Croatia – A heavenly foodie find

Jacklyn Swiecicki is impressed with Foodie Croatia

I have just returned home from Croatia: tanned and with a belly contently testing my belt buckle. Despite trying my hardest to compete with body-beautiful Europeans, my strict summer diet soon gave way to the local delicacies and colourful produce that is proudly displayed throughout Croatia’s picturesque cities and islands.

Fruit and vegetable markets offer the sweetest tomatoes I have ever tasted, whilst elderly local women sell lush green figs that are internally bursting with a rich red flesh. Distracting you away from the fruit and veg. stalls, the pure scent of the Adriatic Sea lures you into the many fish markets; white fish; scampi; mussels; salmon and octopus all tease you with their presence by guaranteeing to effortlessly create the most tantalising seafood feast. However, if finding your own kitchen whilst travelling is not an option, rest assured that there are many Croatian restaurants that deservingly praise their local seafood catches.

After sampling many regional restaurants, I can easily conclude that my greatest find was the Restaurant Zadar-Jadera, located in the city centre on the mainland of Zadar. This diverse restaurant was recommended to me by a local vendor whose mother swears by it. Whilst this restaurant offers a diverse menu of pastas, meat dishes and salads, it is the seafood that simply cannot be missed!

Green tagliatelle is immaculately served with a mixture of fresh mussels, fish and octopus (approx £6). A black cuttlefish risotto is a gothic sensory eye-opener , whilst a simple seafood feast for two featuring charred squid, mussels, scampi, white frog fish, shellfish, and a large whole grilled fish to boot, will only set you back a mere €30 (approx £25)!! Not only is the food at Restaurant Zadar-Jadera indescribable, the staff are also impeccably polite and charming, and prices are ridiculously low considering how much a seafood meal would set you back in the UK.

Despite the fact that I am only mentioning just one fabulous Croatian restaurant, there are so many islands and mainland cities to visit that it is up to you to uncover what is on offer. Some cities like Pula for example have a distinctly Italian culinary influence, creating some of the tastiest pizzas to rival nearby Italy, whilst remote islands like Silba specialise in softly sweet traditional pastries.

I know that many of us can’t just pop off to Croatia for a quick meal any night of the week, but Croatia is really a stones’ throw away from the UK and the mouth-watering food, crystal beaches and never-ending sunshine all stir up an intoxicating experience that I felt compelled to share.

Jacklyn Swiecicki

Restaurant Zadar-Jadera

BRNE KRNARUTICA 4

ZADAR, 23000 HRVATSKA

+385 (0)23-251859