28th October 2016: When someone says Croatia to you, what do you think? While many would recite the glorious architecture and temperate climate, I wonder how many would be quick to talk about Croatian food. After my latest trip I can assure you, I can’t recommend Croatian cuisine enough!
Dining in Croatia is second to none. Many hotels not only offer sensational food, they can also give you incredible sea views to accompany your dining experience breakfast, noon or night.
I recently dined at three hotels surrounding Dubrovnik and here is just a taste of what Croatian food has to offer.
Excelsior Hotel
Perfectly located on the country’s south coast, breakfast choice within the luxurious Excelsior Hotel is vast. Not only is there a wide range of delicious temptations to choose from, its glorious buffet, bacon, pancakes and eggs are made to order leaving you with nothing to do but sit back, relax and sip from your flute of champagne. Accompanying your breakfast, stunning views overlooking the picturesque Adriatic Sea; making for a truly wonderful way to spend your morning.
Dubrovnik Palace
If breakfast is too early, Dubrovnik Palace on the country’s west coast has a range of restaurants to satisfy your appetite from lunch to dinner. Here, I would highly recommend dining at the hotel’s Elafity restaurant. Wining and dining is their specialty, emphasis on the wining!
My evening meal was a simply stunning asparagus and pear risotto to start and, to accompany, a delightful bottle of locally produced Croatian white wine.
Following this, we were presented with a juicy fillet steak, which could rival some of the best steaks I’ve had at home, and finally, dessert; a decadent yet light and creamy cake: simple, yet oh-so satisfying.
Dubrovnik Hilton Hotel
Where do I start?
The low lighting of the restaurant created a warm and welcoming ambiance creating the perfect atmosphere to enjoy my starting dish; freshly thinned tomato slices with a dash of pesto, topped perfectly with mozzarella. A show stopping tenderloin steak followed, accompanied by buttered broccoli and oven roasted potatoes. The addition of a home-grown Croatian red made the dish oh-so-much sweeter. Catching a glimpse of the sun gently setting behind the horizon is just sensational.
Sampling some of the fantastic wine (and cuisine) Croatia has to offer I’m determined to source many bottles upon my return.
Our guide said (in a tongue-in-cheek way) I’d be lucky to find Croatian wine back home as the Croatians drink their wine quicker than they make it, so there’s not much left to export!
