Following the routine of people working in the buildings around the Gotham city-style one occupied by the City Council, there used to be a time when I popped in Hookah House (Roosikrantsi 3) for a fast lunch.
Food was quite average (which sometimes in this part of Tallinn can mean very good), service was kind of polite and – pardon me for getting so low – also quite freshly beautiful.
Knowing that during the past months the place changed ownership and staff, right before the end of last week we decided to give it a try and finally discover if the once-upon-a-time Indian place had some surprises to offer us.
And, indeed, it had some.
It might be that the everlasting success of Narva Café in Narva mantee made the new owners think that running away from the lounge kind of place to jump back to Soviet times could be profitable also in the very centre of Tallinn, but the first impact with the new place is surely not positive.
Long time used random couches standing around low and consumed dark brown tables make everything look more like a place where remont should replace the open word on the door but, as appearance should never be the (only) meter to judge a place, we all decided to sit down and try getting some food.
The menu is not bad but it adds something to the randomness of the interiors: any kind of pasta, noodles, pancakes and pizza are put together leaving customer a bit doubtful about the identity of the place.
But, since it is clear it is not a gourmet one…honestly…who cares.
Old memories coming up…
While writing about casinos in Tallinn, some years ago a man told me “you know, if you want to do some money laundering, a restaurant where nobody goes is better than a casino” and this is exactly what I felt while waiting for my lunch.
Besides the improvised cute waitress who took away some dirty glasses from the table one at a time and did not even have a small paper where to write our choices – the waiting time for our lunch seriously lasted 2 hours with no other customers whatsoever.
Two hours to make four pizzas and two pasta carbonara. That obviously appeared on our table in a completely random way so that, when I got my pizza people already finished the food they got 30 minutes before me.
Honestly, no need to get into the quality of the food itself. Surely not worth waiting for two hours – probably not worth waiting even just for 15 minutes, unless not in the mood of enjoying the big dark innocent eyes of the waitress who – clearly – has no idea about why is she behind the counter.
Pizza was below average and bit heavy (but still easily eatable) while pasta did not manage to leave people fully satisfied.
Only positive note was that, after yet another complaint about the incredibly long time it took for us to get a dinner, when the big eyed girl saw me going out for a cigarette decided to comfort me saying “no worries, you can smoke inside” showing me that – sometimes – rules are not meant to be respected.
G.A.