by Cedric | Jun 3, 2019 | Food and Drink, General
Having been ‘studying’ here in the Jewellery Quarter for almost a full academic year, I thought I’d seen every eatery available. However, this was not the case. As recently as three weeks ago, I found myself with some free time. I spent it in the best way I could imagine, going out for lunch.
Having scoured the area, I happened upon Soda Bread Cafe. St Nick, who is used to dining at fine, lavish establishments in Bosnia and other former communist countries, initially turned his nose up at this humble eatery. Thankfully my powers of persuasion were enough to overwhelm any counter-argument. We stepped in. the first thing I noticed was the amount of light streaming in from the huge arched windows. The second thing which I noticed was the warmth of the welcome we received. Elizabeth, the half German and half Irish owner is a vision of loveliness. I have seldom received such good customer service since my trip to Dubrovnik.
I felt like a jacket potato on the day, a rare occurrence. Soda Bread make a roast every day, this time it was roast beef. The beef was soft and beautifully cooked. The gravy was made fresh and paired wonderfully with the homemade stuffing. This was a winning potato. I also sampled their delicious pork pies, which I recommend heartily. Watch out with the mustard that Elizabeth will offer you, I felt it far too deeply in my nostrils, and I have an impressive conk, as St Nick keeps reminding me.
We have our own local milkman, local butcher, local wine merchant and a local baker, so all our food is fresh and locally sourced. Soda Bread Cafe
In addition to making all food to order using fresh ingredients, Soda Bread Cafe is home to many locally sourced wines, beers and ciders. I sampled one of these, the Dunkerton’s Organic cider. Interestingly, Dunkertons was founded by Ivor and Susie, the parents of Julian Dunkerton, who went on to co-found fashion brand Superdry.
…we use Breakwells Seedling apples for their fresh and aromatic flavour, the Knotted Kernel because of its sweetness, the Court Royal because of its delicate fragrance, and, Yarlington Mill for its full-bodied juice. Dunkertons
I must say, Soda Bread Cafe is an impressive eatery. The modest shop front conceals a cafe of fine quality with excellent customer service and delicious food. I was delighted on my first visit and shall doubtless go again for my lunch.
by Cedric | May 28, 2019 | Food and Drink, General
I think it would be criminal to omit a review of Glam Cafe. If we lived in Dubrovnik, this would be our local haunt. We went here several times daily while in Dubrovnik. Simply put, it was tucked away, locally run and excellent quality food.
I went for the bruschetta for breakfast. I needed something rejuvenating after a long night of drinking grappa. I jest, of course I don’t drink that much grappa, I weigh 3kg and a little drop makes me fall off of my chair. What can I say about this marvellous bruschetta? The tomatoes were superbly fresh, the capers paired beautifully. The quality of the olive oil and the crispness of the bread just send me somewhere. I highly recommend this for breakfast.
Being a heretical sinner, Louise decided to devour defenceless animal flesh on a Lenten Friday. I jest I joke, the Glam Toast, which I was able to sample the following morning, was an exercise in beautiful panini making. Every ingredient at Glam is fresh and it comes through in the food. This panini was light and yet filling. A perfect treat for breakfast, which gave me the energy necessary to scale the battlements of this wonderful ancient city.
Now, the coffee. Oh boy the coffee. Totally excellent coffee. The portions, flavour and dreamy cream all added up to make a truly sensational beverage. A picture tells a thousand words, look below and feast your eyes on St Nick and I having a great time drinking Glam Cafe coffee.
Pure joy. Glam Cafe is the place to go for an economic excellent snack and coffee. they also have an astonishing selection of micro brewed beer if you like that sort of thing. In addition, it is right in the middle of Dubrovnik and yet feels isolated. This has all the ingredients of a terrific hidden gem and I am honoured to be able to recommend it to you.
by Cedric | May 25, 2019 | Food and Drink, General
At last, Kopun. The restaurant I feel I’ve been waiting for my entire life. What a sensational amalgam of refined dining, beautiful location and exquisite waiting. I’ll admit it has taken me a long time to muster the courage to write this review. But needs must, and one is bound to press on in this life.
