It all started with wine. Which makes sense given the location, but also the background story behind one of the new major assets of Slavonian gastronomy, the restaurant Slavonska kuća Vinkomir, which opened its doors to guests of the Kutjevo wine region last year.
When he came for a job interview, which was supposed to bring him back to his homeland after almost 10 years of gathering experience in hotels on Krk as well as in Germany and Austria, the young Slavonian chef Hrvoje Lončarević had a vision of creating a menu based on the wines of the terroir stretching across the southern slopes of Krndija. This is where the restaurant of the company Kutjevo d.d. is ultimately located, named after the Vinkomir site above Kutjevo itself, where excellent wines have been made since the beginning of the 13th century, as evidenced by the historic cellar from 1232. It‘s a location with a view of the Golden Valley and the rich vineyards surrounding the restaurant. No wonder, then, that Lončarević started composing the menu in reverse. From the wine.
- Here, everything is connected with wines and that was a logical decision. In cooperation with our chief oenologist Ivan Marinclin, we first tasted the wines and then created the menu based on them, which is practically entirely connected with wine, and wine is present in 90 percent of our dishes. From appetizers, through soups and main courses to desserts - Lončarević reveals to us this unusual, but obviously well-received style, which in the short time the restaurant has been open has won numerous fans of good food, ready to embark on an exploration of the unknown, a true little Slavonian gastronomic adventure that excellently combines tradition and modernity through the mind and hands of the young chef.
His menu has found fertile ground, just like the land from which what you will be served on your plate and in your glass at Vinkomir comes. Since everything is connected with wines, here they will also suggest Rosé Premium from Pinot Noir as an aperitif, whose harvest is currently in full swing at the Vinkomir site, and from which the winery expects a lot.
- The harvest started at the end of August with the earliest varieties, and now Pinot Noir is scheduled, which for the Kutjevo wine region among red wines is what Graševina is among white wines, and which, as is known, is synonymous with Kutjevo. However, along with our top Graševina, we pay a lot of attention and effort to red varieties, among which Pinot Noir is our favorite. Three weeks ago, we also did a green harvest, i.e., removing excess grapes from the vines to achieve optimal yield and wine concentration. We have been doing this for the past ten years to raise the quality of red wine to a world-class level, which is also reflected in international wine competitions - reveals oenologist Marinclin, with whom we toured the harvest at Vinkomir. Otherwise, the Kutjevo wine region stretches for 5 km on the southern slopes of Krndija and Papuk, at an altitude of 300 meters and above, where there is excellent sunshine and well-drained soil, which, as Marinclin says, does not produce large quantities, but they believe that it is much more important that it produces top quality.
Kutjevo d.d. is the largest wine producer in Croatia, with an annual production of 5.5 to 6 million liters. From this year‘s Pinot Noir harvest in Kutjevo, they expect a lot, specifically top-quality wine, which could reach the tables in 2.5 to 3 years. In total, from this year‘s harvest, they expect about 7.5 million kilograms of grapes, which will then be found on the menu at the Vinkomir restaurant.
A look at his menu will reveal four appetizers with a wine recommendation for each, including the Kutjevo beef carpaccio with spiced fresh cheese, pickled zucchini rolls, beetroot rose, and a particularly interesting and tasty wild garlic ice cream from nearby Papuk and timut pepper.
- The foundation of our cuisine is our local food, so we buy meat and vegetables from local producers or from our own production, but I order spices exclusively from abroad, because they are more diverse, of higher quality, and longer-lasting - explains Lončarević, who came to meet us straight from the vineyard. He is, after all, from a family of winegrowers and winemakers, third generation, and he says that‘s a big advantage for the job he does.
- I think that‘s quite important, because I know the whole procedure, from the vineyard through the cellar and table to the stomach - the Kutjevo chef described vividly, offering us his special breads that he makes himself. One he called ‘čvarccacia‘, which he makes like focaccia from pork fat and cracklings, and the other is bread made from black cuvée and rye flour. Both go excellently dipped in cold-pressed grape seed oil, also produced by Kutjevo, which comes in white and black versions. Among the appetizers, the salad of smoked carp in combination with shiitake mushrooms and fresh cucumber dressing stands out, and their De Gotho Sauvignon, which won gold at Mundus Vini Spring and silver at Concours Mundial in Brussels, goes well with it.
- I tried to combine local and world cuisine, to bring to Slavonia what I learned abroad - emphasized Lončarević. This is also evident in the soup offerings, where the Graševina soup caught our attention.
- It‘s like an ‘ajnpren‘ soup, a bit thicker, with top-quality Graševina and chicken liver dumplings. Also, our creamy sweetcorn soup and creamy asparagus soup, with a fried bacon and celery praline and wild garlic foam, are in high demand - explained the young chef, before we moved on to the main courses. By the way, in that intermezzo between soup and the main course, they will recommend Graševina Vinkomir, gold at Mundus Vini Summer and bronze at Decanter. Although he likes every dish in its own way, Lončarević at this moment singles out as his favorite among the main courses the lamb ‘french rack‘, which is lightly smoked over charcoal for half an hour, then baked with a pistachio crust and served with kohlrabi cream, sautéed broccoli with almond flakes, thyme potatoes, and lamb jus.
- But, we also prepare venison Wellington, stuffed zucchini, T-bone steak, and all the other dishes from our rich menu, which offers something for everyone, including ‘hunter‘s lasagna‘ made from game from our own hunting grounds, with wild boar and fallow deer meat, homemade pasta, fried mushrooms from Papuk and Grana Padano, and seasoned with cranberry marmalade - says Lončarević. From the many wines on the wine list, he singles out De Gotho Pinot Noir, silver at Mundus Vini Spring and Decanter. Wines are also part of their desserts, especially Graševina ice cream in combination with dark chocolate. Lončarević explains that from one bottle of top-quality Graševina he gets 12 scoops of vanilla-based ice cream with a small percentage of cognac.
- Everything has been well received, people are coming back to us. There is always something cooking in my head. I cooked all of this myself many times first, tried, added and removed things before I came to the final product - emphasized the head chef of this restaurant, which also exudes a different atmosphere, because from the speakers, while you enjoy delicious bites and the view of the lush vines down the slope, soft jazz tones come out, so for a moment you feel like you‘re in the former BP club, not in a Slavonian restaurant. But, along with the peace offered by the surroundings of Vinkomir, such music is actually the right choice.
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