The most famous gourmand in the whole Universe was without any doubt Jabba The Hutt. Until one day antipathetic princess Leia decided to choke him with the chain. His passion for good food was so immense that every respectable foodie should be deeply touched by the sad fact he’s no more with us. To give honor to him you should eat some food he really liked. Jabba thought the food from planet Earth really sucks, apart tiny slimy animals that live in deep waters of northeastern Atlantic. Their name is perceves (lat. Pollicipes pollicipes) and these animals are considered a supreme delicacy in Spain and Portugal. I had luck to try it at restaurant Marisqueira Rui in Silves during my last trip to Algarve in Portugal. Enjoy the photos since the rest of the text is in Croatian. It’s +35ºC in my room and I am just too lazy to translate the whole text in English.

Najveći proždrljivac u Svemiru bio je bez svake sumnje Jabba the Hutt. Sve dok jednog dana antipatična princeza Leia nije odlučila hladnokrvno ga zagušiti debelim lancem. Njegova strast za dobrom hranom bila je toliko velika da svakog ozbiljnog gurmana mora duboko dirnuti da Jabba više nije među nama. Odajte mu počast tako da probate hranu koju je on volio. Hranu sa planete Zemlje smatrao je odvratnom, osim jedne male ljigave životinjice koja živi u dubinama sjeveroistočnog Atlantika.

Životinjica se zove perceves (lat. Pollicipes pollicipes) a osim Jabbe jako ih vole i Španjolci i Portugalci tako da postiže vrtoglave cijene od preko 40 eura/kg. Gurwoman (koja je kao i ja nedavno posjetila Portugal ali sjeverni dio dok ja južni, Algarve) ih je vrlo slikovito opisala kao “stara kandža otpala s neke morske nemani”. Kad vam dođe tanjur izgledaju prestrašno, doslovce kao životinja s druge planete i postane vam jasno zašto ih Jabba obožava. Da nisam rođen na moru nikad se ne bih usudio ni taknuti ih.

Donesu vam ih na stol jednostavno skuhane na lešo, i tad vas obaspe miris mora pa si počnete misliti – možda to nije tako loše? Moji suputnici me gledaju sa zgražavanjem! Ne mogu vjerovati da sam ih doveo u ovu selendru Silves, pitoreskno mjesto u unutrašnjosti Algravea daleko od prenaporne turističke vreve na obalama Atlantika, samo da bi probali ova mala čudovišta. Objašnjavam im uljudno da sam čuo da je Marisqueira Rui najbolji riblji restoran u Algarveu s desetljetnom tradicijom, i neka se strpe jer da ćemo poslije naručiti nešto iz mora na što su navikli – rižot frutti di mare, ribu na žaru…

Uzimate jednog u ruke i što sad? Prvo im treba odstraniti bijelu kamenu kandžu.

U unutrašnjosti crvića otkrivate meso koje je pri rubovima bijelo a u unutrašnjosti crveno kao pedoć. Pomažući se zubima istisnete to meso u usta. Konzistencija mu je kao od kraka od lignje, a okus i miris kao kod školjaka, meni najbliže našim mušulama ili kunjkama, samo što je okus još blaži i meso je laganije. Nevjerojatan osjećaj, kao da vam je uspjelo zagristi more.

Prije percevesa kao couvert smo dobili kozice na lešo sa majonezom od češnjaka. Majoneza je savršeno pasala jer je imala puno limuna unutra.

Poslije smo naručili rižot sa plodovima mora koji je bio prepun svega, posebice rakova i ja, kao gurman vrlo otvorenih pogleda, naravno da sam uživao u ovom jelu pripremljenom na posve drugačiji način od našeg jadranskog. Pripremaju ga u glinenom loncu kojeg vam donesu na stol dok se još puši.

Ali avaj po moje suputnike! Portugalci u rižot stavljaju korijander umjesto peršina, a oni ga ne mogu podnijeti jer ih njegov miris podsjeća kao da je netko smrvio one gadne zelene bube smrdljivice unutra. Opet su skoro ostali gladni i bilo mi je tužno vidjeti ih kako prebiru po tanjuru pokušavajući odstraniti mrsku im biljku. A ja se na kraju osjećao kriv zbog mojeg gurmanskog terora nad njima. Ja otišao iz restorana prezadovoljan a oni mrklog pogleda i praznih želuca da su me htjeli linčovati.

Marisqueira Rui
Rua do Comendador 27
Silves
Portugal
Tel: +351 282 442 682

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In Premantura, the southernmost Istrian village, there is a nice fish & seafood restaurant with an unusual name – Fra-Kat. The food is pretty good here but don’t try to argue with the owner if you didn’t like something.

The restaurant is situated in a quiet street, just 100 m from the main square in Premantura. A large terrace and a roofless loggia with many stone arches make the atmosphere just perfect for a romantic dinner on a hot summer evening. We took a table on the terrace from where we could enjoy a beautiful view on the Adriatic sea and the island of Lošinj on the horizon.
Ambient 9/10

Here are the dishes we took during two visits last summer, one in June and one in August.

