Dinner at Trilogija in Zagreb: A New Menu Everyday and Eavesdropping the Japanese
I honestly dined here because I was curious why they were Number 1 on Tripadvisor. Customers raved about their fresh tasty food and the cosy restaurant interior ambiance.
2-Course Dinner at Trilogija
Website: Trilogija
The location is also handy for me as it is located just beside the Stone Gate Chapel (Kamenita Vrata), a few minutes walk from my hotel. I am a lone woman travelling so I only venture out to nearby and familiar places during the evening.
My initial plan was to have my arrival lunch here but I got carried away at a bakery shop near the market where I bought several Croatian delicacies so I switched to plan B: Dinner.
The concept of the restaurant is quite simple. There is no fixed menu. The daily menu depends on the fresh catch and produce they can find each morning at the city's Dolac Market. So every single day they create a menu and write this down on the chalkboard. The wait staff further explains each dish with the customer at the table.
Their food and cooking style is a fusion of Croatian and International cuisine.
So the man from the restaurant explained meticulously the menu of the day, even describing to great lengths how it is cooked and what ingredients will be used. It was not really easy to decide because they all sound so delicious to me but in the end I chose to settle for a 2-course meal of fish and meat. I start with a crisp white wine and some delicious warm bread.
Then my first course arrived: SARDINES POLENTA with MUFFIN.
This is what they call a Hot and Cold dish. The sardines polenta were cold and the muffin hot, with some pesto oil drippings on the side. This was very, very nice. I can taste the freshness of the sardines and the quality of the ingredients. I enjoyed this very much.
My second course just came right on time as well: PORK TENDERLOIN with PUREED SPINACH
I was actually tempted to go for another fish but told myself to try something new. Eastern Europe is about meat (and fish as well for those coastal countries such as Croatia but I have a week to try them all) so I succumbed to a pork tenderloin dish. This is the first time I have tried pork that tastes a bit like chicken. It must have been my tastesbuds? But this was quite good. A Croatian-Asian fusion dish with sweet chili sauce and spinach puree topped with thin potato fritters.
I paired my second course with a red wine from a region nearby. Earlier, I paired the first course with a white, also a local. I did not bother getting a picture of the bottles and the spelling of the names of these wines, although I did ask the wait staff where the wine came from but his pronunciation of the names and places where the grape grew just escapes me. Nevermind, I will just drink =)
Of course the meal was finished with a cup of Lavazza espresso. Most restaurants and cafes in Croatia serve Italian coffee so it is always good.
Eavesdropping the Japanese...
It was a Monday night, not really an evening when locals go out to eat, so there were only foreigners in the restaurant, a couple of tourists and businessmen sharply dressed. Two English men in the familiar suit and tie get up were seated at the other wing of the restaurant and a group of 3 Japanese men, also in suit and tie were seated in my wing. The latter were my view for the entire evening.
I tried not to eavesdrop the Japanese men really but I just cannot help it, they were holding my view for at least the whole 1.5 hours I sat there for dinner. It was interesting to notice that the 2 older men controlled 99% of the conversation while the younger one just kept on nodding, smiling, then he joins in the laugh, drinks his wine, eats.... rinse and repeat. The only time he spoke was when he asked for the bill and out of politeness I guess, the man across him conversed with him, rather briefly.
Could have been a Japanese culture that on a business dinner table only the older ones or the higher in ranks are allowed to speak or get involved in an interactive conversation? I do not think the younger man was shy. It boggles the mind.
Lucky for them, I have no Japanese language credits except for words such as sake, wasabi, sashimi, sushi, tempura, miso, yasai itame, soba (notice the food trend lol) and arigato.
Anyway, I will go to Japan soon. It's just a question of timing for me when to go there, and when I am there I cannot wait to learn more about Japanese culture, their values and way of life. They have beautiful old architecture by the way and stunning modern ones. Oh, and the food! Of course.
This is the other side of the restaurant, the hallway, which is what you will see when you enter the restaurant. It looks like the diners have left already.
I highly recommend Trilogija. They not only serve fresh and tasty food in a very welcoming setting but they are also easy on the wallet. 4.3 stars out of 5.
