Tallinn is just a short ferry ride from Helsinki, but it's certainly a unique place! Sure, the weather is still cold, and the people are stoic, but Tallinn also boasts a lovely medieval quarter with the intriguing Olde Hansa restaurant that will transport your tastebuds back to a time before the new world was "discovered"!
Forget about tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, or corn -- there's nothing on the menu at Olde Hansa that couldn't be found in 15th-century Europe. But, of course, that includes electricity, too, so you'll notice that all my food porn photos from Olde Hansa have the rosy glow of candlelight.
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| Ferry ride from Helsinki to Tallinn; sailing on the frozen sea, it's easy to see where the inspiration for their national flag comes from! 2013 |
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| Old town Tallinn, 2013 |
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Old town Tallinn, 2013
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| Olde Hansa Restaurant, Tallinn, 2013 |
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Olde Hansa Restaurant, Tallinn, 2013
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| Neptune's Feast - salmon mousse with roe, quail eggs, gravlax, smoked sardine, smoked mackerel, and smoked salmon - Olde Hansa Restaurant, Tallinn, 2013 |
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| Burgermeister's Game Feast - elk and wild boar steaks, barley, sauerkraut, winter berries, and juniper cheese - Olde Hansa Restaurant, Tallinn, 2013 |
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Tallinn, 2013
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| Muhu Island, 2013 |
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Breakfast at Alexander Restaurant, Pädaste Manor, Muhu Island, 2013
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Then, for a completely different kind of experience, there's Pädaste Manor, an incredible mansion converted to B&B on Muhu Island that dates back to the 14th Century. During the Soviet years, the manor alternated between army headquarters, a fish distribution center, a home for the elderly, and finally abandonment in the 1980s. Thankfully, today, the manor has been beautifully restored and is home to the exceptional Alexander Restaurant, serving up some of the most creative and delicious foods I've ever had in a beautiful glass-enclosed dining room. I highly recommend going early in the season, as we did in early April when we were the only guests and felt like the whole manor, restaurant, and all their amenities were there just for us!
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| Duck prosciutto with cranberry puree, burnt shallots, and Muhu dirt - Alexander Restaurant, Pädaste Manor, Muhu Island, 2013 |
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| Pickled herring, wheat bread, salted pickles, quail egg, and dill mousse - Alexander Restaurant, Pädaste Manor, Muhu Island, 2013 |
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Alexander Restaurant, Pädaste Manor, Muhu Island, 2013
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| Goat cheese mousse and pickled winter vegetables - Alexander Restaurant, Pädaste Manor, Muhu Island, 2013 |
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Slow-poached duck egg (to accompany the duck prosciutto) with muikku caviar, burnt onion, and cauliflower mash - Alexander Restaurant, Pädaste Manor, Muhu Island, 2013
 | Pädaste Manor, Muhu Island, 2013
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| Cod cheeks with burnt cauliflower - Alexander Restaurant, Pädaste Manor, Muhu Island, 2013 |
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| Organic beef with leeks, carrots, shallots, and beet puree - Alexander Restaurant, Pädaste Manor, Muhu Island, 2013 |
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Juniper needle ice cream, juniper berry meringue, and gin and tonic gel - Alexander Restaurant, Pädaste Manor, Muhu Island, 2013
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Tallinn, as seen on arrival via ferry from Helsinki, 2013
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