Alongside the Zigante Restaurant, which has traditionally been a part of the Istria Gourmet Festival, three more Michelin-recommended restaurants will showcase their signature dishes at the new Michelin stand at the upcoming Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag.
“If the gentleman hadn’t introduced himself after dinner and showed his Michelin badge, we would have never known who he was. He ate a four-course meal and photographed each dish, but as everyone does that these days, I didn’t think much about it. He insisted on having only classic dishes and drank our local wine. When it was time for him to pay for the meal, he came to the bar and flashed his Michelin Guide’s badge. Never saw it coming,” said Ivan Badurina, owner of the Istrian Badi Restaurant, which now proudly bears a Michelin recommendation. At the Michelin stand, Badi will be offering fresh, locally-grown ingredients as part of the so-called Destrukcija (Destruction), a cuttlefish brudet (seafood stew) and black burgers with sardines, as well as several other surprises.
Unlike Badurina, Teo Fernetich still doesn’t know who the “lucky guest” was that gave its San Rocco Restaurant the coveted Michelin recommendation. Still, he is pleased they have joined the elite restaurants’ club. “We weren’t even aware of the fact that Michelin inspectors were touring Istria. The recommendation was quite a surprise, and I hope they liked the whole atmosphere, from our service to our food, as that’s what we’re trying to give to all our guests,” explained Fernetich, whose San Rocco will reward the guests of Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag with several courses of – their history! The guests will be able to taste various dishes, from cuttlefish and truffle cappuccino to a pork thin skirt with a pistachio crust.
Fabricio Vežnaver often says he leaves a piece of his heart and soul on every plate he makes, so it is no wonder that his Pergola Restaurant has impressed a Michelin inspector. Pergola’s menu changes depending on the season, and they prepare only fresh, Istrian food. The family even grows their own vegetables. “Cooking is a passion of mine so I was over the moon when we got the recommendation. Getting a Michelin star would be a dream come true, but I do admit that my guests’ praise and satisfaction is more important than any star. Their smiles mean we are headed in the right direction,” said Vežnaver who is preparing a true treat for the Istria Gourmet Festival at the upcoming Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag: a sandwich made from the Kvarner langoustine, olives and an orange for starters, and then also an octopus cooked at a low temperature, and grilled scallops.
With good food inevitably comes good wine, especially in Istria, which boasts some of the best vineyards, as confirmed by Michelin itself, which recommended as many as sixteen Istrian wines. Eleven of those wines will be available at Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag as part of the Hidden Charms of the Istrian Wines tasting events, headed by our well-known sommelier Emil Perdec. “Michelin recommendations have put the wind in our winemakers’ sails as, each year, their award-winning wines get closer to the rather demanding wine competition. The recommendations are also proof of the Istrian winemakers’ dedicated, outstanding work and their determination to improve with every harvest,” said Perdec, announcing that once again the Hidden Charms of the Istrian Wines events would demonstrate the width of the Istrian terroir. The guests will be tasting wines in six interesting categories: sparkling wines, fresh and aged Malvasias, aged Terans, aged red coupages and aged Cabernet Sauvignons. Eventually, one of the showcased wines will be secretly voted the 2018 ATP Wine.
For nine years, Istria Gourmet Festival has been an integral part of Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag, alongside our favorite restaurants, Zigante and Naša Kužina. As of this year, the event will also feature the RougeMarin Restaurant and the Michelin stand.
Naša Kužina, led by chef Zdravko Tomšić, will reward the guests with Istria’s authentic cuisine, from fresh fish and top olive oils to the gourmet boškarin and Istria’s outstanding cheeses. A few years back, Marin Medak’s RougeMarin started a burger revolution in Croatia, very quickly becoming one of the most popular restaurants in Zagreb. Now, the guests of Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag will get to experience firsthand why that is so.
Detailed information about the Istria Gourmet Festival program can be found here.
