: http://kalambuur.ee/en/

Opening hours: Opening hours differ, check the restaurant’s website for exact time.

Telephone: +372 56694194

Address: Toompuiestee 8, Tallinn

Resto Hafen

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Resto Hafen is a charming harbor restaurant near the Kuressaare Yacht Harbor. It has two floors and a summer deck with stunning views of the sea and the Kuressaare castle. The restaurant’s interior is bright and inviting, and the white wood wall paneling adds warmth and coziness.

The restaurant was located next to the hotel I was staying at, so I decided to head over there for lunch. The menu offered was limited but had an interesting mix of local, Mediterranean, and Asian-inspired dishes. I ordered soup and pork ribs.

Seasonal puree soup (leek, cauliflower, and potato puree soup with Saaremaa chives and vegetable crisps) €6

I love the bright colors of the soup. Unfortunately, the taste left much to be desired. It tasted pungent and raw, like a detox vegetable soup, and I felt nauseous halfway through.

Pork ribs with roasted potatoes, colorful coleslaw, salted cucumber, and homemade BBQ sauce €12

The pork ribs were dry, and the flavors were flat and dull. The only food on the plate that was enjoyable was the coleslaw.

I was disappointed that the food did not match up with the beautiful environment.

Restaurant Hafen

Website: https://www.hafen.ee

Opening hours:

Monday: closed
Tuesday to Thursday: 12:00 – 21:00
Friday and Saturday: 12:00 – 23:00
Sunday: 12:00 – 20.00

Telephone: +372 59 104 045

Address: Tori 4, Kuressaare Sadam, 93810, Kuressaare

Doughnuts for all at Holy Donut

Kaunas Old Town

Mocha and chocolate donut

Holy Donut is one of the best places to get doughnuts in Lithuania. They have one in Vilnius and two in Kaunas.

Holy Donut also offers a breakfast menu and is known for its over-the-top milkshakes (freak shakes). In addition, vegan options, such as vegan donuts and bagels, are available.

I visited Holy Donut on two occasions—once for breakfast and once in the afternoon.

The chocolate donut was soft and airy, with a sticky, rich chocolate coating that added just the right amount of sweetness.

For breakfast, I ordered the pancakes with bacon. The bacon was slightly thicker than what I’m used to and wasn’t as crispy, but it was still flavorful. The pancakes were fluffy and soft, pairing beautifully with the bacon for a perfect balance of sweet and savory.

American pancake with bacon and maple syrup

Holy donut

Website: http://www.holydonut.lt

Address: Vokiečių 9, Vilnius

Address: Vilniaus gatvė 37, Kaunas 44289, Lithuania

Address: Vytauto pr. 24, Kaunas

Manami

Manami is a restaurant serving Asian fusion cuisine, including Japanese, Indian, and Thai dishes. It has four locations in Vilnius, one in the Old Town, and I visited it.

The restaurant’s decor is interesting for an Asian restaurant. It has a jungle-themed feel with a mix of modern and avant-garde. The green plants, citrine-colored chairs, and throw pillows really pop against the dark accent wall. Next to the entrance are throne-like rattan chairs.

The restaurant offers an extensive menu of ramen, curries, soups, wok dishes, stir-fries, donburi, and other dishes at reasonable prices.

I ordered a drink, soup, and fried rice. For the drink, I got the Yamato, which is fresh watermelon, mint leaves, lemon, and strawberries (€ 3.20). For the soup, I went for the soup of the day, which is a vegetable mushroom soup (€1.20). Lastly, I got the Kimuchi Chahan, which is spicy rice with chicken thighs, carrots, button mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, eggs, garlic, soybean sprouts, chili pepper, soy sauce, and fresh coriander.

The drink was refreshing and creamy, with a good balance of sweetness and acidity.

The soup had a lovely, creamy broth. The mushrooms’ flavor did not overpower the overall taste, and the fried shallots gave the soup an extra punch.

The fried rice was on point! It was well seasoned with a bit of heat. It had all the elements of a tasty fried rice – the right amount of oil, perfect seasoning, and a simple medley of ingredients.

