The Best of Zagreb

Zagreb. It doesn't jump to most people's minds as a culinary destination. Just a stones through from Italy, Croatia boasts a very similar cuisine while still having an Eastern European cafe culture. But being underrated has its advantages those in the know. Truffles grow wild in Croatia and even the most humble cafes incorporate them liberally in the cuisine. An extensive Adriatic coast line produces readily available fresh seafood. The combined Mediterranean and Continental climate produces world class wines. And all for a fraction of the cost of Croatia's more well known neighbors. Here are a few of my favorites:

Gallo: Although there is a very conspicuous sign for the restaurant, as you find through passage ways and an enclosed courtyard, you begin to wonder if you are in fact in the right place. If you keep looking though, you'll find the inconspicuous front door and step instantly into an Italian farmhouse. Fresh pastas off various shapes and colors hang on drying racks. Fresh fish is iced and on display. The glass enclosed kitchen allows you to see everything come together. The staff is extremely hospitable, offering thoughtful recommendations from the menu and the winelist. At his suggestion, I order a glass of the Posip, a full bodied fruity white, and from the tray of fresh fish select a sea bream.

I start with a simple grapefruit and rocket salad. It's delicious in its simplicity. Perfectly fresh produce accented only with high quality Croatian olive oil. The roundness of the oil matches the bite of the grapefruit perfectly, while the rocket leaves incorporate crunch and a hint of bitterness. Next came a black pasta with truffle. Using squid ink to obtain that distinctive color, pasta is handmade on site. It was presented in a light butter sauce with fresh truffles grated table side to complete the dish. The results were lovely; the woodsy flavor of the mushroom worked well with the briny pasta, and the creamy butter tied it all together. The Posip was a lovely pairing; the roundness stood up to the sauce and added a bit of brightness with the fruit. I'm already in heaven when the sea bream arrived roasted with fresh herbs and olive oil and presented along a side of grilled vegetables. The fish was perfectly done, flaking easily off the bone. The olive oil helped to seal in the moisture of the meat and the simple preparation highlighted the freshness of the fish. My first meal in Zagreb set the bar high and kept me looking forward to the next!

Dubrovnik Put: Located on the street of the same name, Dubrovnik Put is tucked away from the bustle of Zagreb off an expansive park in the upper town area of the city. The hard wood construction combined with expansive glass windows and start white linens gives the dining area a modern flare. Because the menu had so many intriguing courses, I selected the chef's tasting to get a representative sample and asked the waiter to choose the appropriate wine pairings. Our meal began with a fish terrine. Generally a preparation reserved for meat, the combination of fish and prawns held together with aspic was a delight. I found it reminiscent of ceviche, without the acidic bite. Our next course was a fois gras terrine, served with a mini brioche and home made peach jam. A welcome adaptation of the standard pate and toast points, the buttery brioche and sweetness of the peach were the perfect accents to the creamy liver. A pumpkin cappuccino rounded out the appetizer courses. A velvety soup with just a hint of spice and sweetness, and topped with an amaretto foam to add a bit of nuttiness. In a lengthy tasting menu, I always find soup to be a welcome transition into the heavier dishes without overloading the palette, and this course was an excellent segue.

Time for the seafood! A black ravioli stuffed with roasted cauliflower and topped with a perfectly seared scallop arrives first. I love the pairing of squid ink with scallops; there's something about the way the intensity of ink plays off the buttery meat. Add in the creamy roasted cauliflower and it really elevates this dish. Next up is a filet of seabass with caramelized fennel served on a base of delicate foam. The skin of the fish is perfectly crisp, and topped with the soften fennel this dish plays off both the differences in texture and in flavors wonderfully. Because seabass is a more delicate fish, it requires a preparation that enhances the flavor without over powering it, and the fennel does an excellent job.

But its now time to amp up the flavor as we transition to the meat courses. First is ox tail braised in its own juices with potato dumplings and red cabbage with apple and cranberry. Drenched in juice, the meat is so tender it is falling off the bone. The cabbage adds sweetness and bite to the richness of the meat while the dumpling make the perfect foil for all that sauce. Another excellent pairing! As the meal began to wind down, we were presented with a lovely cheese selection complete with quince jam. I love hard nutty cheeses, and this plate did not disappoint. The real surprise however was the blue cheese; rather than being creamy, it had a bit of texture and firmness to it. Quite unlike any blue I've tasted, I have been looking for it since. Dessert arrives... a white chocolate terrine with fresh raspberries and a raspberry sorbet. Dessert in a tasting menu is always tricky; coming at the end of so many courses something rich and dense is often the last thing on your mind. But Dubrovnik Put solved that dilemma brilliantly by pairing a light mouse with fresh berries and a very intense sorbet to cleanse and refresh the palette. A few pralines with espresso round out the meal.

By any standards, the entire meal was excellent; the courses well matched and executed, and there service impeccable. Dubrovnik Put has managed to take traditional Croatian ingredients with a modern flair that kept me waiting for the next dish. And when I realize I've just spent about a third of what I would spend for the same meal in the US, I'm shocked and elated.