The white bread was from local supermarket, but it tasted OK. We ordered a jar of chardonnay (Fra-Kat’s house wine) that was of very good quality, white flowers in the nose, nice fruitiness, crisp acids and tasty minerals, but unfortunately it was served too warm. Nevertheless, it is nice to see that the owner takes care in choosing his house wine. The olive oil that we found on the table was mediocre, surely not adequate to pour over delicate fish they serve here.
Details 8/10

Marinated anchovies on young rocket

Grilled clams

Squid salad

Pasta (bavette) with scampi

Frutti di mare (seafood) risotto

Seafood pasta (bavette)

Grilled wild dorade with steamed chard and potatoes

Everything up to now seems perfect. Then, the second time we went to Fra-Kat something not very pleasant happened at the end. Let me tell you the whole story.

For the main course instead of grilled fish we wanted to eat grilled squids, not the tiny ones “Made in Indonesia” that you usually find in the supermarket, but the big ones from the Adriatic sea whose taste is much, much better. Below is the picture of these Adriatic squids so you can see how they are usually longer than palm. They are at least two times more expensive than the imported ones and this is reflected on price in the menu.

Real Adriatic squids are longer than my palm

We kindly ask the waiter if they still have these delicious squids. November is the peak season for squids in Croatia so it’s possible in August there’s nothing left. The waiter tells us there’s no problem, we’ll get the Adriatic squids. Just to be sure, we stressed that we want to see two or three big squids on our plate, not tens of tiny ones. The waiter again said – No worries, you’ll get them!

Ten minutes later we were disappointed – on our table arrives a plate full of tiny little squids. We complain it’s not what we ordered but OK, it’s late, we’ll eat the stuff if we don’t have to pay the price of the Adriatic ones.

Few minutes later comes the owner and sits (!!!) at our table and starts his speech. He has come to explain us where we have come, that Fra-Kat is a place where they don’t take guests on a ride. He does not want to preach anything, but we don’t know what the Adriatic squids look like. In fact, what we got are the squids that were fished with a large net (koča) and that is the reason why they are so small. Nevertheless, they are from Adriatic and of course, you have to pay the full price.

Imagine that scene, he sat with us like he is our friend or a father, and done all that patronizing lecture to us! I should have asked him why then in all other fish restaurants I visited the Adriatic squids were always at least three times bigger? Just, after all the good stuff we have eaten that evening I didn’t want to argue with him and completely ruin the evening.

Conclusion? The food is pretty good here and you’ll be in heaven when you try the ingredients of exquisite freshness mostly provided from local fishermen, but there’s one drawback. Don’t try to argue with the owner if you didn’t like something or your evening might be of bitter taste.

Tell me, how would you behave in a similar situation?

Overall 8.9/10

Restaurant Fra & Kat
Premantura 42
52203 Medulin
phone +385 52 575 373
web http://fra-kat.co.cc

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As you could read in my previous post, already arriving to Zrenj is an exciting and beautiful adventure. Beware, it is so easy to get lost on the road (I adore that feeling).

The view on Ćićarija

Here we are, in front of Agritourism “Tončić” owned by Orjeta and Sandro Tončić. As you enter inside the old stone house a warm, rural home atmosphere puts you in the good mood. The interior is decorated in a simple rustic style, with a big fireplace that will warm you up in winter time, and today it was packed with families having Sunday lunch. The atmosphere is very international, as I pass near the tables I hear Italian, Slovenian and even German – it seems the word-of-mouth has spread over the borders. We choose a table on the terrace with outstanding view on Ćićarija mountains.
Ambient 9/10

Homemade bread

The white bread we got was obviously homemade, soft as a cake. Probably they make it in wood fired oven since it had a subtle smoky aroma. Absolutely delicious, this could be my lunch today. Red house wine, probably made from Teran grapes, is of decent quality, powerful, fruity and with a strong acidic backbone, great with meat dishes. Malvazija, white house wine, is less appealing. The olive oil on the table didn’t excite me too much but the wine vinegar was a delight – very strong and homemade, your nose tells you “hey, it’s not come chemical stuff, it’s made from real wine!”.
Details 9/10

Istrian pršut, pancetta, fresh and matured sheep cheese

Homemade charcuterie and sheep cheese
If you want to try how the real Istrian pršut (prosciutto, air-dried ham) should taste like, come here. I am quite sure this divine stuff was made from a pig that was raised here in Zrenj. It has a nice pepper crust, tender and humid inside, sweet and gentle taste. The pancetta is also a dream, its fat is melting in the mouth like butter, you feel the Mediterranean herbs aroma while you swallow. Last delight – fresh and matured sheep cheese.
Price 105 kuna (14.30 eur) Score 10/10

Now, the highlight of the lunch. Meet his majesty – the white truffle of Istria (here is how the proud of Istrian gastronomy looks like).

