TOP 10 IN CROATIA

13 Jul , 2016 Travels

Kate Posener shares her Croatian restaurant finds

I have just returned from a family sailing holiday in Croatia and had been told not to expect much of the food! No expectations means no disappointments, and there were, indeed, absolutely no disappointments! Far from it. Our first night was spent in Trogir on the delightful outside terrace at Alka. Steak tartare, prepared in front of us, was one of the best I have ever tasted. The restaurant next door, Don Dino (number one on Trip Advisor) looked equally good. Our second and third nights were spent feasting on fresh white fish – firstly on the island of Kaprije (dolphins came into the bay as we slept – sadly we didn’t see them), and then at the magical Konoba Vidrovaca near Skradin (www.vidrovaca.com). The delicious Dalmacian fish stew at Konoba Kotin near Hvar consisted of white fish in a sweet tomato and onion sauce and tasted more of Provence than Croatia! Lunch at uber-cool and stylish beach restaurant Laganini on Ciovo island (near Hvar) was one of the best meals of the holiday. Most of us opted for the spicy tuna salad and the desserts – chocolate lava cake and fresh home made Canoli – were devoured in minutes! Lunch at the family-run Konoba Krknjasi (near Trogir) was fresh fish and home grown salads and vegetables eaten in the very garden from which they had been plucked earlier that day. This impressive meal turned out to be the most expensive. Back on land, in Split we had booked Dvor (by the sea) but ended up at the stylish new brasserie in the town called Bokeria, where the truffle pasta and burgers with truffle mayonnaise were mouthwatering. In Dubrovnik we missed a trick at 360 (husband scared of heights!) but opted instead for a table in the street at one of Dubrovnik’s oldest restaurants, Proto (fish restaurant) where the mushroom and truffle tagliatelle served on starched white tablecloths with water served in vibrant coloured Murano glasses was THE best pasta dish I have ever encountered! A few days in Montenegro brought more culinary delights including the three-fish carpaccio with citrus dressing at our hotel restaurant (Hotel Forza Mare). They also prepared a very good gazpacho for my husband that was not even on the menu as he happened to mention that that was what he fancied! Our final meal was lunch in the harbour at Cavtat (five minutes from Dubrovnik airport) at Bugenvila and was the prettiest salad nicoise I have ever seen (see photo) although the tuna element was miniscule! Maybe this was a hint to me to start my diet as I was flying back 2kg heavier! In general all our meals were incredible value – the same food would have cost at least twice as much in France, Spain or Italy. Mention must also be made of the very decent Croatian wines (especially the whites) and these were also very good value – sometimes only two or three pounds a glass! The ice cream is nearly as good as the ice cream in Italy. It was all so good that we are already planning to go back next year!