We are now back from our holiday in Croatia - it was wonderful, we can't recommend it highly enough as a place to visit - and so we bring you the second instalment of our holiday food blog. We ate out four times in all during our stay, all of them in the Old Town in Split, at three different restaurants. We decided on our last night to return to our favourite restaurant, which happened to be the first place we ate at during our holiday.
A quick word on eating out in Croatia generally as a vegetarian or vegan; vegetarians are generally quite well catered for. Whilst you will come across the odd place that doesn't offer a single veggie option, the vast majority of places have at least one non-meat or fish dish on offer. Croatia has historically had a large Italian influence (parts of it were under Italian rule less than 100 years ago) and so pizzerias are common and invariably they offer a vegetarian option. Those restaurants with a broad Italian influence will usually also offer a pasta or risotto that is suitable for vegetarians. Traditional Dalmatian cooking is heavily meat and fish-based and so the old-school Konobas (the Croatian word for a restaurant or tavern) tend to be the only places where veggies struggle, however the more modern Konobas are more bistro-like and offer twists on classic Dalmatian and Mediterranean cuisine and will have at least one option for vegetarians.
Vegans, though, fare less well. Croatia has a proud cheese-making industry and they love the stuff and this means that many restaurants lean heavily towards loading their vegetarian option(s) with cheese. There are possibilities for vegans, as you will see below, but in addition to the places we ate at,
Konoba Matoni a few minutes walk from Old Town in Split has vegan options and there is always the option of requesting a cheese-free pizza from a pizzeria or Italian-style restaurant. Mr Vegan Man did exactly that when we visited Zadar, further up the Dalmatian coast, last year. You may also stumble across a vegan option here and there at the more modern Croatian restaurants but you may have to look hard. Thankfully, Croatian restaurants clearly display their menus outside so it is easy to browse before going in.
So, this links nicely to the first (and last) restaurant we visited in Split:
Galerija Food in the lovely Northern alleys of the Old Town. Galerija is especially notable because it offers no fewer than three vegan options as well as a small but well-thought-out menu of meat and fish dishes. We sat out in a beautiful courtyard on both of our visits and were greeted by a maitre d', which was unique in our experience and a nice touch. Galerija also have a lovely looking bar/café adjacent to the al fresco dining area.
The food is modern and takes in international influences, whilst offering local produce and local wines. They also offer things like bio hempseed pasta and gluten-free cakes, a bit different from some of the other fare on offer in the Old Town. On our first night at Galerija we opted to share a mezze starter with a rocket pesto and hummus dip and some flat breads, followed by beef cheek with celeriac mash for WOTVM and a green pearl barley risotto with smoked tofu for Mr Vegan Man. Alongside this we opted for a white wine made from a Croatian grape variety, Posip, which was recommended to us by the waiter.
The wine arrived promptly and had a nice, crisp flavour. This was quickly followed by the starter, which was very tasty. The rocket pesto was fresh and peppery and the hummus, whilst not tasting like a traditional hummus, had a lovely smooth texture and allowed the chick peas to really shine, being light on lemon juice and tahini with the garlic offering just a background kick. It also had a subtle nutty, cashew-like flavour going on.
The main courses arrived shortly after; despite the restaurant being full (it was a Friday night) and only having one waiter, assisted by the maitre d', they managed to keep up a good pace with service without it feeling rushed. WOTVM absolutely loved her beef cheek with celeriac puree; the meat was plump and somehow remained intact despite being so soft from the slow-cooking that it fell apart the instant she touched it with her fork. It was rich and had a deep meaty flavour, like a really good beef casserole, and the texture was melt in the mouth. The puree was beautifully made, very smooth and with a creamy celeriac flavour coming through. It worked well with the big flavours of the beef cheek in its rich, winey sauce.