Boskovic Square or “Field” as it is popularly known amongst the locals is but a few minutes walk from the main street Stradun. Waiting for you on this, one of the most magical squares in Dubrovnik are 90 seating places, shaded during the warm days of summer, protected from light and medium percipitation, with heating for colder days or evenings, all this with a beatuifull view of Dubrovnik’s classical gymansium building and the Jezuit Church of St. Ignatius. Kopun
Again, this was on a Lenten Friday so I was not able to sample any of the meat, but Anna (the boss) and the staff were very accommodating to me, making some of my dishes specially to cater to my badly timed sacrifice. One such dish was my starter.
My ratatouille was made specially and completely blew me away. Growing up in France, I have an immoveable idea of how ratatouille should taste and this conformed to it precisely. I was taken aback by how accurate it was to my ideal ratatouille. The peppers were finely sliced and soft. The aubergines and onions were fried and stewed to a remarkable standard and don’t get me started on the quality of the tomato jus. A stunning dish.
Louise went for the prawn salad. As those of you close enough to me when I see fish will know, it’s not my thing. However I did brave the shock and tried some prawns. To my surprise they were quite amazing. beautiful consistency and bursting with flavour. Wonderfully balanced salad.
St Nick, as is his wont, opted for the cheese and ham board. all locally sourced produce. Wonderfully fresh and a fine combination. I’m not sure why the focus of this photo isn’t on the cheese. Maybe St Nick’s hands were shaking in anticipation.
We nurture the old school of hearty and healthy meals made with quality, fresh ingredients. We prepare our food like a music composer creates music – each ingredient (instrument) has a role to play, and each is distinguishable in the end melody, and yet ,they all make up one whole. Great portion of the food in the country is still being produced organically and without genetically modified crops which make it possible to get some of the tastiest ingredients and use them in our dishes.
Kopun is famed for the the dish that Louise and Nick ordered. I wish I could have done so as well but alas Lent prevented me. A small sacrifice when contextualised, and one which I made gladly. Capon is a cockerel (rooster) which has been castrated to improve the quality of its flesh for food. The cockerel is usually red on a rich diet of milk or porridge. Interestingly, the process of cockerel castration is called ‘caponization’. Not to be confused with canonisation. Kopun use a 16th century recipe and it shows. This capon was marinated in figs and apricots and accompanied by a barley risotto. From what they tell me, this dish is worthy of being the restaurant’s namesake. I will be coming back to Dubrovnik to try it.
My own dish was the truffle risotto. Perfectly cooked (which is difficult with risotto), and so wonderfully tasty. Waves of flavour washed over me and I was transported to my youth then back again. Beautifully balanced light dish which left me with plenty of room for dessert, which is precisely what I’m about to tell you about.
Now, what you can’t see in this picture is Nick’s fast travelling knife. I caught this photograph just before St Nick revealed the oozing chocolate delights hidden behind the turgid sweet exterior of this dessert. This dish is beautiful, there’s no doubt about that. Possibly the best dessert of the night. Soft and sweet, delightful texture and homemade ice cream. What more can one ask for?
This blurry dessert was the almond semifreddo. a sort of cold almond nougat-esque concoction which blew me away. Seldom has a flavour been so deep. Almost overwhelming almond flavour actually. I was taken aback and so too shall you be. Louise opted for the cheesecake which tasted phenomenal. very fine fondant light flavours meshing together. Local recipe beautifully executed.
