I was🚶in the park and 👀 a 👨 🍽 something strange. It looked like a 🌭 with mashed 🥔🥔 in a pita 🫓. So I went to this stand and asked the man “is that really a 🌭 with mashed 🥔🥔 ?! Is that a Swedish thing?!” He replied: “Yes, very Swedish.” So I said “Ok, I have to try one. Travel experience, you know…” It’s called “Tunnbrödsrulle.” ——————————————————————————————————————- “This classic Swedish street food item consists of a flatbread (tunnbröd) that is wrapped around grilled or boiled sausages. Usual condiments include mashed potatoes, shrimp-and-mayonnaise salad, onions, lettuce, and ketchup or mustard. Tunnbrödsrulle is a large, nutritious snack, usually enjoyed late at night.”
The Art of Fika Both a verb and a noun. Means “to have coffee” or “a coffee break”, but it’s about so much more than that. Fika in Sweden is when you sit with your family, friends or colleagues, and take a coffee or tea, often with something sweet on the side. Cinnamon Roll. Stockholm, Sweden 🇸🇪 13july22
1-smash burger 🍔 @howdypakistan 2-breakfast pizza 🍕 @ganachecafe 3-chee haw burger @rancherscafe 4-masala fries 🍟 @coocosden.pk 5-steak tikka at Andaz 6-starter at Andaz 7-oreo cupcake 🧁 @layers.bakeshop 8-red velvet cupcake 🧁 @layers.bakeshop 9-catty chins, my favorite snack here #cattychins 10-chicken tikka sandwich 🥪 . You will look at this and say “This isn’t Pakistani cuisine” and I will say, trust me, they put a ‘Pakistani Twist’ on everything.
I lived in Narva for 10 months between September 2021 and June 2022. As a foodie, it wasn’t easy having so few options of restaurants to choose from, compared to other cities in Estonia. But, I made the most of it – I became a better cook, myself, and created more ritualistic moments at the few places I mention here. You’ll notice Muna Café isn’t on the list, and it’s usually on every Narva restaurant list, but that’s because it is right there at Narva College and access was so easy, and I just took it for granted. Other than the lunch specials, in general, Muna can be a bit expensive for what you get. This list has some of my favorites and notice it says “Six Top Eats,” not “The Top Six Eats.” So, there is no order, and it’s not meant to exclude the other restaurants around – it’s just my list of the places I became comfortable at for one reason or another.
Sushi is my favorite food. This ended up being my favorite place for sushi. I wasn’t a fan of Sushi King. I did go to Jaapani Mama in Fama Keskus quite a bit before Sushi Out arrived to town. Average prices, can feel pricey, especially when drinks are added…but it is in my opinion, the best sushi I had in Narva. I’ve tried most of the salmon offerings. Location: Aleksander Puškini 12a, 20308 NarvaBublik Café. Don’t let that one busted fried egg turn you off. That was an anomaly (only happened once in all of my times there) and still delicious. For someone who enjoys brunches with eggs benedicts all over the world…as Narva is lacking in ‘brunch mentality’…this was the best egg-involved breakfast I could find. It’s the coolest, most ‘European-feely’ café in Narva. Cozy atmosphere with a huge coffee and tea menu, delicious pastries. The only place I could get a Pumpkin Spice Latte during ‘the season.’ Location: Aleksander Puškini 13, 23109 NarvaThe Irish Embassy Pub. Went there one Sunday afternoon shortly after getting settled in Narva in September. Had a Narva beer and soaked in the Irish tunes and the Narvitian passersby…it was shortlived, though. Shortly after, it closed due to Covid and didn’t re-open until April 29, 2022. From then on, it became ‘our group’s’ favorite hangout spot – lots of meetups for drinks and conversations. I went for the beer, but lots of friends ate there and loved the food. Location: Paul Kerese 2, 20304 NarvaMonk Narva. I can say – good butter chicken, good honey chicken, and good fish masala. Any of the other masalas are good, too, no doubt. On one of my last nights in Narva, I had dinner there in Astri Mall, with a friend. They do both Indian and Chinese dishes well. – I can say that I prefer the butter chicken at Wokk-In, another restaurant combining both cultures, but due to lack of pics, I haven’t added it to this list. There’s also a small Monk kiosk in Fama Keskus. Location: Astri Center – Tallinna mnt 41, 20605 NarvaAragvi. Georgian. Small, little corner shop. I think they have a bigger restaurant in Jõhvi. I just wanted some khachapuri one morning and theirs hit the spot! Location: Tallinna mnt 28 German Pub. This place has a lot of history as far as Narva goes, I guess. I never ate there, but stopped by from time to time for a Narva Marzen (local beer.) I like that it’s underground…you have to walk downstairs from the street to get in. Location: Aleksander Puškini 10, 20308 Narva
Tokumaru in Balti Jaam MarketClassic Kebab at Kebaboom in Balti Jaam MarketMelanzana Pizza at Q Pizza & Pan in TelliskiviRoast Beef & Cheddar Bagel at Hetk on Pärnu StCappuccino Art by Barista Patrick at Hetk Sea Bass at Brewery OlleklubiCheeseburger at Brewery Olleklubi in Old TownChicken Shaurma at Schaurma & Kebab in TelliskiviMargherita Pizza Slice from Eugenio’s in Balti Jaam MarketSea Salt & Caramel from Karu Talu Sokolaad in Old TownSpaghetti Carbonara, great prices and delicious, at Cinnamon on Pikk St. Old Town
It’s been soooo cold and snowy here in Riga. I didn’t even know I needed Mac ‘n’ Cheese until I saw the sign…walked into Tiki Bar Riga, and I was immediately ‘comforted.’ 😊
Classic Mac ‘n’ Cheese at Tiki Bar Riga Audēju iela 8 23Dec21
I walked past two elderly ladies sitting in the rain with their small selection of fruits & veggies and no customers. I turned around because I just wanted to give them a little money, even if it was for just one bulb of garlic 🧄or something. I knew it was going to be a hard transaction with my non-existent Russian, but I went for it, anyway. I handed the lady 2 euro and gestured to ‘whatever she could give me for that amount.’ I pointed to the garlic and made a kind of gesture like ‘How about some of that?’ And I pointed at the cucumbers & the aubergines…and she went straight for the plums. And never left the plums. Her cohort kept trying to tell her to give me some garlic but the woman didn’t understand and even tried to hand me my money back and I laughed and said “No, no, for you!” And back to the plums she went. I’d never seen so many plums. I thought I’d need a truck 🛻 home. She finally stopped, showed me the scale like I cared, and handed me the bag. I swear my arm dropped as I wasn’t expecting it to be so heavy. I asked them if I could eat one right there and they gestured to do so…I wiped it off, took a bite, and was like “Hot damn. I’m a plum lover now.” Estonian plums are so freaking good! Moral of the story: You may think you want one bulb of garlic, one cucumber, one aubergine, and one plum for 2 euro, but god will give you 10 lbs. of plums instead. That’s the meaning of life.
How about some garlic? No? Ok. Plums and more plums, then. Cool.