The green barley risotto was a really good vegan dish; the smoked tofu had been grated over the top to give the appearance of the dish being finished with cheese, but this method of presentation also worked well as it meant lots of thin slivers of the smoky tofu were dispersed throughout the dish. The hint of smokiness really went well with the freshness of the risotto. The pearl barley was well-cooked and had enough of a bite without being too chewy and it was loaded with fresh green vegetables, including courgettes and peas. We opted against dessert, feeling nicely full, and the bill came to around £35, including tip. Galerija is towards the higher end of midrange in terms of restaurant prices in Split but we found it excellent value, especially with a bottle of wine.
Our second meal out in Split was at
Mazzgoon, a little closer to the centre of the Old Town. Mazzgoon offers modern, fusion-style dishes including some Asian influences. They have a large outside area but this was full so we were offered a table indoors. The décor, like the menu, was modern and Mazzgoon wouldn't look out of place as a trendy modern bistro in any UK city. We decided against starters in the end as we weren't that hungry, however they did offer an intriguing-sounding miso soup with Jerusalem artichoke and rice noodles - an option suitable for vegans.
WOTVM decided on homemade pasta with wild rabbit ragout and parmesan crème brulee. Mr Vegan Man ordered beetroot gnocchi with rocket pesto. Mazzgoon also offer a range of quirky cocktails, different from the usual generic cocktail bar offerings, and we plumped for two of these along with a bottle of water to drink. WOTVM went for a Geraldine's Ginger Fizz - a gin based concoction with fresh ginger - whilst Mr Vegan Man chose a Jasminium, another gin cocktail containing a jasmine liqueur.
The drinks arrived and they looked amazing, the Jasminium in particular was a bright, vivid green. The cocktails were fantastic, with very unusual and unexpected flavours. The fresh ginger gave WOTVM's drink a real punch whilst the floral jasmine taste of Mr Vegan Man's cocktail was a revelation.
The food arrived in good time. Mr Vegan Man's gnocchi was, however, only lukewarm despite there being quite a short time between the food being ordered and arriving. The bowl it was in was completely cold and this can't have helped it to retain it's heat. WOTVM's pasta was warmer, though still not piping hot. The beetroot gnocchi were cooked nicely and had a light and fluffy consistency. The rocket pesto, though, lacked a bit of punch. It was more of a sauce and so lacked the bite you expect from pesto, whilst the rocket - possibly through being warmed/cooked - had lost a good deal of its peppery flavour. The gnocchi were also far too big - much more like full-size dumplings than the bite-size pillows we'd expected - and as a result needed to be cut up to be eaten. This meant then having to coat each chunk of cut gnocchi in more of the sauce and whilst this is the very definition of a first world problem, when ordering gnocchi or pasta you expect each bit to have been coated in its sauce and having started to absorb some of the flavours from it. This wasn't the case here.
The wild rabbit ragout was rich and well-flavoured and WOTVM was impressed by her first bite of parmesan crème brulee. However, there were some issues with WOTVM's dish too. The parmesan crème brulee was cold - very cold in the middle, like a strong cheese set cream - and while it tasted good, she felt it didn't work so well as an accompaniment to what was a hot dish. The homemade pasta was far too thick and as a result was quite stodgy. This coupled with the rich rabbit ragout meant the balance of the dish was too heavy and each mouthful was a bit of an effort to eat. We decided against dessert and had to wait a little while for the bill, which at around £40 including tip put it at the higher end of Split dining and felt like far less value for money than our meal at Galerija.
Mazzgoon is trying to do something different and their ambition is very admirable. They have a lot going for them - a good location, lovely interior and exterior dining areas and really fabulous cocktails - but at present the execution of the food basics does not match the ambition. Some little touches that you would expect from any restaurant, let alone one pretty near the top end of the price spectrum, were missing. In terms of service, we felt a little forgotten about at times despite them having plenty of staff on and the food lacked the refinement needed to really justify the pricing and live up to the ambition on display. The pasta was too thick, the gnocchi too large. The food was neither consistently hot nor cold and the flavours could have been punchier for sure. There is a little way to go for Mazzgoon to really be achieving what they want to achieve, which is a shame as their menu is interesting and they could be a real star of the Split food scene if they nail the attention to detail. We would return if/when we go back to Split as we're interested to see how they progress, plus the cocktails are amazing and worth a visit in themselves.
