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...