White truffles fuži

White truffles fuži
Fuži, this beloved Istrian pasta in a form of rolled tube, was made to perfection – large pieces, made of thick pasta sheets so that they remain al dente (like in Vela Nera, but here they taste even better). On top they added just a bit of butter and grated plenty of white truffle on top. There was no cream or, for God’s Sake, grated Parmiggiano cheese – this is a clear sign somebody wants to save on truffles. No, at Tončić’s you get only this precious mushroom on freshly cooked pasta. Divine!
Price 150 kuna (20.50 eur) Score 10/10

Black truffles fuži

Black truffles fuži
As good as the previous dish, only the aroma is less stronger. It was made with black truffle, a less precious kind in truffle family, that can be cooked (the white ones are exclusively used raw). Too bad the chef didn’t simmer them a bit to extract more aroma and taste. But I admit, for non-connoisseurs it is hard to notice any difference and the price is very attractive.
Price 80 kuna (11 eur) Score 9/10

Fuži with chicken ragu

Fuži with chicken ragu
Nothing to complain, excellent fuži, mothwatering ragu made from chickens raised in the chicken coop we saw in front of the house. Good tomatoes inside, few aromatic herbs inside, impressive in its simplicity. Very good price and copious portion.
Price 45 kuna (6.10 eur) Score 9/10

Locally grown salad with homemade wine vinegar

Mixed salad
It is easy to detect this salad and tomatoes were not bought in the supermarket but picked up in the garden this morning. Again, very good wine vinegar inside.
Price 15 kuna (2 eur) Score 9/10

Sponge apple cake

Sponge apple cake
A rustic cake that every housewife in Istria knows to prepare. Dry outside, soft sponge doe (pan di spagna) hides juicy apples inside.
Price 30 kuna (4.10 eur) (for 3 persons) Score 8.5/10

At Tončić’s the ingredients are local and that can be felt in every single dish we tasted. They were prepared with care, respecting the traditional way of (slow) cooking. Here, with such superb ingredients, creativity in the kitchen would only ruin their unique taste and aroma. A bit of work on the wine quality would bring the overall impression to perfection. Looking forward to eat here again.

Price 477 kn (65.30 eur) for 3 persons

Overall 9.2/10

Agroturizam “Tončić”
Čabarnica 42, Zrenj
phone +385 52 644 146

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If you come to Trieste for the first time and would like to feel how this city breathes go to Osteria Da Marino, right in the city center in a narrow street near Piazza Unità. Whenever you come, Monday to Sunday, the place is never empty and it’s open when all other bars are closed. During the weekends it becomes so packed that you can hardly enter inside so the crowd hangs out on the street.

Counter at Da Marino's

Here you mainly drink wine but, no worries, Da Marino is not a fancy wine bar with minimalist interior design where you find well dressed people who does not know how to have fun and comunicate. No, it is just an osteria – a place with atmosphere of a pub but they serve wine instead of beer. In Da Marino you can go also for lunch or dinner and my friend Milena say it’s very good.

Here you drink wine (but beer is allowed too)

The choice of wine by glass is vast – some great wines from Trieste’s Carso/Kras  (my favorites are Terrano from Zidarich and Vitovska from Vodopivec), a lot of bottles from nearby Friuli of course (Ribolla Gialla, Friulano, Refosco, Ramandolo, Picolit) and then some classics like Brunello, Barolo, Nero d’Avola and Chianti. The prices are modest and the waiter fills your glass abundantly. If you come in aperitivo or happy hour period (6-9 PM) you will also get some snacks, like sushi, mortadella, bacon, mozzarella, pickled olives…

Da Marino's wine list

To my great surprise I saw three Istrian winemakers on the wine list – Leonardo Palčić from Dajla near Novigrad with his Malvasia 2008; world famous biodynamic producer Giorgio Clai from Krasica with Malvazija Sv. Jakov 2007, Ottocento Crno 2007 and Ottocento Bijelo 2007; and one of the pioneers of modern winemaking in Istria Moreno Degrassi from Savudrija with his Malvasia 2008 (see an article about Clai here and tasting notes od Degrassi’s wines here).

I ordered a glass of Clai’s Malvazija and enjoyed the rest of evening – passing it in a pleasant meditation (partly because of this exceptional wine, of course).

Actually, it came to my mind how it is difficult to find a similar place in Istria, a simple bar where you can enjoy a good glass of wine (very important!) in an informal, uninhibited, almost party atmosphere, where it is not important how are you dressed, what music do you listen, a place where waiters know a lot about wine but do not ask the same knowledge from you. It comes to my mind only Mali Café in Poreč where the wine choice is excellent, but it is far away from being a real traditional osteria. Please let me know if you can think of some other place.

Osteria Da Marino
Via del Ponte 5
I-34121 Trieste, Italy
phone +39 040 366 596
http://osteriadamarino.com

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Without and doubt Alla Beccaccia is a must-visit for any devoted carnivore coming to Pula, especially if you like wild game meats. Here the meat is prepared exclusively on the barbecue or under peka (a bell shaped metal lid) covered with live coals which gives them that delcicious smoky touch.

Summer evening at Alla Beccaccia

It is a fact that restaurant in Pula and surroundings serve very good fish and seafood (see here and here) but the meat is usually mediocre, prepared neither according to some old tradition or in some innovative creative way. They serve Fillet steaks, Wiener Schnitzels, ćevapčići and pljeskavice, grilled sausages – it is just too boooring.

but there’s always a but…

On the road from Pula to Fažana, the same one that leads to the Brijuni Islands National Park – famous Tito’s summer residence, you will find signs that will lead you to restaurant Alla Beccaccia (At the woodcock). Here you can find traditional but also wild game meats prepared on the wood barbecue or in a not-so-usual way.

The owner is a passionate hunter so it is reasonably to expect that the game meat will be fresh and local, especially if you come in the hunting season. The restaurants is open throughout the year and reservation is advisable. In 2009 I visited Alla Beccaccia twice. Here is how it was the first time, on a warm summer evening at the end of August.