For our third meal out, on WOTVM's birthday, we visited
Bokeria. Bokeria has quickly established itself as a place to go in Split, a stone's throw from the central square it is a busy and bustling wine bar and restaurant with a mix of locals and tourists alike. Knowing that it gets busy, we arrived at 6pm and were able to reserve an outside table for 7pm. The outside tables are lovely for watching the world go by, whilst indoors the interior is sleek and modern whilst remaining warm and not clinical.
When we returned we were warmly greeted by the waiter who we had spoken to earlier. Again, many of the wines on offer were local varieties, our waiter was very knowledgeable about the wines and we ordered a glass of local sparkling blush wine on his recommendation while we perused the menu. The menu at Bokeria is small but interesting and of seven or so main courses, two are vegetarian; this would be a pretty good ratio in many British bistros and it was good to see another more modern Croatian restaurant catering well for vegetarians.
The two options for Mr Vegan Man were gnudi stuffed with young cheese and thyme on a tomato and basil sauce, and a pear, asparagus and gorgonzola risotto. Although Mr Vegan Man is not a fan of cheese, he is trying to work on his aversion and he ultimately plumped for the risotto after much deliberation about which dish would be easier for him to manage. For starter, he ordered a local take on gazpacho. WOTVM went for cheese and prosciutto bombolini (little croquettes with a rosemary crust) followed by white fish on cauliflower puree with courgettes.
The sparkling wine was excellent, it had a nice crisp finish and a good hit of fruity flavours. The starters were a little bit of a mixed bag. WOTVM found her croquettes far too salty for her taste and ended up leaving one. They were, however, well-made and beautifully presented with a lovely herby, crunchy crust. Mr Vegan Man's soup was delicious; the flavours were fresh and punchy, with a nice vinegar acidity coming through at the end. The dish was topped with chopped boiled egg and this worked excellently. It was probably Mr Vegan Man's favourite dish of the holiday. Following the starters, we ordered a glass each of local white wine - WOTVM plumped for a local Sauvignon Blanc whilst Mr Vegan Man picked a wine from the island of Hvar made with a local grape variety.
The wine arrived and the food followed shortly after. Both of the wines were very good, the Sauvignon Blanc in particular was really crisp with a hint of grapefruit flavour on the finish. The white fish listed on the menu turned out to be sea bass, one of WOTVM's favourites, and the fish in Croatia is always beautifully fresh. The fillets of bass were well-cooked, golden brown from being pan fried, and flaked away from the skin with not a bone in sight. The cauliflower puree was smooth and full of flavour, the grilled courgettes added a real freshness and the accompaniments didn't overpower or outshine the fish, but complemented it well. The dish was finished with sundried tomatoes which added a depth of flavour and a sweet, salty kick. WOTVM said that she liked it as much as the beef cheeks she'd had at Galerija but that the dishes were like yin and yang in that the beef cheeks were all rich unctuousness whilst the sea bass was light and fresh.
The risotto was well-cooked, the rice keeping its texture without being hard and chalky. It was on point and had a nice looseness to it. The risotto was rich and creamy with the gorgonzola and whilst for many people this would have been ideal, Mr Vegan Man did find it a bit of a struggle. There was a good amount of asparagus in the dish, however it could perhaps have taken some more pear to help cut through the richness of the cheese with its sweet acidity. Some finely diced fresh pear added as a garnish would have been perfect. It was, though, a good dish and along with the gnudi represented a fine attempt at offering some different options for vegetarian diners. Ideally it would be good if Bokeria made one of their two vegetarian options vegan as having a full vegan option would give them an edge over many of their competitors on the Split dining scene and would fit well with their ethos of producing tasty, fresh and seasonal food.
