Croatia & Slovenia
Best and worst restaurants:
Best: Taj Mahal
Why: We loved Taj Mahal and ended up eating there twice during our stay. The food was really good and the atmosphere was somehow cozy - even though it was outdoor seating.
Melissa in Dallas, TX USA 10/29/2009
Best: Bovec's Martinov Hram
Why: Rumpsteak with gorgonzola sauce. Also the crepes with chocolate sauce best of many on our trip.
Worst: Ljubljana's Sokol
Why: Bread bowl good; but game platter not so good
Richard Lee in Ottawa, ON Canada 10/23/2009
Best: Restoram hindun Han in mostar
Why: The portions were large, great value and the meat was grilled over wood( as most meat is in these countries) & very tasty.
Amy Adler in Baltimore, Md USA 10/22/2009
Best: Konoba Kamenice - Dubrovnik
Why: Fresh seafood; great service; convenient location
Barbara Lagrou in Tacoma, WA USA 10/21/2009
Best: Nishta
Why: excellent food and a great change from pasta and pizza. Reservations a good idea. Closed on Sunday.
Worst: Konaba Penatur
Why: Tired of pizza and pasta, we tried this recommendation. Food was ok but bland and not worth $100 for 2 adults and a 9 year old.
Pat Vinkenes in Arlington, VA USA 09/13/2009
Best: Krcma Ulika in Rovinj and Miod Melina in Krakow
Why: Krcma Ulika had exceptional food and service. We did find it to be very expensive though - dinner, a bottle of wine and dessert cost almost $200 CAD.
Miod Melina in Krakow was fantastic as you mention in the guidebook. We also ate at their "partner" restaurants and liked them even more. They are affiliated with an Italian restaurant that is tucked away in a private garden courtyard that had the most amazing food.
Julie in Vancouver, BC Canada 09/07/2009
Worst: Wanda restaurant in Dubrovnik
Why: Please be careful and read your check here (or skip this place altogether.) The waiter tried to short-change us by 100 kuna. We paid our 270 kuna check (for mediocre pasta, at best) with two 200 kuna bills. The waiter brought back 30 kuna. I went inside to ask about the nissing money, but before I could finish asking about it, the waiter gave me the missing 100 kuna. You had to be there, but it was clear from his response and deneanor that he knew he had been caught. Be careful!
Lawrence Lincoln in Seattle, WA USA 08/29/2009
Best: Paininoteka and Harambasa, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Why: Sandwiches at Paininoteka were wonderful. We've had a lot of ham and cheese sandwiches in Eastern Europe, but these were some of the best - and inexpensive too! I wasn't expecting much from Harambasa (since I'm not big on meat and that's pretty much all they serve), but it was wonderful! Simple, rustic food in a warm little restaurant (we were expecting more of a dive and were very happily surprised). Service was great and we were surrounded by locals. Fabulous!
Worst: The restaurant with the "Tourist" menu that we saw in Piran
Why: One of Rick's recs was not open, and we were starving, so my husband dragged me over to this restaurant to look at the menu. I balked when I saw "Tourist Menu" written in English and insisted that we move on to find something else. Thank goodness Rick's other local place was open. We had a nice meal and watched the daily fresh fish order come in through the front door as we were dining! Thank goodness we held out for better dining options OFF the water.
TCL in Union County, NJ USA 07/15/2009
Best: Hotel Berc - Lake Bled
Why: Rooms were very nice - new or recently redone. Family-run, they were very welcoming and full of helpful (and good) tips. Nice breakfast
Worst: Villa Ernesta - Rovinj
Why: Ernesta was pretty surly - we had to argue to get towels and toilet paper. She didn't speak any English and instead of being at all creative to overcome the language barrier, she seemed to use that as an excuse to not meet our requests. The room also seemed like it hadn't been used in a while and therefore hadn't been cleaned recently - there were a number of dead bugs and dust.
