Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Just Ate The Best Meal Of My Life In Croatia...

love2travel

Recommended Posts

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

As many of you know, food and travel are my obsessions.  Trying new foods for the first time absolutely thrills me.  I am open to trying anything once (unless it is illegal or endangered or unethical).  This trip we went to a place on Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations".  He said it was truly amongs the best food he had ever put into his mouth. 

 

We placed ourselves into the chef's hands and they just kept bringing more and more things to try.  Altogether 16 dishes!!  Some of the less common included:

 

- shark liver mousse with onion marmalade

- conger eel pate

- raw mullet dipped in sesame seeds and lightly grilled with dandelion and arugula sauce

- the best octopus salad I have ever had - exceedingly tender

- steamed squid eggs with smoked chile

- red mullet sashimi with balsamic

- bonito and mackerel confit

- scallops in shells with roe in white wine

- Brodeta (traditional Istrian fish stew) with spider crab, squid and polenta (of course I've had squid and polenta millions of times but spider crab not very often)

 

AND...get this...this place creates gluten free and lactose free desserts every day.  The restaurant closes for the month of August simply because the fish/shellfish are in warmer waters and not as perfect.

 

My dessert was a flourless white chocolate cream cake with a bittersweet chocolate cake base full of almonds.

 

I've traveled all over and eaten at Michelin starred restaurants.  Had veal head and brains in Paris last Fall.  Well, this place is the most superbly fresh food I  have ever eaten.  It was not molecular gastronomy - each dish contained only a few ingredients and really highlighted what came from the sea that day.  The menu changes constantly, depending on what the fishermen bring in. 

 

The chef was very skilled, highly aware of celiac and extremely knowledgable.  What they created for my husband and I was absolutely out-of-this-world incredible.

 

For those of you who are passionate about food, you MUST travel to Croatia.  You can even stay at our house!  :)

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I can be there the next time you go....I mean it.!!

 

I just left a drool puddle on my laptop AGAIN after reading this description because I already drooled when I read it on email

:lol:

 

meanwhile, my non-seafood loving hubs would be looking for the nearest steakhouse........

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

Oh My Goodness....that is one heck of an "I'm Back" post....drooling here too and my house smells pretty darn good with things currently in my oven....

 

Thanks for sharing :)

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

As soon as I saw the name of the thread, I couldn't wait to see what you had (and hear you describe it all :) ). Sounds incredible!

Celiac Mindwarp Community Regular
Celiac Mindwarp
Posted

I'm sold. Just the squid alone got me interested.

Glad you have been having fun :)

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

 Just the squid alone got me interested.

 

rewritten line from Jerry Maguire: " You had me at squid" :lol:

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted
  • Author

Yes, it was another stupendous trip. 

 

The chef had me at squid, too.  :lol:  After one quick glance, I sort of noticed that he was hot rather nice looking, if you like tall, dark and handsome with a thick accent.  Usually I do not notice these things... ^_^ but this time it could not be helped.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

Win-win!

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

yeah, I am guessing we all may have noticed that? . :lol:

Celiac Mindwarp Community Regular
Celiac Mindwarp
Posted

I don't mind another chef for the compound. You had me at rather nice.

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted
  • Author

I don't mind another chef for the compound. You had me at rather nice.

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:   Ummm...yeah.  Croatians are often tall, usually have dark hair with olive skin and lovely Slavic cheekbones.  We tipped well - wonder if he'd join us willingly at the compound???  :P   Their accents make my legs turn rubbery.  You would be so impressed with how well I am learning the language.  It is known to be one of the most difficult grammatically there is.  However, I had a 15-minute conversation with a man on whose land we were unintentionally trespassing.  Of course my sentences were half sentences and broken and he knew absolutely no English, yet we managed to understand one another. 

 

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Croatia?  In case I didn't...

 

I LOVE CROATIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   :wub:  :wub:  :wub: 

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

so, love 2......Do you even like visiting Croatia? You really do not talk much about it.

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted
  • Author

so, love 2......Do you even like visiting Croatia? You really do not talk much about it.

 

:lol:  :lol:   I think I may have mentioned it twice before, perhaps once in 2011 and once in 2012.  Something like that.  ^_^

notme Experienced
notme
Posted

(sorry, i was busy reading karen's status update....)  

 

rewritten line from Jerry Maguire: " You had me at squid" :lol:

LOL !

 

that is some menu, love2 !  you may be more adventurous than i - i think the veal head thing would just be too much lolz - spider crab??  hmmmmmmm.....  like a soft shell crab?

 

you couldn't sneak a picture of the very nice chef???!!  or at least the food hahahaa food porn..  the hot guy holding delicious food??  because, that would be worth a thousand words ;)

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted
  • Author

(sorry, i was busy reading karen's status update....)  

 

LOL !

 

that is some menu, love2 !  you may be more adventurous than i - i think the veal head thing would just be too much lolz - spider crab??  hmmmmmmm.....  like a soft shell crab?

 

you couldn't sneak a picture of the very nice chef???!!  or at least the food hahahaa food porn..  the hot guy holding delicious food??  because, that would be worth a thousand words ;)

There were several more dishes to the menu but I did not post them all.  They were all spectacular!  Spider crab is a delicacy in the Mediterranean and is delicious.  It is sweet and succulent - fairly different from soft shell crab in both looks and taste.  You must try it.

