Restaurant Noa in Tallinn - sheer magic

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Restaurant Noa in Tallinn is the best one in the whole of Estonia. Dinner here is sheer magic!

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Our taxi ride has taken quite a while already- it's been at least 10 minutes since we passed Restaurant Tuljak. Looking around all we see is generic suburban boredom and the taxi driver hasn't uttered a word.

The way we see it there are two choices: either we'd been kidnapped and we're about to finish our evening by becoming the latest victims of human trafficking, chained to a radiator in a dodgy basement somewhere in the Baltics... or the driver doesn't have a clue where he's going. 

Sure, there would be a third option, too: the fact that the restaurant we're headed is run by people so confident in their excellence that they can put a restarant in the middle of nowhere and people will still flock there. But let's face it: this is not France, is it? We're in Tallinn! Or, a least we were about a quarter of an hour ago .

After a €15 taxi drive the journey comes to a sudden end as the driver pulls up in front of a very minimalistic dark wooden building.

Both the stylish architecture and the stunning sea view behind it confirm that we're definitely in for option #3.

(Pheeew.)

We can't help but be impressed (and a little giddy!) by the stylish ambiance the moment we enter. Attention has clearly been paid down to every last detail, starting from the staff's outfits.

The space does justice not just to the restaurant itself, but also to its glorious surroundings, basking in the light flowing in through the huge windows.

This year is Restaurant Noa Chef's Hall's first time at Taste of Helsinki and it is by far The Restaurant I'm looking forward to the most. 

My expectations, high as they might be, aren't without a reason: White Guide has ranked the place the best restaurant in the whole Estonia. 

(I'm struggling to contain myself  - I just want to flitter around and capture all this on my camera, too!)

We start the evening wth Champagne (well, how else...): on the sommelier's recommendations we settle for Perrier-Jouet's rosé.

Then we're served house bread: a divinely rich and buttery brioche, accompanied by schmaltz (!!!); this time from pork.

(Schmaltz is rendered fat, usually from chicken, and is used a lot in Jewish cooking such as in this recipe for Jiddishe Mama's chicken soup).

As the other diners are busy tucking into one of the two 11-course menus (both Herbivore and Omnivore cost €79, wine package €69), we're here to sample the dishes they'll be bringing to this year's Taste of Helsinki.

“SPRAT & CHIPS” smoked crisp / salted cucumber / wild garlic mayonnaise / french fries 

While their signature dish is the priciest one of the whole festival (12 mk) it dose raise the bar to a whole new level.

It might sound simple but the dish featured so many nuances dissecting it all kept us busy for a long time. 

A foodie, you see, is a very particular breed - they take such pleasure in the voyage of discovery that a dish at its best is; an ensemble which stops, challenges and leaves you in a haze of admiration so that you're not always even sure what it is you're consuming.

Are these chips really made of potatos? What is that green stuff - some kind of pickle dust?

That wonderfully vibrant dip (topped with black capers) was such a perfect way to tie the different components together. 

HERRING TARTAR marinated flat onion / apple / sour cream / rye bread -6mk

As an unabashed herring lover I was thrilled to discover how this year the restaurants participating in Taste of Helsinki have taken it upon themselves to celebrate this humble fish. 

But little did I know what we we're in for with Noa's entry...

We'd given the sommelier free reign, in spite of the fact he had no idea what we were going to be served. With this dish he decided to push the boat out and poured us orange wine from Sicily.

Catarratto-Carricante-Malvasia-blend was, much like the other natural wines I've sampled so far, rather... interesting. We couldn't wait to see how it would work with the dish.

And boy, did it work. The combination was so spectacular I was moved to the brink of tears. 

The onion dish itself was so complex, balanced, soothing, yet so sophisticated I can't really even find words to describe it (so, just come look me up at Kansalaistori where I'll be shedding more tears next week!)

How on Earth are they going to replicate this dish at the festival conditions?

Observing the dishes being prepared in the open plan kitchen at the other side of the restaurant was such joy. The punctuality, the way they all work so well together... (I did tell you - a very particular breed indeed!)

The progress of each dish is monitored through Excel sheets and the whole process is conducted in devoted silence, only punctuated by exchange of monosyllabic messages reminiscent of Japanese karatekas.

Hai! Hai! 

And there goes another delivery. 

These guys are magicians and more. 

“TRIIBU” CHEESECAKE berries -6mk

(Seeing how I'm a masochist with no self esteem) I also enjoy tremendously when the restaurant holds their end so well they actually manage to pull the rug off from underneath me and my preconceived notions, proving me wrong (once again). 

This is exactly what happened with the dessert. Served with basil ice cream among other things, his beauty of a cake was made of the worst specimen (goat cheese) of the only ingredient I hate (cheese).

Dear me, how delish!

At this point sommelier's creativity went a little amiss though: his choice was Estonian ice cider, which, while perhaps not even cold enough, was also not sufficiently sweet. Combined with the sweeter elements of the dessert the overall vibe was too tart and beer-like.

Finally we were served kitchen's greetings: a selection of sweets, which we devoured with some Pedro Ximénez.

