When the US vice president’s wife has lunch at the same place as you: Restaurant Rataskaevu 16 (31. July 2017)

When we approached the restaurant, it was surrounded by bodyguards. Upon entering the restaurant we were asked what we wanted here, where we were from which felt a bit weird. After stating that I had booked a table, I was asked under what name and was finally let inside and led to the back of the restaurant. While I was rather confused what had just happened, it turned out that the Vice President of the United States was visiting Tallinn at that time and his wife was having lunch in the exact same restaurant I have had booked about two weeks in advance. And believe me, the whole atmosphere was edgy and uncomfortable until the bodyguards left where it seemed that the waiters were so relieved nothing had gone wrong so you would feel it right away as a customer.

However, after being seated we were attended rather swiftly and got some “pumpkin seed bread with home-made Estonian butter accompanied by a little hummus snack” and it was – all in all – quite tasty to start.

As a starter, I went for the “Fried Baltic herring fillets (pearl onions, fresh salad, roasted breadcrumbs, cottage cheese sauce)” (EUR 5.80) which was similar to what I’ve had the evening before in terms of ‘name of the dish’ but it was definitely a completely category in terms of flavour – lighter, refreshing.

As a main course, I went for the “braised elk roast (cauliflower cream, parsnip, carrot, blackcurrant sauce)” (EUR 17.90) which was good in taste, i.e. the meat had a dark flavour and a rough consistency (kind of like boiled beef). Not something I would need to eat every day but definitely something one can give a try.

As my sweet tooth is rather limited, I went for the “selection of Estonian cheeses” (EUR 8.50). Now, when I asked them what kind of cheeses it was, he said cow milk cheeses. After looking at him like “really?”, he said that he could clarify what kind of cheeses they were. Frankly, if you are claiming to be restaurant which cares about food and – to be fair – they do a good job in what they’re serving, then you should also make sure that your personnel knows what exactly they are serving and should – upfront – be able to explain the dishes served. In addition, it turns out, not all the cheeses were actually made of cow milk but some of goat – and the little thing which looks like whipped cream was also a cheese. One he had not even mentioned. Oh, and the one with the “thyme” turned out to be “cumin”.

The place itself is nice, comfortable somehow and you can really relax with good food and potentially a glass of wine. So, all in all, the restaurant Rataskaevu 16 is definitely worth a visit but don’t expect it to be as exceptional as you might expect when reading up on it.

I guess they kind of realized that they did not the best job ever (get me right, it wasn’t bad at all, but it just wasn’t outstanding), they really went the extra mile in ‘decorating the bill’. While it is a lovely gesture, I would have appreciated the bill to be served within a few minutes when I asked for it instead of 10 minutes later with decorations. But hey, I appreciate their effort.

So, to sum it up, the Rataskaevu 16 is a nice change to the regular restaurants in Tallinn as the food is more refined and lighter than in the other restaurants I’ve been to so far. And while I definitely see potential for them to become super successful, respectively even more successful, there is room for improvement. At least the prices are decent for the dishes as well as for the beverages (i.e. 0,5l San Pellegrino, EUR 3.90; 1,6dl Crianza Coto de Hayas, EUR 5.00). However, make sure you book a table in advance as the place is rather booked out usually.

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Contact Details:

Restaurant Rataskaevu 16

Rataskaevu 16

10130 Tallinn (EE)

Tel.: +372 642 40 25

E-Mail: info@rataskaevu16.ee

Homepage: http://www.rataskaevu16.ee

About the Author: Sven

I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org. Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City.