Overall I would say Kopun isn’t only a restaurant, it is a restorative experience the likes of which I’ve rarely seen. The kindness and efficiency of the wait staff was not lost on me. the quality of the food is unquestionable. The location is stunning and quite unique in a bustling city. But above all Anna, the owner, was flawless in her hosting. She made me feel as though I was the only diner in Dubrovnik and that takes some doing. I so look forward to seeing her and being able to dine in this fine establishment on my next trip to Croatia. Please try Kopun, you will not regret it.
by Nicholas Jenkins | May 22, 2019 | Food and Drink
And so it was time for us, on the eighth day of our holiday, to descend upon the town of Trebinje in search of decent grub and (in Cedric’s case) a respite from all the driving. As we made our way down the long and winding path to our destination it was fair to say there was a healthy amount of scepticism regarding the spot for lunch selected that day. The road was not exactly uncluttered with detritus and it was rather narrow in places. But when we eventually arrived at Motel Studenac all doubts were immediately caste aside as the magnificence of the place dawned on us.
Motel Studenac is a restaurant, spa and hotel situated by the cooling banks of the river Trebišnjica. The photos will tell the story better than any words I might be able to marshal into place, but, nevertheless, I should say this was a truly picturesque setting. Complete with a farm for fresh fish within the beer garden. One does not always appreciate the chance to ogle at a dish alive and swimming before eating it, but this time I did, realising just how fresh the fish would be.
Before we go onto to discuss the food, I think a short aside regarding the geographical location is warranted. Trebinje is a small town in the Republika Srpska, the autonomous region of Bosnia and Hercegovina controlled by the Serbs. Bosnia is one of Europe’s poorest countries, with the world’s highest youth unemployment rate, burdened with memories of the violent ethnic conflict of the 1990s, and struggling with the societal illnesses of widespread corruption and nepotism. Yet it is also a country with tremendous natural beauty (mountains, rivers, forests and waterfalls), and a people who are charming in their own mad and wonderful way. It is well worth visiting, but not for the driving!
Now back to the restaurant. To start with, I ordered the veal broth (called a čorba in Serbian). This was exquisite and I was provided with a healthy amount of it, with the option of topping it up. Louise opted for the fish soup which was also tasty. I cannot for the life of me, remember now what Cedric ordered. Perhaps he will forgive me. The table was provided with a large supply of fresh bread, which I always think is the mark of a fine establishment.
For my main course, I went for the trout. It was superb, and although I was unable to remove Schubert’s “die Forelle” from my head or perhaps in part because, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Cedric opted for the smocked neck with soft cheese instead. His excuse was that he did not like fish! I must say I was shocked to find that the man who had driven me with astonishing levels of care and skill across three countries (through some of the most shocking conditions for driving known in Europe, I might add), had, despite all his manifold talents and virtues, the mind of a fussy four year-old. But then again it was his loss. He was fortunate that the smoked neck was also excellent.
I’m afraid I’m not going to discuss the food anymore. This is partly because my meagre descriptive abilities will always fail to capture accurately the pre-eminent qualities of the food, but mostly because I have forgotten what else we ordered. I’m pretty sure we all had three courses. That will put into context the next fact, the meal cost us 90,80 Bosnian Convertible Marks. In other words, just under 40 squid. I’ll give you a few moments to recover from that extraordinary piece of information.
At the start of the holiday, our friend, and intellect, Louise, quoted from Keats, saying ‘Oh for a life of Sensations rather than thoughts’. I cannot say that this sentiment sits terribly well with me, having been brought up since early childhood to praise above all the intellectual life and mistrust all sensual indulgences. Still it must be said that the sensations enjoyed at Studenac were superb, and my thoughts were few in number, as I relaxed on that sunny spring afternoon beside that cooling river.
by Cedric | May 19, 2019 | Food and Drink, General
Let’s talk about Azur. We were in Dubrovnik one Friday lunchtime and were driven inside by torrential rain. We hoped and prayed that once we were out from lunch, the sun would emerge. Thus, we descended into the depths of Azur, which was recommended to us by a startling young artist we’d met among a throng of stray cats.