At the porch of Alla Beccaccia

It is surrounded by a well maintained garden with perfectly mowed lawn accentuated with few big oaks, olive, fig and cherry trees. The restaurant was built in traditional Istrian countryside style not more than seven years ago – everything is new and perfect but pretends to be old and warm (too sterile for my taste, but this is only me). Some nice sculptures in the garden would certainly bring some warmth to this sterile ambient. Nonetheless, in the summer it is just great to eat on the porch and feel the sea breeze.
Ambient 8.5/10

Excellent homemade bread

I was excited when they brought us their homemade bread. The crust is nicely dark and a bit burned, the crumb is soft, humid and tastes like a cake. Simple and delicious, like it came from some ancient times. House red wine was very good, a blend of Teran and Borgonja (here also I mentioned Borgonja) with strong acidic backbone, cherries, red flowers and earthy in the nose, slightly tannic – just perfect for meat dishes. Olive oil we got on the table was local (maybe of their own production) and of good quality. For the effort in making such delicious bread and the fact that there is no a cover charge I give a high score.
Details 10/10

We started the dinner with a dish of pasta that we decided to share in two. Luckily, because the portion was gargantuan.

Pljukanci in wild boar stew

Pljukanci in wild boar stew
Homemade egg-free pasta (pljukanci) cooked al dente was served with aromatic and juicy wild boar stew, good and tender meat, a lot of carrots and celery stalks gives the sweetness, but they exaggerated with salt I would say.
Price 60 kuna (8.20 eur) Score 9/10

Two main meat dishes followed.

Boškarin beef sauté with caponata

Sauté of Boškarin meat with caponata
Boškarin is Istrian ox, an ancient breed autochtonous to Istria that ten years ago was on the way of extinction. But farmers and local authorities understood that only way to preserve this beautiful animal is to start to eat it. Now Boškarin meat finds place on the menus of many restaurants across Istria where its is served as premium quality beef and it is usually more expensive. Here the Boškarin meat was sautéd with onions, aubergines and bell peppers (a sort of caponata). The meat remained a bit al dente but it was savory – you could tell it is not an usual supermarket beef. The vegetables added juiciness to the dish, but it was a bit too salty again.
Price 120 kuna (16.40 eur) Score 9/10

Char-grilled fillet steak

Char-grilled fillet steak
It’s turn for a classic. A thick fillet steak was grilled on the wood barbecue so it had a tasty crust and a nice wood smoke aroma. But the steak was not tender enough probably because the meat was not aged long enough. Fried potatoes were homemade and not those fake forzen ones, absolutely delicious!
Price 100 kuna (13.70 eur) Score 8/10

A very good and light Tiramisu

Tiramisu
A very light version of tiramisu, with just right sweetness, nice and strong coffee was put inside. A bit too expensive.
Price 30 kuna (4.10 eur) Score 9/10

Apple strudel

Apple strudel
A crisp, airy crust, a bit burned with gives nice bitterness on the palate. Juicy apple and nuts inside. Again, too expensive.
Price 30 kuna (4.10 eur) Score 9/10

Grappa aromatized with ruta

At the end they offered us two grappas aromatized with ruta (rue in English) – a very strong stuff with nice herbal aroma proved to be an effective digestive. Here the summer story ends.

Without and doubt Alla Beccaccia is a must-visit for any devoted carnivore coming to Pula, especially if you like wild game meats. Here the meat is prepared exclusively on the barbecue or under peka (a bell shaped metal lid) covered with live coals which gives them that delcicious smoky touch. A great thing is to see how the owner takes great care to assure that even the simplest things as bread, house wine, olive oil, fried potatoes, green salad and vegetables are genuine products – mostly homemade and local. The prices are maybe a bit higher than the average but the quality justifies every cent.

Price 410 kn (56 eur) for 2 persons

Overall 9/10

PS: I had opportunity to visit Alla Beccaccia once again immediately after Christmas when we had high school reunion dinner. Charcuterie (ossocollo, cured ham/pršut and sausages), pasta and gnocchi were very good, but the highlight of the evening was mixed meat and especially whole veal shanks prepared under peka. The only drawback is that the place is more suitable for a romantic and calm dinner than for 25 people wanting to have some loud fun It was obvious (even if he didn’t say anything explicitly) that the owner wants to get rid of us as soon as possible. That was not a very professional way of doing business.

Alla Beccaccia
Pineta 25, Valbandon
HR-52212, Fažana
tel. +385 52 520753
mob. +385 98 421479

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…beautiful and elegant ambient with a touch of good old times, excellent price-quality ratio, good house wine, perfectly prepared regional dishes that change with season, tradition combined with innovation. Continuous existence of “Suban” for 144 years is definitely not a matter of pure chance like it was its foundation.

144 years of tradition can be felt in the air

There is no doubt, fish and all kinds of seafood are of excellent quality in Trieste. It is easy to find a good restaurant that excel in preparing them (see last summer’s post about a dinner at Osteria Istriano). But in autumn and winter time, when extreme bora wind blows and you start to doubt if Trieste is on Mediterranean or Baltic sea, my organism demands for heavier and more caloric food. It asks not necessarily for meat but for “earthfood” (it. prodotti della terra) instead of seafood (it. prodotti del mare). It’s time to visit trattoria “Suban”, the guardians of Trieste’s traditional cuisine.