Ameeta in Arlington, Va USA 06/14/2009
Best: Sidro (Rovinj)
Why: Located on the waterfront with all the touristy pizzerias and ice cream fronts, we were pleasantly surprised to find this authentic Croatian dining experience (apparently the oldest restaurant in town, been in the family for 40 years). Very reasonably priced and some great traditional dishes on the menu (brodet, Cevapcici with kajmak, and some sort of fantastic spicy pork dish that he let me combine half and half with a refried bean-type dish). The owner was very friendly and welcoming and their house red wine (Merlot) was the best I've ever had. I rarely dine at the same place twice while traveling but with it being the shoulder season and choices were limited, we couldn't help but go back to this favorite on our last night in town :)
Worst: La Riva (Rovinj)
Why: We never actually ate here but we stopped to get some ice cream out front one afternoon and were so offended that I wanted to throw it in their face and run away. After the typical restaurant pushing on the sidewalk, several men gathered around us to watch us order and one of the servers said that we should return later to "lick him". Obviously this was in broken English but the intent was obvious in any language.
Jakara in Baltimore, MD USA 11/13/2008
Best: Dubrovniks Nook
Why: Cozy surroundings, hearty Dalamation cusine, excellent seafood, and friendly staff.
D Caron in Calgary, AB Canada 10/15/2008
Worst: Sperun in Split
Why: We were greeted by the affable owner as promised. We were a party of 10. No less than six of the entrees ordered were unavailable. In the ensuing confusion we only received 9 entrees for 10 people. The lamb was inedible, and even the fish was over cooked with heavy overpowering sauces. All 10 of us were very disappointed
Barry Teasley in Goldsboro, NC USA 10/09/2008
Best: The Millennium sladoled (ice cream) store in Zagreb, Croatia
Why: It was a sweet feast for your eyes and taste buds and worth looking up!
Amy Kileen in Bakersfield, CA USA 08/20/2008
Best: Konoba Kamenice or Lokanda Peskarija in Dubrovnik
Why: Really good seafood at very reasonable prices
Worst: Spaghetteria Toni and Pizzeria Mea Culpa in Dubrovnik
Why: Not bad - just average. The pasta at Toni was hit or miss. Pizzeria Olivo was much better than Mea Culpa.
Evan in Seattle , WA USA 07/10/2008
Best: Ostarija Peglez'n
Why: The food was fantastic! A quaint restaurant with delicious pasta and seafood.
Lisa Valle in Sycamore, IL USA 07/03/2008
Best: Cold Drinks in Dubrovnik
Why: The little watering hole perched on the cliffside was outstanding. As soon as you walked through the door through the city wall, you have paradise.
Paul in Seattle, WA USA 06/24/2008
Best: 1a. Kanoba Menego, Hvar, 1b. Krcma Ulika, Rovinj
Why: 1a. The restaurant in Hvar seemed very authentic and friendly The food was great. 1b. Beautifully prepared and presented food, and excellent service.
Worst: Any of the touristy restaurants
Why: They all seem to serve the same food, with slow service. At the Ragusa 2 in Dubrovnik my fish was way overdone, and the side dishes cold as ice. The service was abominable. They took away the bread and asked if we were through before we had our main course. We had to ask for our check 3 times over a 30 minute period after eating.
Russell Dohrmann in Boulder, CO USA 06/20/2008
Best: konoba catovica mlini and kapetanova kuca
Why: Both are in beautiful settings with excellent service and very good food.
Jeanne Barsanti in Watkinsville, GA USA 06/09/2008
Best: Konoba Catovica Mlini, Bay of Kotor
Why: The setting of this restaurant was incredible. The food and service were excellent. In our one day trip to the Baby of Kotor, we went there twice, first time on the way to Kotor for lunch, and for desert on the way back. The food was delicious and service excellent. Definitely worth a detour.
Worst: Krema Ulika, Rovinj
Why: Going to this restaurant was one of the worst experiences we had on our numerous trips to Europe. A good review in Rick's book lead us to this place, we made a special effort to go there. The owner Inja Tucman was extremely condescending border line insulting in her remarks. She made this very unpleasant smirk when we told her that her restaurant came very recommended in Rick Steves book (i was shocked as usually it is the very opposite reaction we get). When we were ordering, she made a very nasty remark about her restaurant being 'high end dining' and not pizza. The food was below average (the trout was the worst i tried in Croatia) and extremely expensive, we ended up spending over $80 and came home hungry. Trout alone was about 130 Kuna - RIDICULOUS! Please take her out of this book, she doesn't deserve to be there.
Anna in Seattle, WA USA 06/02/2008
Best: Restaurant at Penzion Mayer in Bled, Pizzeria Rustica
Why: Ate at Penzion Mayer 2 nights. Food was very good, as was the service. Pizzeria Rustica had great pizzas and salads. Small, rustic, laid back restaurant in old town beneath castle. Good prices.