First Azur was opened in 2010 in Zhuhai, China by Chef Vedran Perojevic. Two years later, Vedran decided to come back to his hometown and brings flavors of Asia into Dubrovnik, and the whole concept of “Mediterranean cuisine with an Asian twist” was born. Azur Vision
Louise opened with pork belly as well as chicken and chorizo tacos. Sadly, this was a Lenten Friday and in order to make up for an array of other sins, I tried to be a good Catholic. No meat for me, alas. But I can tell by the look on Louise’s face and the slow deliberate way in which she chomped on this masterful dish, that it was to die for. She didn’t die, in case you were wondering.
St Nick went for the salmon. Now as I don’t care for fish, I couldn’t tell you how it tasted. But I did try the vegetables which were a revalation. It was as though they were cooked just for me, and that is what I aim for in my cooking. St Nick kept muttering his signature phrase “superb” under his breath, so I could see he was enjoying the salmon.
Suberb
St Nicholas Jenkins
Now here comes my dish. The famed amaranth and zucchini balls in coconut curry sauce. There is a notice on the menus asking you not to add anything to the dishes because the chef aims to make them as balanced as possible. They succeeded flawlessly with the zucchini balls. Observe how finely the chilli is shredded. The consistency of the zucchini balls themselves was soft as anything. I felt as though I was biting into a dream, the concluding euphoria of which was found when dipping it in some of the coconut sauce. What a treat indeed! I cannot recommend this enough.
Dessert was another achievement. Azur’s Baklava is something to watch out for. Wonderfully moist and seeping cinnamon. The layers of chopped nuts were held together by the most sensational syrup. A dish not to be missed.
Conversely, a dish which would be missed is the coconut tapioca. There wasn’t much flavour there and the consistency was a tad sickly for me. I would say in its defence that I had not had one before and am unlikely to ever have it again. So it might well have been divine for tapioca lovers, but not for me.
Overall, Azur is a restaurant of undeniable and overwhelming quality. The prowess of the chefs and the attentiveness of the waiters go a long way. They made a strong impression on this blogger. It is rare to be treated this well in a restaurant. If you’re in Dubrovnik and find yourself craving something a little more high brow, Azur is the place for you.
by Cedric | May 10, 2019 | Food and Drink, General
Hidden in a side street off the main road through Old Dubrovnik, far from the maddening crowds is situated Toni. Toni’s story is quite noble. A lovely young waiter called Luka, from Medjugorje, told us that Toni, too, once served tables. He worked his way up the ranks over the years until he became the owner of this fine establishment. Now, onto the dishes.
GARGANELLI WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND TRUFFLE SAUCE
(Various wild mushrooms in a cream sauce)
Now, this dish did not photograph as well as it tasted. My hands must have been shaking rather. What a delightful combination of flavours. Perfectly cooked pasta, as we had come to expect. Really excellent dish overall.
CHICKEN FILLET WITH DUKKAH AND PAPPARDELLE
(Marinated fillet of chicken stuffed with Cheddar cheese, pistachio pesto, cream, Ricotta cheese, and dukkah)
Louise’s dishes was a real show stopper. Pistacchio pesto, dukkah sauce and ricotta. We were bowled over. Tenderest chicken mixed with such accompaniments and pasta on top. There’s nothing quite like this dish I think. Absolutely worth trying.
GREEN PAPPARDELLE WITH MARINATED STEAK SLICES
(Gorgonzola and cream sauce with garlic)
Being a Thursday in Lent, I knew I would have to forgo meat the next day. Hence I stocked up on meat at this dinner. The beef strip pasta was as copious as it was delicious. The gorgonzola and garlic worked magically. I was seriously impressed by this dish. Really excellent.
We shared a Tiramisu for dessert. We were so full from lunch in Bosnia that we could only stomach one. This was not sugary enough for me. The flavours were subtle and well balanced but there was something missing. A small hitch in an otherwise flawless restaurant.
The Plavac wine we feasted on was light and flavoursome. It was almost too easy to drink.
Overall I was really impressed by this restaurant. Tucked away, excellent waiters, great food. And in the end it was not too expensive. I cannot but recommend Spagheterria Toni.
