Lydia

Restaurant Lydia is a sad, sad, sad, sad place. I was there with a friend for business lunch and the place was all dressed up in sea-foam colored table linens, curtains and chair-covers. The question remained who and what for? Two of us were the very only customers and the two awkwardly friendly and polite waiters gave me an impression of captains willing to go down with their ships.

I ordered off the business lunch menu with the addition of a salad and when the food came, it was not bad. The salad was fresh, the risotto was alright and the soup came in a freshly baked bread bowl. Considering once again that we were the only customers, that's just sad.

I don't know what else to say. It's not bad, but I will never return and I can't even imagine who goes there or who's ever been there for that matter. Like I said...

SAD

Kloostri Ait

The concept of comfort food is some what foreign to Estonians, well at least the concept of serving comfort food in a restaurant is foreign.

Wikipedia gives the following definition - Comfort food is typically inexpensive, uncomplicated, and easy to prepare. Many people turn to comfort food for familiarity, emotional security, or as a special reward. The reasons a dish becomes a comfort food are diverse but often include pleasant associations of childhood. Small children often seem to latch on to a specific food or drink (in a way similar to a security blanket) and will repeatedly request it in high stress situations. Adults eat comfort food for a sense of continuity.

Who doesn't need the sense of continuity? Who doesn't require occasional emotional security? Well, Kloostri Ait is the Estonian answer to "gourmet-diners" and "gastro-pubs". Food here is the closest thing to an Estonian version of comfort food. This is food everybody wishes their ma's and grandma's could prepare.

My personal favorites are what they call gratins:"Trout and potato gratin with egg and cheese" for one, plus a "Mozzarella and potato gratin with tomatoes". I would call them cheesy casseroles. But hey, who gives a damn, as long as they taste good.

Now if only they would slash their prices a tiny bit to make us extra comfortable...

Best Food I Ate in 2008.

Bastilla au Poullet - restaurant Agadir - Tangier - Morroco

Tony's Seafood salad - at my Mom's and Tony's house - Chef Tony

Frites - Maison Antoine - Bruxelles - Belgium

Sautéed bacon with mushrooms and home-fries - Cafe Pushkin - Tallinn

Fried Okra - Sonny's Real Pit BBQ - Stuart - Florida

Polenta with spicy sauce - Carmine's - NYC

Filet Mignon au poivre - my house - made by me

Resolutions, resolutions.

I will cook more.

I will eat out less.

I will enjoy wines with good taste, humble pedigree and friendly cost.

I will stop going to overpriced and pretentious restaurants altogether.

I will cook more.

I will have friends over more often.

I will keep making demi-glaze and roux from scratch.

I will eat less.