 

I was too busy focusing on the food to take pictures of the chef and thought of it after we had left, darn it.  But we have pictures of each dish.  I can post a few of our favourites. 

notme Experienced
notme
Posted

 

 

I was too busy focusing on the food to take pictures of the chef and thought of it after we had left, darn it.  But we have pictures of each dish.  I can post a few of our favourites. 

yummmmz.  lolz ^ love2, takes pictures of the food :)  i'm thinking i would probably do the same thing :D  we are a bunch of crazies!

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

(sorry, i was busy reading karen's status update....)  

 

 

 uh boy....what's she up to now??  :lol: gotta take a lookeeloo...

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

I'm lost...are we or are we not headed to Croatia to kidnap -- oh I mean recruit this most excellent chef to be L2T's sous chef at the compound?  ;)

 

And what is this Karen's Status update -- I couldn't find what you all are chatting 'bout???

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I'm lost...are we or are we not headed to Croatia to kidnap -- oh I mean recruit this most excellent chef to be L2T's sous chef at the compound?   ;)

 

 

YES!!! ROAD TRIP!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

And what is this Karen's Status update -- I couldn't find what you all are chatting 'bout???

https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/statuses/user/33934-kareng/?status_id=5653

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted
  • Author

I'm lost...are we or are we not headed to Croatia to kidnap -- oh I mean recruit this most excellent chef to be L2T's sous chef at the compound?   ;)

 

And what is this Karen's Status update -- I couldn't find what you all are chatting 'bout???

YES!  I know where he lives.  Well, not really, but I know where he cooks.  We're going back in four months - this time I'll try to sneak a photo (maybe one from the front and another from the back so you can see all the lovely roses and semi-tropical plants growing in the background  :lol: ).

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,128
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Steve715
    Newest Member
    Steve715
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      My only proof

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Just wanted to add that checking B12 and Vitamin D only is not going to give an accurate picture of vitamin deficiencies.   B12 Cobalamine needs the seven other B vitamins to work properly.   You can have vitamin deficiency symptoms before the B12 blood level changes to show deficiency.  You can have "normal" B12, but have deficiencies in other B vitamins like Thiamine and Niacin, for which there are no accurate tests. Take a B Complex supplement with all the B vitamins.  Take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which has been shown to promote intestinal healing.  Thiamine Mononitrate found in most vitamin supplements is not easy for the body to utilize.  What makes thiamine mononitrate not break down on the shelf also makes it hard for the body to absorb and utilize.  Thiamine and Niacin B 3 deficiency symptoms include anxiety, depression and irritability.  The brain uses more Thiamine than other organs.  Take the B Complex and Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine or TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) and look for health improvements in the following weeks.
    • knitty kitty
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @rei.b, Ehlers Danlos syndrome and Celiac Disease can occur together in genetically predisposed individuals.  Losing ones gallbladder is common with celiac disease. I'm glad Naltrexone is helping with your pain.  Naltrexone is known to suppress tTg IgA and tTg IgG production, so it's not surprising that only your DGP IgG and DGP IgA are high.   Have you tried the Autoimmune Protocol diet designed by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, a Celiac herself?  The AIP diet helps lower inflammation and promotes intestinal healing.   The AIP diet is a Paleo diet that eliminates foods that can cause intestinal inflammation until you heal on the inside, then more foods can be added back in.  The low histamine AIP diet will help reduce inflammation further.   Histamine is released as part of the immune response in celiac disease.  Foods also contain various amounts of histamine or provoke histamine release.  Lowering the amount of histamine from foods helps.  The body, with help from B vitamins, can clear histamine, but if more histamine is consumed than can be cleared, you can stay in an inflammatory state for a long time. Cutting out high histamine foods is beneficial.  Omit night shades which contain alkaloids that add to leaky gut syndrome found with celiac disease.  Night shades include tomatoes, peppers including bell peppers, potatoes and eggplants.  Processed foods like sausages and gluten-free processed products are high in histamines.  All Grains are removed from the diet because they are inflammatory and provoke histamine release. Blood tests for deficiencies in B vitamins are notoriously inaccurate.  You can have vitamin deficiency symptoms before blood levels show a deficiency.  Blood levels do not accurately measure the quantity of B vitamins stored inside the cells where they are utilized.  The brain will order stored vitamins to be released from organs into the blood stream to keep the brain and heart supplied while deficiency occurs inside organs, like the gallbladder.  Gall bladder dysfunction is caused by a deficiency in Thiamine Vitamin B 1 and other B vitamins.   The eight essential B vitamins are water soluble and easily lost with diarrhea and constipation, and the malabsorption and inflammation that occurs with celiac disease.  Because they are water soluble, the body can easily excrete any excess B vitamins in urine.  The best way to see if you are deficient is to take a B Complex and Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and look for health improvements in the following weeks.  Most B Complex supplements contain Thiamine Mononitrate which is not bioavailable.  The body has a difficult time utilizing thiamine mononitrate because it doesn't break down easily.  Benfotiamine has been shown to promote intestinal healing.   Remember your intestines are in a damaged, permeable state.  Treat them tenderly, like you would a baby until they heal.  You wouldn't feed a baby spicy bell peppers and hard to digest corn and nuts.  Change your diet so your intestines can heal.   I use a combination of B12 Cobalamine, B 6 Pyridoxine, and B1 Benfotiamine for pain.  These three B vitamins have analgesic properties.  They relieve pain better than other otc pain relievers. 
    • Mari
      My only proof

      By Mari · Posted

    • trents
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By trents · Posted

      Sorry, I think I got you mixed up with another poster.
    • rei.b
      High DGP-A with normal IGA

      By rei.b · Posted

      I hadn't been eating gluten free before having the antibody test done. I started eating gluten free after having the test done because the gastro PA told me to eat gluten-free for 6 months. I'm now 3 months in.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.