Aaaaaah.

After the meal we retired to the terrace to witness as the sunset draped everything into a pink bliss, same shade as the Champagne in our glasses.

This is the life.

Oh - the service in this place. Oh, the service. Doors were opened before we even had time to think about it, shawls appeared on our shoulders as if out of nowhere and somebody always materialized from out of the blue to help us back into our chairs at the table. 

What a delightful evening - can't wait to be back!

You'll find the whole Taste of Helsinki 2017 menu on the blog over here. So far I've eaten my way through 14 of the 40 dishes on offer and man, oh man. I can tell you you're in for a serious feast!

So, how about that Noa? Any of you guys been there already? How was your experience?

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In collaboration with Taste of Helsinki 

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Noa Restoran
Ranna Tee 3
Tallinn

tel. +372 508 0589

noa@noaresto.ee

www.noaresto.ee

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___________________

ANYONE FOR SECONDS?

         

SHARING IS CARING!

Taste of Helsinki 2017 - sneak peek behind the scenes

Having sampled several of the dishes available at this year's Taste of Helsinki I can promise you're in for some serious treats!

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This year I'm one of the six ambassadors of Taste of Helsinki which means some serious feasting. And I mean serious. 

While it's still snowing in Finland (in May! What's that about ?!), I've been busy getting ready for what this year, too, will be one of the absolute highlights of my summer. 

The first dishes I sampled at the press launch (more of that on the blog over here) and a couple of days ago I took part in the traditional Restaurant Safari, during which we visited every single restaurant taking part from Helsinki.

6 restaurants, 8 dishes. Oh, and the wine pairings. Ok, and that Champagne tasting. 

Yep - not too shabby at all this ambassadoring business!

Our first stop was Restaurant Grön, voted as the Restaurant of the Year. 

This is the second time they're taking part in the festival and they are in it for real: this tiny restaurant which only sets 24 will remain closed for the duration of the event allowing them to focus on nothing but Taste of Helsinki. 

And boy, will it show. 

Each restaurant will have a menu consisting 3-4 dishes along with a signature dish. We sampled Grön's signature dish: steak tartare, kale with mustard, smoked bone marrow fat and lovage; a dish that in one form or another has always been on the restaurant's menu (and, according to the chef, will continue to do so).

Excellent dish, as was the wine pairing: Planeta Etna Rosso (100% Nerello Mascalese) ,which you've been introduced to on the blog, too (here, here and here). 

According to Barry MacNamara, the man we have to thank for this exciting endeavour, the festival aims to lower the treshold and make fine dining accessible to everyone. 

No wonder then that one of the mosteagerly anticipated restaurants is Savoy; traditionally the hallmark of fine dining in Helsinki.

Out of Savoy's 4-course menu we got to try their signature dish vorschmack: lovingly stwewed for 3 whole days. 

While Savoy's is a very good and balanced one, vorschmack just isn't my thing. The herring dish on the other hand that I sampled at the press launch.... oy. 

And their dessert (lime and basil posset) really couldn't sound more inviting either.

Passio is one of this year's first timers. Located in Kalevankatu they've never done had to do any advertizing -their reputation has preceded them so well you really need a reservation to get in here. 

No wonder - the food is that good. 

Rustic and comforting, yet with a fresh and creative twist. 

We for instance were served delightfully summery gazpacho sorbet (as I said - fresh and creative).

Wish it were summer. 

Wish it were even spring...

Andre Clouet continues to be the festival's Champagne partner for the third summer running.

Being hard-working, multi-talented professionals, we also managed to squeeze in time to sample their products (yes, hard, hard work...)

In Passio we also tried another one of their dishes: sausage and potatos (lamb sausages, new harvest potatos, fried blood pudding). 

After I first dug in, I immediately sent a message to Cat Blogger, notifying her to start the fast as this is a dish we'll be going back for seconds and thirds. 

Do not let the homely appearance fool you - this is going to be one of Taste of Helsinki's hottest tickets. 

After this gem Pastor's Ensalada con tomato y alcachofa (marinated artichoke hearts, heirloom tomato and ponzu sauce) didn't stand a chance, though it did delight with its sauce's deep, rich umami tones. 

Pastor is also one of only two restaurants with octopus on their menu (their signature dish is Pulpo con causa y huevas de trucha; grilled octopus, potato terrine and cold smoked rainbow trout roe), so you can count on finding me in their queue.

So, come say hi while at it!

(and do bring some wine!)

Our safari squad consisted of food writers and bloggers and as such we're quite possibly the most gracious audience one could imagine - starting with the fact we eat absolutely everything. Even from the neighbour's plate...

Plates' content, acidity, complexity, balance, fattiness and appearance however were scrupulously scrutinized, as Passio's staff quickly learned. Let's see if our suggestions will be incorporated into the final dish...!

The other restaurant serving octopus is Toca. This time around, however, we feasted on Bianco, Rosso, Verde - a dish that's a tribute to the owners' love of Italy. 