Just one kilometer uphill from hectic and busy street Via Giulia, on the outskirts of the city where timid signs of countryside begin to show up, you will find Antica trattoria “Suban” – a restaurant famous for its traditional “earthfood” dishes. It was founded in 1865 by Giovanni Suban after winning royal lottery in Vienna and today it is run by Mario Suban who belongs to the fourth generation of the same family. Crazy story! Pure chance contributed to the fact that today, 144 years later, I am able to stand in front of this trattoria. As soon as we entered inside savory aromas from the kitchen seduced us.

The interior is warm and cozy, not pretentious and over-designed like in many modern restaurants these days. Simplicity and tradition lives here. Enjoyable view on Trieste and surrounding hills. Our table is just in front of glass screened barbecue, where a skilled chef is preparing all sorts of meats. For the whole evening we could not stop looking at the live cooking show.
Ambient 9/10

Suban's barbecue

Having a barbecue in restaurant can be only praised. But, if they used barbecue wood instead of coal the meat would acquire those fine smoky notes and become tastier. The bread is nothing worth remembering, it was obviously not homemade and had a taste of supermarket bread. The olive oil on the table is a Tuscan one made from Frantoio olive cultivar – it is sweet and fruity, of decent quality but again nothing special. Buying olive oil from local producers in Trieste’s countryside or in Istria would be a much better choice. We order 0.75 l of red house wine and get a really nice wine, as good as some bottles you would pay more than 15 €. It was cabernet sauvignon from Friuli, red fruits and vegetable notes in the nose , medium body, good acids, equilibrated, not very tannic, easy to drink. The wine and a bottle of sparkling water costed us 15 €, a bit too much. There is a cover charge of 3 € per person.
Details 8/10

Soon, Mario (the owner) comes to our table to take the order. First he thinks we are Hungarians and switches from Italian to Hungarian, than realizes we come from Istria and switches to perfect Croatian. We remained deeply impressed not only of his language skills (probably he knows every language of the former Austro Hungarian empire, but we did not check) but of his sincere passion for food. He starts to tell us what is on the menu. The list is long, mostly based on traditional dishes from Trieste and Mittel Europa, but modern and creative dishes are not missing either.

We skip antipasto and proceed immediately to primo piatto. The first one is a very requested dish, a specialty of “Suban”:

Pancakes in basil sauce (Palacinke alla Mandriera)
Creamy filling is made of melted sheep cheese (pecorino) with a lot of basil. It tastes a bit like pesto Genovese but here the accent is on cheese. Outside – cream and some meat stock sauce. Perfect preparation. A very juicy and delicious start and impressive in its simplicity. Here is the recipe.
Score 10/10

Pancakes in basil sauce

Pumpkin spaetzli with vegetable ragout (spaetzli di zucca con ragu di verdure)
The spaetzli had a noble sweetness due to the pumpkin inside and they were really tasty and well prepared (in Italy they know that pasta should be cooked al dente). Too bad they put some unseasonal vegetables like zucchini and green peas (probably unfrozen) in the ragout – this only made the dish boring, like something to be served in a cafeteria. It would have been better if they had served the spaetzli only with simple butter and sauge sauce.
Score 8.5/10

Pumpkin spaetzle in vegetable ragú

The list of other primi piatti is so interesting and uncommon that I have to mention it here: Istrian fuži in chicken stew sauce (a traditional Istrian pasta that I mentioned few months ago), jota carsolina, spinach and ricotta gnocchetti in butter and sauge sauce. Then we proceed to the main course (secondo piatto) where there was also plenty of local specialties like always popular roasted veal shank, spicy and temperament Hungarian gulasch, pork sirloin with peppers and potato chips, decadent calf liver venetian-style, sauerkraut rolls with pork ribs, sausages and paprika (very similar to sarma in Croatia and Balkans)…

Usually when I come for the first time in a restaurant I order the most unusual dish on the menu and sometimes I manage to convince others to do the same (they usually hate me after the dinner). But that evening my experimental soul was sleeping so we took two quite standard meat dishes that you can find anywhere in the world.

Char-grilled T-bone steak
Preparation on the barbecue was excellent, the meat was crusty outside but juicy and tender inside. The meat quality was very good but nothing to die for.
Score 8.5/10

Char-grilled T-bone steak

Char-grilled duck breasts in aromatic herbs sauce
Here again we have excellent preparation, maybe a bit the breasts were overdone for my taste (too bad the waiter did not ask us for the doneness of the meat). The meat was much better than that of the T-bone steak, tender inside but with crusty skin. The sauce was elegant, subtle and full of aromas.
Score 9.5/10

Char-grilled duck breasts in aromatic herbs sauce

Buttered spinach and baked potatoes
We shared one side dish. Fresh, seasonal, genuine vegetables. You know when sometimes it happens that you can not stop yourself in eating potatoes?
Score 10/10

Buttered spinach and baked potatoes

Sponge cake rolls with chestnut cream
This sponge-like cake (pan di spagna) is very popular in the region and it is often the base for many elaborate desserts. Chestnut cream was light, aromatic and not too sweet. Maybe it was a bit too dry. Simple and nice.
Score 9/10

Sponge cake rolls with chestnut filling

Chocolate soufflé
Good preparation. The chocolate was not extraordinary, it would be better to use a darker one and put less sugar.
Score 8.5/10

Chocolate soufflé

In conclusion, beautiful and elegant ambient with a touch of good old times, excellent price-quality ratio, good house wine, perfectly prepared regional dishes that change with season, tradition combined with innovation. Continuous existence of “Suban” for 144 years is definitely not a matter of pure chance like it was its foundation. Can’t wait to come visit Mario and his family again.