Conny Mincks in Williamsburg, Va USA 05/28/2008
Best: Gradska Kavana Cafe - Split
Why: It is right on People's Square and the people watching was unbeatable for a Sunday morning. The cheese strudel was yummy.
Julia in San Francisco, CA USA 04/28/2008
Best: Gradska Kavana Cafe - Split
Why: It is right on People's Square and the people watching was unbeatable for a Sunday morning. The cheese strudel was yummy.
Julia in San Francisco, CA USA 04/28/2008
Best: Konoba Catovica Mlini in Morinj Montenegro
Why: The natural beauty of the grounds of this restaurant make it memorable. We had more than a meal here....it was a one-of-a-kind experience!
Beverly Clauser in Ramona, CA USA 01/31/2008
Worst: Fast Food Gavun, Dubrovnik
Why: The guidebook recommended the appetizer platter; however, the sandwich bar now has surly staff who mutter "only sandwich" (which is confirmed by the menu) and seem to regard customers as an irritating inconvenience.
Chris Miller in Chevy Chase, Md USA 11/17/2007
Best: Catovica Milni in Morinj, Montenegro
Why: It was everything you said. Very picturesque and food was delicious (wine, too!)! A wonderful place for a two hour meal.
Shannon Hamilton in North Little Rock, AR USA 11/05/2007
Best: Tople restaurant, Tribunj
Why: One wall covered with award winning certificates. Croatians make a special trip just to eat here. Dine here for something special.
John Benedict in South Lake Tahoe , CA USA 10/02/2007
Best: Mea Culpa, Dubrovnik
Why: Great pizza(able to split one between two people) and good salad for very reasonable price.
Veda Faler in Bainbridge Island, WA USA 09/16/2007
Best: Harambasa
Why: For those not headed to Bosnia, this is a great introduction to Balkan grilled meats. Cheap, tasty and even a bit moving -- look for the bits of Sarajevan history on the walls.
Dave in Philadelphia, PA USA 09/04/2007
Worst: Krema Ulika Restaurant in Rovinj Croatia
Why: This restaurant is "notable" only for its disappointment value. As a "classy hole in the wall" it has a lot of potential. Other than the aloof, presumptious attitue of the owner Inja Tucman, the greatest disappointment was the quality of food served. We ordered their sea bass. It was terrible! The fish itself was cut thinner than the breading in which it was prepared. Then it was overcooked. When I mentioned this to the owner, she acted as if I didn't quite understand "gormet" Mediterranean food. Given our experience, the 12kn cover charge simply added insult to injury.
Mike Michaelis in San Jose, CA USA 08/27/2007
Best: Nishta in Dubrovnik. You must must must go here!!
Why: This one is not in the book, but you have to check it out. It is owned by the same people who run the Smoothie Bar. It is vegetarian, but don't let that put you off. It was the most creative and delicious meal I had in Croatia. Trust me, you will get so tired of eating the same thing over and over. This place is like a breath of fresh air. Also, they had wonderful mixed drinks. There is nothing like a good mojito on a hot day!
Worst: sokol in Ljubljana
Why: This is like Slovinian disneyland. Very Hokie, from the attire of the waiters to the decor. If you want to feel like a tourist, go here. The food was expensive and not very good.
cathy harrell in alexandria, VA USA 07/08/2007
Best: Ljubljana - various
Why: Ljubljana - Fell in love with this city. Just wish we had more time to sample all of the restaurants and flavors of gelato. Our favorite cafe was the Abecaderium with it's fountain and live music. Highly recommend Gostilna AS, too. Farmer's market is a must!
Gayle Wheeler in Champaign , IL USA 07/08/2007
Best: Indian/Local Place (Bled)
Why: Sadly, I've already forgotten the name, but it was the first recommendation for Bled and offers a great mix of Indian and local fare. Absolutely wonderful with great service and fantastic vegetarian options.
Worst: Park Cafe (Bled)
Why: We visited the lake front cafe of Hotel Park for the famous cream cake (kremna rezina). The service was terrible and when the we finallywere served, they were out of cream cake by mid afternoon. We headed to the coffee and sweets shop at Hotel Lovec which had a great selection of treats, including cream cake.
Andrea in Atlanta, GA USA 06/18/2007
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