We again opted against dessert as we felt nicely full from our two courses and two glasses of wine each (although the options on offer sounded delicious and included a strawberry tiramisu, our waiter explained the desserts change on a daily basis and are all freshly made). The bill, at just over £50 including tip, was the most expensive of the holiday but worth it. The combination of good food and wine with a lovely setting justifies the cost comfortably and the service was excellent too.
Our final meal out on our last night in Croatia was once again at Gaelrija. Whilst we had greatly enjoyed Bokeria, on balance Galerija had edged it as our favourite restaurant of the week and so we decided to go back (it also meant Mr Vegan Man didn't have to brave another cheese dish!). We sat at the same table as we had on our first trip and were attended to quickly. WOTVM ordered a glass of Prosecco as an aperitif as we looked over the menu, whilst the less classy Mr Vegan Man ordered a large beer.
Croatian beer - Ozujsko and Karlovacko being the two main brands - is very drinkable, it is not particularly strongly flavoured but is crisp and cold which is what you need on a hot day in Split. At supermarkets you can also get bottles or cans of Ozujsko with grapefruit or lemon added. They are a bit like a cloudy, fruity shandy and at only 2% are good for drinking in the sun and nicely refreshing. When the waiter returned with our drinks we ordered our mains - we made the decision to skip starters to try to save room for dessert - which were a tofu stir fry with wholegrain rice and sesame, and pulled pork with homemade crunchy vegetable slaw and aioli.
The food arrived quickly and was nicely presented once again. WOTVM's pulled pork was rich and soft and served in two sandwiches made with inviting griddled bread. The pork tasted like it was lightly seasoned with Chinese five spice and the coleslaw was made with dill pickled vegetables, giving the dish an Oriental rather than the traditional American BBQ slant. WOTVM enjoyed it very much and ate the lot; the pickled vegetables complemented the rich pork and the punchy but not overpowering aioli added creaminess. The salad garnish was dressed well and added even more crunch and freshness.
Mr Vegan Man's stir fry was delicious and his favourite main course of the week. The tofu was soft and full of flavour from the marinade and the vegetables had been cut finely and cooked quickly to retain a nice crunch. The rice had been tossed through the dish and this worked well, the grains being coated by and taking flavour from the delicious sesame- and soy-rich sauce. The alfalfa sprouts that topped the dish added a light crunch and a fresh element.
The portions, whilst generous, left enough room for us to order our first desserts of the week. We opted for a mango cheesecake and gluten-free chocolate cake. WOTVM ordered herself a Hendrick's and tonic to go with dessert and this arrived with the unexpected addition of some freshly-ground black pepper, which added a pleasantly unusual twist to her post-dinner drink and will definitely be one we try at home!
When the desserts arrived they looked lovely and the eating certainly matched the viewing. The chocolate cake was incredibly light and almost soufflé-like in its consistency. It melted in the mouth and was not at all heavy, as can be the case with gluten-free bakes. The mango cheesecake had a nice fresh taste and was not at all rich despite a generous amount of creamy topping. There was a good mix of fresh mango and a mango glaze on top and the balance of flavours was just right. The bill came in once again at around £35 - great value - and the service was swift and friendly.
Overall, we ate really well during our week in Croatia. The fruit and veg there is fresh and packed with flavour, you can get some excellent gelato (we had some lovely hazelnut gelato just inside the Old Town, close to the market) and beautiful and varied fresh bread is available from innumerable bakeries that seem to be open all hours. We made some tasty meals ourselves and had some really good dining experiences too. That said, Galerija was the stand out as it offered great value along with tasty food and good service, as well as offering the best veggie/vegan options in town. Bokeria was also great and we would definitely go back, and despite some of our misgivings about Mazzgoon it too would be worth another visit.
If you've been to any of the places we've reviewed or plan to go then we'd love to hear from you. Contact us by
email or leave a comment at the end of this blog post.
