It being the holiday season, I have been on the lookout of a festive lunch for the past couple of weeks. Turns out, I had to look no further than my kid’s daycare to find one. Until very recently, I had no idea that The Estonian House on Broadview served food. Their café has completely won me over with Eastern-European cooking and hospitality reminiscent of my Grandmother’s kitchen.

The café is situated in the basement to the rear of the building, making it a little tricky to find at first. I literally followed my nose on this one, drawn to the smell of fresh-baked Pirekas (the house specialty ~ pastries filled with ground meat & cheese). When I finally find my way, I order a bowl of Village Soup. This mild-tasting soup is served with a whole loaf of rye bread and a dollop of sour cream. Think Chicken & Rice Soup with pieces of Pork Schnitzel.

It probably comes as no suprise that the special of the day consisted of Meat & Potatoes. Today’s plate was holiday themed and included Blood Sausage, Roast Pork, Rasher Bacon, Potatoes, Parsnips and Sauerkraut. Perhaps the best part of the whole thing was that when the server brought it to the table, she pointed out that the chef shaped the pickle on top of my sauerkraut like a heart just for me. When I went up to pay ($15 for everything), I asked her if she was the cook. She said, “yes.” Baltic hospitality at its best (IMO).

There is something to be said about finding a great place to eat that’s a bit off the beaten track. The Estonian House is such a place, serving up thoughtful, welcoming food & cheer to anyone who can find them. Häid pühi!