Their cheese-filled raviolis served with basil sauce and tomato dust were a hit both because of their wonderfully light pastry but also the sophisticated citrusiness. 

(and hey - cheese! I ate cheese!)

Toca's lemon, white chocolate and chamomile dish was the first dessert of the evening. So completely, totally, whole-heartedly my kind of a pud.

Our jury did end up revamping the appearance (deemed too humble) so it remains to be seen what kind of a dish you're all in for at the festival!

We continued with another dessert at Shelter, whose marinated rhubarb, elderflower sherbet and toasted white chocolate dish wasn't a hit wiith all of us.

I personally liked the almond croquant-like toastiness of the oat element but would have to agree that overall the dish was a bit bland.

Their signature dish (gravad wild white fish, white fish roe and new potatos stewed in browned butter) however sounds like something I absolutely need to get my hands on. 

And here is the complete list of this year's Taste of Helsinki menus:

Bistro o Mat:

Smoked beetroot with crispy rye and goat cheese créme (v) -5mk

Organic grilled pork with asparagus and farrotto -6mk

Apple sorbet, roasted white chocolate and salted caramel -6mk

Signature dish:

Organic beef tartar, watercress crème and nuts -10mk

Grön:

MEAT- charred onion filled with chicken liver cream, wheat and crispy chicken skin -6mk

PLANT- roasted buckwheat bread with sorrel flavoured potato salad, grated wild sorrel butter and wild herbs (v) -6mk

WILD- parfait flavoured with spruce shoot vinegar, sunflower seeds, lactic acid and spruce shoot caramel -5mk

Signature dish:

Raw dry aged beef with mustard flavoured kale, lovage and smoked bonemarrow fat -10mk

Ludu:

Organic corn grits, cold smoked carrot, cranberry muesli and dark sauerkraut sauce (v) -5mk

Bream Wallenberg, new potatoes from Rymättylä, bouillabaisse mayonnaise and pea shoot sauce -6mk

White chocolate cremeux, malt crumble, birch sap foam and sorrel ice cream -6mk

Signature dish:

Beef tartar, celery-cucumber salad, brioche and mustard hollandaise -8mk

Noa:

HERRING TARTAR marinated flat onion / apple / sour cream / rye bread -6mk

“TRIIBU” CHEESECAKE berries -6mk

“VANA TALLINN” strong beverage -5mk

Signature dish:

“SPRAT & CHIPS” smoked crisp / salted cucumber / wild garlic mayonnaise / french fries -12mk

Passio:

Gazpacho sorbet and little bit of vege (v) -5mk

Asparagus Soup and Iberico Tempura -6mk

Sausages ‘n’ Potatoes, Lamb Sausages, Black Pudding and New Potatoes -6mk

Signature dish:

Passio Kiss -7mk

Pastor:

ENSALADA CON TOMATO Y ALCACHOFA- Marinated artichoke hearts, heirloom tomatoes, ponzu sauce -6mk

BISTEK TATAKI CON SHIITAKE- Black Angus beef, shimeji mushrooms, pickled shiitake mushrooms, red jalapeño, soy mayonnaise -6mk

TRES LECHES- Vanilla cake, milk sorbet, dulce de leche, lemon meringue -5mk

Signature dish:

PULPO CON CAUSA Y HUEVAS DE TRUCHA- Grilled octopus, potato terrine, cold-smoked salmon roe -8mk

Savoy:

Black currant seasoned Baltic herrings Escabeche, potato pearls and dill crème -6mk

Mousse of grilled goat’s cheese, rosemary and honey almonds and romesco sauce (v) -6mk

Lime and basil posset, white chocolate crystals and strawberry and lemon balm sherbet -5mk

Signature dish:

Vorschmack à la Savoy -7mk

Shelter:

FOREST MUSHROOMS- Emmer wheat porridge with forest mushrooms, cream of Brazil nuts & sprouts with mushroom vinaigrette (v) -6mk

LAMB- 24h braised organic lamb belly, pickled chanterelle & smoked yogurt -6mk

RHUBARB- Marinated rhubarb, elderflower sherbet & roasted white chocolate -5mk

Signature dish:

WHITE FISH- Sugar salted white fish & white fish roe, new potatoes cooked in brown butter & pickled apple -8mk

Toca:

Octopus with parsley garlic mayonnaise and smoked potato -6mk

Toca’s vitello tonnato -6mk

Lemon, white chocolate, camomile -5mk

Signature dish:

White, red, green

Ravioli filled with cheese, basil sauce and tomato powder (v) -8mk

TuOhi:

Rye with Jalotofu and Violet (v) -6mk

Fish terrine with yoghurt and Wild herbs of the season -6mk

Beesting blini, Resin cream and Fermented buckwheat honey -5mk

Signature dish:

Captain Grillheart and His magic herbs -9mk

So... so far out of 40 dishes available I've eaten my way through 11. Trust me - the hunger just keeps growing and I can't wait for June 15th!

Have you purchased your tickets yet? You should and here's where you can do it!!

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In collaboration with

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ANYONE FOR SECONDS?

         

SHARING IS CARING!