A story of Exotic Meats
Tallinnn, Estonia
The old town in Tallinn is divided into two parts. The higher one where the nobility lived & the lower one where the proletariat existed. Connecting the two was the old town square. Why am I giving you this history lesson? Because tucked away from the old town is a little street that houses not only the best hotel in Tallinn (Telegraaf) but also an exclusive collection of fine dining restaurants. From Tchaikovsky that is in the hotel itself to Controvento & Dominic, these are the best showcase of European food in Estonia.
Ribe is a part of this luxury collection and like every establishment on this street, it has its own character. Yes, the quintessential white tablecloths & fine crystal barware exist here too but it’s so well complemented by a chandelier made entirely of Forks & Spoons. The stark & modern photography on the walls made by a homegrown artist gives you an inkling of what's to come. Classic but a step away from the old. Solid flavours but robust meats & a quirky finish.
A White Guide (Nordic Equivalent of a Michelin Star) recommendation in 2018, a Silver Spoon (Nordic Gastronomy Oscars) in 2017 among several other accolades. Ribe is a quiet, no fuss albeit fantastic restaurant.
Though like any other solid restaurant they also do a degustation menu but we ordered a la carte. We started with an amuse bouche of Chicken Liver Pâté Macarons. Light & Crisp fuchsia Meringue kisses sandwiched with a decadent & smokey pâté served on pebbles. Our appetite was whetted & we couldn’t wait for our entrées.
We followed it up with their Chèvre & Pumpkin soup that was multi-textured but slightly too creamy, the Fried Foie Gras was served with a rich in-house Brioche & a cherry preserve to cut through the richness. The Ox-Cheek, however, is their star dish & they claim it can be eaten with a spoon. They weren’t wrong! It was as tender as meat could get & beautifully cooked in a bourguignon base. The Lamb was served with romaine, green peas & a herb crème. Although it was a beautiful looking dish, it was a little too rare for my palette. We followed it up with their signature Dark Chocolate Mousse that was served with a contrasting Sour cream ice-cream & toasted oats. It helped us end our experience on a good high!
