Review of Esto Cafe
Posted by tflc on November 6, 2008
WHERE: ESTONIA
Esto Café
958 Broadview Ave. (north of Danforth Ave.), 416-466-8906
A group of nine gathered this warm fall evening inside a very “square” 5 story tall building which from the outside has a government office meets retirement home feel. On the inside; all things Estonian can be found; the Consulate, an Estonian credit union, banquet hall, a shooting range and not the least of which, our small group came to know as “Estonia house” restaurant located in the basement.
Estonian pride is emanated throughout the walls of this warmly lit cafeteria-esque dining room by pictures and small artifcacts of places and things back home.Beef stroganoff, cabbage rolls, sauerkraut soup and pork schnitzel were some of the entrees on the one sheet menu. A smily-faced sticker beside the item indicated it was available. Our group had a chuckle and loved the “mom and pop” touch. Everybody enjoyed their meals and found them tasty. Shane and Nathan both ordered the “village soup” which had barley, carrots and potatoes seasoned with dill. Cora and Barry found their cabbage rolls pleasantly stuffed. Phyllis and I enjoyed our lightly fried pork schnitzel. Vegetarian Dee delighted in her custom prepared carrot stuffed perogies despite leaving her cucumber and tomato garnishes untouched (one of her many self admitted neurosises:-) however not unfinished thanks to my appetite of a nursing mother (an excuse I will hold near and dear as long as possible 
Our server Stephanie, the owner’s daughter-in-law-to-be was more than hospitable especially when she served our group a generous sampling of some of their pastries known as pirukat (in Estonian). Translated, they mean perogies but these were baked and stuffed with bacon or beef. The “icing” on the cake was when she surprised us again, this time with a dessert called stritsel or sweet bread with raisins. Both were absolutely delicious attested by the empty platters left behind and our stuffed bellies as we rolled ourselves out of the restaurant. Despite this, the two Dee’s, Shane and myself still managed to find ourselves down the street at Dairy Queen, this of course was all Dee’s(Morgenstern) pushing.
Overall, I rated this experience a TFLC because of all the great service and laughs we had!
Written by TFLC Reviewer, Gina Thompson
