restaurant review: neh in tallinn, estonia

Neh.

During a recent solo trip to beautiful Tallinn, I researched a whole bunch of places to check out while there. Many of the sites on the interwebs spoke highly of Neh, which, one of the servers told me, means "yes" in Muhu Island, the place where its parent restaurant is located. A friend, Mel, also highly recommended it. 

So, after a long day of checking out the Kadriorg district, I decided to dine in the Rotterman district where Neh was located.

The Scene

Inside Neh when I first arrived.

I had no reservations when I visited. So, I arrived on the early side to ensure I could get a table. I really shouldn't have been worried. When I got there around 6:30 pm, the host seated me on the second floor of a two storey building. The floor was empty. A couple came in around 7 pm and a group of 3 walked in around 7:30 pm.

Despite the emptiness, it was still an enjoyable experience. The restaurant looked like a quaint house with soft lighting. I assume the garden outside would be nice on a warm summer evening. The only sort of disappointment was my view - a gas station.

The Food

Let me start by noting that Neh's parent restaurant is well known for having fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients. Neh was no different. The quality of the ingredients on my plate were outstanding.

• The bread starters (with cheese, poppy seeds and leek burned to ashes) were tasty and crisp. At the bottom was like an aioli sauce but tasted more subtle.

Breads.

• The miikas sunchoke chips with smoked eel was delicate with a smokey after taste (like the Filipino Tinapa, a smoked fish) and wish I had more. The dish came with buttermilk, egg yolk (which was fresh and beautifully runny) and dill.

Sunchoke Chips with Smoked Eel.

• The rye bread was beautiful - it may have been the best of what I've tried in Tallinn. I found the rye taste of the bread most prominent. The bread came with sea salt and whipped sour cream with butter, which was so good.

Rye bread.

• The quail was juicy, tender, and had a nice crisp skin. The carrots were pureed and roasted. The winter Apple was roasted and oh so sweet. 

Quail.

The Service

The service was friendly but not intrusive, and everyone spoke English well. My server was also helpful. When the diners next to my table ordered beef cheeks well done, she suggested that it was not the best preparation and suggested to have the meat cooked medium. The diner agreed, and as far as I could tell, was happier for it.

My only gripe was that the server kept the water I ordered far away, and she didn't refill my glass as often and quickly as I would've liked. 

The Price

The meal was not cheap but, for a nice fancy meal, it was not that pricey. Given that I went when the US dollar was stronger than the Euro, I thought it was a bargain at €41.

The Verdict

I enjoyed my meal at Neh and I recommend that you check it out.

Have you dined at Neh? If so, what are your thoughts on your meal there?