Price 77 eur
Overall 9/10

Antica Trattoria Suban
Via E. Comici 2/d, I-34128 Trieste
tel. +39 040 54368
email: anticatrattoria@suban.it
http://www.suban.it/

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There are people who are fascinated with borders, like myself. They should visit Trieste (or Trst in Croatian and Slovenian) to enjoy the atmosphere of a city residing on many ones. Between East and West, between Roman, German and Slavic people, here the Mediterranean meets the Continent.

Few weeks ago a friend of mine invited me for a dinner in Osteria “Istriano” in Trieste and I accepted with pleasure. I was interested to write review of a restaurant not in Istria but on its northwestern border, that supposedly serves Istrian cuisine. Wrong! I was simply fooled by the name of the place. Nevertheless, we had a wonderful evening in this restaurant specialized for fish.

The place is situated on the southern side of Le Rive (Trieste seafront), a bit hidden from the busy street and just across the city’s marina. A cozy terrace with its dimmed lights makes perfect scenery for a romantic dinner. Interior is bright and simple, set in a style of a typical Italian trattoria with carefully laid tables. Beautiful black and white photos of Istrian towns and carefully designed lightning make the atmosphere warm yet sophisticated.
Ambient 9/10

The bread was a disaster, of pure industrial origin and taste. If the owner does not have time to make its own bread, it could at least purchase it from many local bakeries. A bottle of commercial Italian extravirgin olive oil on our table was of decent quality, but nothing worth of remembering. Too bad we did not see one of excellent olive oils coming from nearby Val Rosandra (San Dorligo della Valle), a beautiful valley where you can find Alpine pines growing next to the olive trees. We ordered a liter of Friulano (ex Tocai Friulano) and a liter of sparkling Prosecco, both house white wines of decent quality. Prosecco was more easy drinking and a better match with the dishes we ordered.
Details 7/10

Shrimps with curry on a bed of couscous and Tuna carpaccio on lettuce.
Shrimps had a damn fresh aroma, there were no smell of ammoniac like it is often the case when you buy the frozen ones, but you felt a real scent of the open sea. They were shortly grilled to remain al dente and were able to release plenty of juice when you bite them. Just a trace of curry on top was a perfect match, without overwhelming the delicate taste of the shrimps. Couscous was very simple, cooked to perfection with addition of some aromatic herbs. Carpaccio was delicious, nicely refreshing and light. The key ingredient was very fresh tuna meat marinated with fennel leaf and olive oil.

The second antipasto was again Tuna carpaccio on lettuce but now with Steamed Tub Gurnard with ratatouille (lat. Trigla Lucerna, it. gallinella). The fish was of delicate taste, tender and consistent at the same time, and the ratatouille added some juices to the fish that would otherwise be too dry. These two antipasti totally seduced us all. Score 9/10

Then here we are, photo of the best dish we tried that evening in “Istriano”.

Spaghetti with ragout of Reef mullet (hr. trilja od kamena, it. triglia di scoglio). This was far from Spaghetti ai Frutti di mare, a classical Italian recipe for spaghetti with scallops, mussels, shrimp and calamari rings in white wine and tomato sauce. No, here the cook made a creative effort. He made a delicious ragout sauce with Reef mullet filets, zucchini and carrots and pour it over spaghetti that were cooked al dente, of course. One portion was so abundant that we shared it in two. Awesome! Score 10/10

The first main dish were Fried anchovies coated in breadcrumbs (hr. pohani sardoni, it. sardoni impanati), a landmark not only of the traditional cuisine of Trieste, but also of the whole Istrian peninsula. Fried in fresh oil, they were succulent yet crispy in your mouth. Nice.
Score 9/10

Too bad in Istria you will hardly find this simple, tasty and affordable dish since restaurant owners consider it not noble enough or that are convinced they cannot make profit out of it. A very wrong attitude in my opinion, especially in these recession times when people are seeking more than ever for a good price/quality ratio when they eat out.

After the pasta on our table came a big monster, a big fish of over 2 kg with frightening teethes that are surely the reason why it is called Dentex (hr. zubatac, it. dentice). It has a first-class meat and is very much appreciated on the whole Mediterranean.

Dentex in the owen with potatoes. This was our second main dish and it was good, but I expected much more after they spoiled us with previous dishes. My main objection is that the fish was overcooked which made the meat dry and of tactile consistency similar to porridge. The potatoes that were baking together were much savory because they absorbed the juices from the fish.
Score 7.5/10

We shared only one Semifreddo al torroncino (nougat semi-freddo) coated with dark chocolate. Not bad, but a bit too sweet for my taste, and the chocolate seamed like it was bought in McDonalds. Score 7/10

I am sorry that I cannot give you the price for the individual dishes like in previous posts since the bill was divided between six of us. We paid only 30 euros per person, wine, coffee and water included. A very good price but be aware that we ordered only one spaghetti and only one dessert. Most of the people had only an antipasto and a main dish (either Dentex or fried Anchovies). Nevertheless, price/quality ratio seems to be very good.