The service was standard, but I decided to give a little tip because I enjoyed the food so much.

Manami

Website: https://www.manami.lt/

Opening hours:

Monday 10:00 – 23:00

Tuesday to Thursday 10:00 – 00:00

Friday & Saturday 10:00 – 02:00

Sunday 10:00 – 23:00

Telephone: +37069467131

Address: Vilniaus g. 10, Vilnius 01402, Lithuania

Kinų Bambukas – authentic Chinese cuisine

Kinų Bambukas is a Chinese restaurant across the street from Lietuvininkai Square. The owner and chefs are Chinese. When you enter the restaurant, you can tell immediately that it is a Chinese restaurant with red wallpaper and lanterns. I had taken pictures of the restaurant but may have accidentally deleted them. The image below is taken from the restaurant’s website.

Both indoor and outdoor seating is available. I opted to sit inside but it was not well-ventilated. It was a little stuffy, and it smelled of oil. The waitress who served me was a local. She was friendly and always had a smile on her face.

http://kinubambukas.lt/kontaktai/h.-manto-43.html

I got the homemade Chinese salad (€ 7), rice with eggs (€ 1.30), and crispy chicken with sweet and sour spicy sauce (half portion for € 7.50). The portions are big! I was only able to finish half of each dish.

I was blown away by the flavors. I was not expecting the dishes to taste as authentic as they did. I have worked in Beijing, China, for over 10 years. So, believe me when I say this is excellent Chinese food, almost like what you get in China.

The Chinese homemade salad consists of carrots, cucumbers, Chinese cabbage, soy sprouts, vermicelli noodles, black fungus, and seaweed. Its well-balanced flavor of sweetness, saltiness, and acidity is delicious. I love the crunch of the different vegetables.

The crispy chicken was divine! The chicken was tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. The sauce was not spicy, but it went really well with the crispy chicken.

I highly recommend this restaurant for authentic Chinese food.

Kinų Bambukas

Website: http://kinubambukas.lt

Opening hours:

Telephone: +370 46 412117

Address: H. Manto 43, Klaipėda

Tabula Rasa (permanently closed)

I came to this restaurant by chance. My initial plan was to have pancakes at Kompressor, just down the street from Tabula Rasa. The place was packed, and as I was tired, I did not want to wait. I just wanted to rest and have dessert. I walked up the street, scanning at all the restaurants available, and Tabula Rasa caught my attention.

Tabula Rasa is located in the heart of Old Town Tallinn, tucked away in the St.Petersburg hotel. The restaurant has an exclusive vintage bar feel with a chic setting. There are interesting art pieces on the wall. It was around 4:40 p.m. when I arrived at the restaurant. There were only two customers, so it was quiet. There is a big window at one corner of the room, overlooking Rataskaevu street (one of the oldest streets in Tallinn) and cat’s well (a historical landmark).

I ordered orange juice and the traditional Estonian “Kama” Pavlova (€5). For those who are not familiar with kama, kama is one of Estonia’s national food. It is a flour mixture of roasted barley, rye, oat, and pea flour. It is usually added to yogurt or milk.

The waitress informed me that the kama Pavlova is not the traditional meringue pavlova but a kama-based pavlova. She went on to describe what the dessert consists of. It was nice of her to tell me, or I would be expecting a meringue pavlova.

I like the presentation of the dish, especially the colors. The red stood out and was stimulating. The kama pavlova was sweet and nutty; it reminded me of graham crackers. I love the different layers of texture and flavors of the dish. You have the nuttiness from the kama, acidity from the berry sauce, sweetness from the fresh fruits, and the occasional crunch from the meringue cookies.

I was only here for dessert, but it may be worth visiting for lunch or dinner.

Tabula Rasa

Website: http://tabularasa.ee/en/

Opening hours: Opened daily from 12:00p.m. till 00:00 a.m.

Telephone: +372 628 6560

Address: Rataskaevu 7, Tallinn Old Town