Draga di Lovrana

You’ll have trouble understanding the message “Worth every curve” (Vrijedi svaki zavoj) until you get there and have a taste of the delicacies made in hotel/restaurant Draga di Lovrana, located at the foot of Učka, halfway towards the sea and boasting a view ideal for a romantic walk. Vienna-native Antun Urm, who built the building in 1909, is credited with giving this place’s its Austro-Hungarian charm. Everything was restored in 2005 and today you just can’t make up your mind as to what to relish more - the view or the food...

The menu, which is seasonally changed twice a year, has so many fabulous delicacies that making a decision is quite the undertaking. That’s why the staff recommend you let them guide you and slowly enjoy smaller quantities of various ingredients predominantly related to the surrounding area. Given that you’re overlooking the Kvarner Gulf and its corresponding islands, shrimp, prawns, sea bass, surmullet, as well as beef tartare, veal pâté and venison prosciutto top the menu...

However, three classic soups give way to an extremely rare speciality in these areas - monkfish tripe. This is a one-of-a-kind dish.. It’s served with chickpea in tomato, celery, carrot and white wine sauce and a bruschetta with a celery spread. The smiling waiters assures us that the dish originated in this area so we don’t have any reason not to believe her. There wasn’t a drop of sauce left. This may be the best dish you could try out in Croatia. Of course, if you don’t have a problem with the body part used to prepare this culinary gem.

Meat is king by the time you get to the main course so can expect a carefully planned out veal cutlet with sage, lamb shank with heather and wild garlic, striploin... But since the sea has a hypnotising effect, we recommend you try a dish befitting the over-arching impression - Monkfish Draga di Lovrana - fish tail with an extra shrimp, cooked in white wine on a bed of collards (locally called broskva), a delicious local green-yellow plant from the kale family.

The varied dessert list contains orange prepared in four different ways, coffee tart, lava cake and overall it’s pretty difficult to make your pick. The overall impression is a fantastic one. Granted, the prices are above average, but we reiterate - this is a view that inspires poems. Truly beautiful and worth a revisit...

Author of photography: Goran Kovačić/PIXSELL