In “Istriano” you will definitely not try a typical Istrian, but a modern and creative Italian cuisine spiced with some Fusion trends. A pleasant and cozy tavern, with good and creative food and friendly clientele. A place to return to.

Overall 8/10

Osteria “Istriano”

tel. +39 040 306664

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In the city of Pula works Dušan Černjul, one of the most gifted chefs in Croatia with an enormous experience. He is in the gastronomic scene over 30 years, won many international prizes and personally I admire his ability to juxtapose two or more traditional tastes in a new, creative way. You will easily recognize Dušan since he totally looks like Karl Lagerfeld.

Wine list is expensive – a very commom habit in Croatian restaurants

His main working place is restaurant “Vela Nera”, located in Marina Veruda, a marina just few kilometers from the center of Pula. The place is an up-scale one, the atmosphere is more formal in the winter, but in the summer a large patio with a nice sea-view offers a more relaxed dining experience. The interior is decorated in the style of an elegant yacht and a Black Sail (Italian: Vela Nera) that dominates over the counter is a nice detail, but overall the place is too sterile for my taste.
Ambient 8/10

The bread was not homemade, but of decent quality. The olive oil we found on the table was very disappointing, mostly due to a slight rancid smell and dull taste, probably because the oil was too old or it was made from the olives that were not pressed within 24-48 hours from the harvest. The first impression improved when the red house wine arrived. It was a young (2008) Merlot of very good quality, easy drinking and well balanced, more herbaceous than fruity with smooth tannins, but a bit overpriced (70 kuna per liter) for a house wine. We remained with it since just a glimpse on the wine list confirmed what I expected – the bottles prices are way too high, more than 300% of their release price! (this comes as no surprise, since practically every Croatian restaurant has the same absurd price policy. The result is that rarely Croatians will order a bottle in restaurant considering it a luxury). Like in every Croatian up-scale restaurant, there is a cover charge (15 kuna) for which we got the following amuse-bouche.
Details 7/10

Here we got a simple Rice salad made with fresh red peppers, ham and steamed corn. I expected a more creative dish from Dušan, like the ones he was serving few years ago – fish paté for example. Tasted OK, but too boring.
Score 7/10

Fuži in chicken ragu and Teran wine. Fuži, tube-like, rolled up pieces of pasta, is the most popular Istrian pasta that in the last ten years acquired immense popularity even outside Istria. The most traditional pairing is with chicken stew sauce, so I was delighted too see this combination on the menu. Fuži was handmade and cooked to perfection so that they remain al dente. To achieve this excellent tactile sensation the cook cleverly decided to use slightly thicker pasta sheets. The chicken stew sauce was made with tomato concentrate and Teran wine and was such a delicacy, a real jewel whose taste was a time machine returning me to my childhood when my grandmother was making it in the same way. Such sauce can make only a true connoisseur of the Istrian traditional cuisine. The portion was so copious that it was enough for two hungry persons. Fair price and stunning performance.
Price 55 kuna (7.50 eur) Score 10/10

Fillet steaks in green pepper/bernaise sauce returned us to crude reality. The steaks were at least 30% smaller than the last year and the price jumped from 90 to 110 kuna, a fact not very understandable in current Recession Times. The meat tasted OK, but not enough tender and juicy for a fillet steak. The sauce bernaise was a complete disaster – it tasted like mayonnaise with unidentified herbs in it and no sign of estragon which the main ingredient of bernaise sauce. Another disaster that in an up-scale restaurant should never happen is serving the frozen, ready-made french fries. Very bad quality-to-price ratio. (for the same price in Trattoria “Da Manuel” in Trieste -Italy you get a fillet steak twice as large, prepared on real barbecue with wood. Here is the proof)
Price 110 kuna (15 eur) Score 6/10

Apple strudel with vanilla sauce was crispy and delicious. The filling was made in a way that you can feel the juicy and aromatic apple chunks under your tongue. The vanilla sauce was excellent.
Price 30 kuna (4.10 eur) Score 9/10

Tiramisu tasted good, but it was a bit too sweet and there was not enough coffee in it. I prefer the classical version on the plate.
Price 30 kuna (4.10 eur) Score 7/10

Conclusion? Restaurant “Vela Nera” is in decline. Appart from really excellent fuži, other dishes lacked immagination, elegance and uncompromising quality that only one year ago were attributes of the restaurant and the reason why I kept coming back.

Overall 7.5/10

Restaurant “Vela Nera”
Marina Veruda, HR-52100 Pula
tel. +385(0)52 215 951

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I like the summer time in Premantura. It is located only 15 km south of Pula, yet when you enter in this southernmost village of Istria it feels like you arrived on a small island lost in the Adriatic Sea. From the main square, in the evening crowded with tourists eating an ice cream or just relaxing after an exhausting day on the beach, you will easily spot a narrow street which leads to konoba (tavern) “Stare Užance”.

The exterior is inviting and warm

It is one of the few dining places open throughout the year in Premantura which makes the place very popular among locals. I advise you to make reservation one day in advance.