Travel Period: March 2014
Destination: Zagreb, Croatia
Keep in touch and follow me on Facebook: Travel & Lifestyle Diaries by Dutched Pinay Travels
Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
2-Course Dinner at Trilogija
Website: Trilogija
The location is also handy for me as it is located just beside the Stone Gate Chapel (Kamenita Vrata), a few minutes walk from my hotel. I am a lone woman travelling so I only venture out to nearby and familiar places during the evening.
My initial plan was to have my arrival lunch here but I got carried away at a bakery shop near the market where I bought several Croatian delicacies so I switched to plan B: Dinner.
The concept of the restaurant is quite simple. There is no fixed menu. The daily menu depends on the fresh catch and produce they can find each morning at the city's Dolac Market. So every single day they create a menu and write this down on the chalkboard. The wait staff further explains each dish with the customer at the table.
Their food and cooking style is a fusion of Croatian and International cuisine.
So the man from the restaurant explained meticulously the menu of the day, even describing to great lengths how it is cooked and what ingredients will be used. It was not really easy to decide because they all sound so delicious to me but in the end I chose to settle for a 2-course meal of fish and meat. I start with a crisp white wine and some delicious warm bread.
Then my first course arrived: SARDINES POLENTA with MUFFIN.
This is what they call a Hot and Cold dish. The sardines polenta were cold and the muffin hot, with some pesto oil drippings on the side. This was very, very nice. I can taste the freshness of the sardines and the quality of the ingredients. I enjoyed this very much.
My second course just came right on time as well: PORK TENDERLOIN with PUREED SPINACH
I was actually tempted to go for another fish but told myself to try something new. Eastern Europe is about meat (and fish as well for those coastal countries such as Croatia but I have a week to try them all) so I succumbed to a pork tenderloin dish. This is the first time I have tried pork that tastes a bit like chicken. It must have been my tastesbuds? But this was quite good. A Croatian-Asian fusion dish with sweet chili sauce and spinach puree topped with thin potato fritters.
I paired my second course with a red wine from a region nearby. Earlier, I paired the first course with a white, also a local. I did not bother getting a picture of the bottles and the spelling of the names of these wines, although I did ask the wait staff where the wine came from but his pronunciation of the names and places where the grape grew just escapes me. Nevermind, I will just drink =)
Of course the meal was finished with a cup of Lavazza espresso. Most restaurants and cafes in Croatia serve Italian coffee so it is always good.
Eavesdropping the Japanese...
It was a Monday night, not really an evening when locals go out to eat, so there were only foreigners in the restaurant, a couple of tourists and businessmen sharply dressed. Two English men in the familiar suit and tie get up were seated at the other wing of the restaurant and a group of 3 Japanese men, also in suit and tie were seated in my wing. The latter were my view for the entire evening.
I tried not to eavesdrop the Japanese men really but I just cannot help it, they were holding my view for at least the whole 1.5 hours I sat there for dinner. It was interesting to notice that the 2 older men controlled 99% of the conversation while the younger one just kept on nodding, smiling, then he joins in the laugh, drinks his wine, eats.... rinse and repeat. The only time he spoke was when he asked for the bill and out of politeness I guess, the man across him conversed with him, rather briefly.
Could have been a Japanese culture that on a business dinner table only the older ones or the higher in ranks are allowed to speak or get involved in an interactive conversation? I do not think the younger man was shy. It boggles the mind.
Lucky for them, I have no Japanese language credits except for words such as sake, wasabi, sashimi, sushi, tempura, miso, yasai itame, soba (notice the food trend lol) and arigato.
Anyway, I will go to Japan soon. It's just a question of timing for me when to go there, and when I am there I cannot wait to learn more about Japanese culture, their values and way of life. They have beautiful old architecture by the way and stunning modern ones. Oh, and the food! Of course.
This is the other side of the restaurant, the hallway, which is what you will see when you enter the restaurant. It looks like the diners have left already.
I highly recommend Trilogija. They not only serve fresh and tasty food in a very welcoming setting but they are also easy on the wallet. 4.3 stars out of 5.
Travel Period: March 2014
Destination: Zagreb, Croatia
Keep in touch and follow me on Facebook: Travel & Lifestyle Diaries by Dutched Pinay Travels
Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
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