The exterior is inviting and warm, few tables are placed outside, or under an old mulberry tree. Inside, the classical istrian rustic style with old wooden tables and chairs is happily coexisting with many modern details, like red papier-mâché roses and red curtains hanging from the ceiling. Very creative and refreshing, relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. Ambient 9.5/10

The white house wine was Malvazija from Pilato winery – decent quality, crisp and fruity, medium body, excellent with seafood (1 L – 60 kn). We were delighted to see the bread was homemade, but it was way too salty. The house olive oil was nothing worth of remembering, dull and plain. There is no cover charge.
Details 7.5/10

Octopus carpaccio on the bed of roquette was a success and had a nice price. The octopus was not overcooked, the meat remained “al dente”, and its strong sweetish taste was nicely constrasted with spiciness of roquette. The overall impression was ruined by (again!) too much salt. Price 52 kn (7.10 eur) Score 8.5/10

Scampi Tails on roquette bed with parmiggiano was an example with which ingredients delicate seafood should not be combined. Too much roquette, too much parmiggiano, too much pine nuts, made that these ingredients of very intense taste completely covered the finesse of just three to four tiny scampi tails (hard to spot them on the photo). Overpriced.
Price 64 kn (8.70 eur) Score 6/10

We finished with cold starters and continued to pasta and risotto.

Cuttlefish risotto came in a pretty terracota plate and the portion was huge. Unfortunately, the preparation was not so stunning. The rice was at the same time not cooked but it had consistency of the porridge, which was a sign that either rice was not of risotto type, or that the rice was not quickly fried on the oil at the beginning. Moreover, there was no sign of a good fish stock, an essential ingredient of every good risotto. Finally, I did not appreciate the presence of cream that made the dish too heavy and masked the taste of the excellent cuttlefish meat. Good ingredients, bad preparation.
Price 63 kn (8.60 eur) Score 6.5/10

The portion of Seafood tagliatelle was again abundant, and tasted better than the risotto. The tagliatelle were not homemade and were slightly overcooked. The seafood sauce consisted mainly of squids, without or too few signs of mussels, scampi, clams or shrimps. Definitely they should name the dish Tagliatelle in squid stew sauce. The sauce was done well, but nothing extraordinary. Addition of just a bit of aromatic herbs would do no harm.
Price 67 kn (9.10 eur) Score 7.5/10

For dessert we shared Goat cheese creamcake in puff pastry with strawberry sauce. A very simple and original cake, with good cheese (probably of local origin?) and fresh strawberries, nicely presented. This was the best dish of the evening.
Price 20 kn (2.70 eur) Score 9/10

The overall impression was not too bad, but “Stare Užance” definitely needs to find a better cook. Or we took too difficult dishes (risotto for example) to test the place? In the first place the cook should know how to prepare the dishes in traditional way and only then some personal creativity can be added.

Overall 7.8/10

Konoba “Stare Užance”
Premantura 127A, HR-52213 Medulin
tel. +385 (0)52 575 163

Visualizza Konoba “Stare Užance” – Premantura in una mappa di dimensioni maggiori

My friend Maja confessed me something very intimate, something she was almost shy of. She looked at me, to be sure I won’t consider her nuts. Well, whenever she has luck to eat some really delicious food, she starts to hear someone singing. One voice, two, maybe more, depending on the excitement caused. No, it does not happen very often, maybe once or twice in a year. I am sure if she had been with me in Restaurant Most a month ago, a hidden place in the vicinity of Momjan, she would have heard a chorus of angels chanting softly on her ear.

Fireplace with barbecue gave us a sign we will eat good here

Already finding “Most” is a sort of mystic trip and adventure. On the road Buje – Kaštel turn right toward Kremenje. When you arrive in Kremenje, take the road to Oskoruš. Here is where fairy tale starts. The narrow local road starts to zigzag through the hills of olive trees and vineyards, you pass a small village with the white stone houses, an old bridge, old murberry trees and finally you are in front of “Most” (the bridge in Croatian). The place itself looks like a lonely house from a fairy tale. Discrete rumbling of water from the stream accompanies you as you enter inside.

Interior is cosy, in a classic rustic Istrian style, with stone walls, nice wooden chairs and tables. Not too fake and kitschy, but very elegant and stylish. There is a fireplace with a barbecue inside. They serve homemade bread and a good house white wine – Istrian Malvasia. It is advisable to reserve one or two days in advance since the places are limited.

We were not too hungry, so we took just the soup and a mixed plate of hot and cold starters. The tomato soup with homemade pasta was excellent. Then came a large plate of delicious charcuterie: istrian prosciutto, sausages, ossocollo, pork tenderloin (croatian: ombolo), everything air-dried and not smoked. A bottle of local extravirgin olive oil was at our disposal, so we poured some oil over the cheese aromatized with black truffles or salad with freshly picked radicchio and rucola, two dishes that came shortly after. That was not the end, soon the lady brought us two amazing omelettes, one made with wild asparagus and one with black truffles. Everything on our table smelled so good, the air was saturated with different mouthwatering aromas. The price per person, wine, water and coffee included, was around 100 kn (13.5 eur)

The starters we tried in “Most” were not expression of a very elaborate cuisine but of locally produced food. It is hard to describe the sensation we felt, but believe me, our nose and mouth told us that everything we ate was homemade or produced within 1-2 km. At the end we approached the owner and the main cook of “Most” to praise the dishes she served us. She responded very modestly: “We just serve what we serve at our home”.

I am looking forward to come again to “Most” and do a real review of this magical place. This was just a review trailer, so do not take it bad if the photos of the dishes are missing.

Restaurant Most
Kremenje
phone +385 (0)98 580166

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