When we sat down with Danijel Munitić, one of the main people behind Rijeka‘s The Que, a Japanese patisserie in the heart of Rijeka, it immediately became clear to us that today was all about anything but ordinary desserts. In a small, colorful space painted with Japanese cherry blossoms, Maneki-neko cats and unusual sweet dishes teased our imagination. The table filled with creations from another continent while Danijel told us the story of an exotic place that the people of Rijeka wholeheartedly embraced.
"It all started when my sister Petra spent many years traveling the world," Danijel began the story, visibly proud of his family tale.
"She traveled over 70 percent of the world‘s coastlines, tasting ice creams in every port and city she visited. And somewhere in the middle of her journey, in Japan, she first tried taiyaki, a fish-shaped waffle filled with soft matcha ice cream and colorful toppings. She immediately knew she would love to bring something like that back home."
"When she told us about the dessert she couldn‘t get out of her head, we immediately started researching and eventually decided – that‘s it! Taiyaki is coming to Rijeka. Today, with the help of my wife, I run the place while Petra is the main mastermind and designer of the offer, together with her husband Giuseppe, who turned the idea into a real business plan. Of course, the younger brother and the rest of the family are always there for any help. This is a true family business," our interviewee told us.
But as is usually the case, from idea to realization and to a story that won the hearts of Rijeka‘s residents, it took some time.
"At first, we were a bit skeptical," admits Danijel.
"Rijeka is not a city where new things are quickly accepted, or at least that‘s what we thought. But on August 1, 2023, we bravely decided to start with two flavors – matcha and vanilla."
Of course, not everything went smoothly. "At first, people were confused. They wondered – what is this, how do you eat it? And interestingly, some were puzzled by the visual illustrations, for example, pictures of fish on the patisserie‘s doors, which once led to a gentleman coming into the store wanting to order nothing less than fried whitebait. Still, over time, the unusual desserts became more than well accepted.
Now we have regular guests who come just for this," Danijel says proudly, adding: "The biggest confirmation for us is when someone comes back multiple times and says the taste is fantastic, as is the visual impression."
By the way, if you‘re not familiar with the taiyaki dessert, our interviewee gave us some context. This fish-shaped waffle is not an ordinary sweet. It was created in 1909 in Tokyo, thanks to Seijiro Kobe, who wanted to add charm to ordinary street food. At the time, round pastries filled with red bean paste were sold, but business wasn‘t exactly booming until Kobe came up with the idea to shape the pastries like a Tai fish or sea bream, which in Japan symbolizes luck and prosperity. "That little fish isn‘t accidental, it‘s a lucky charm. Seijiro wanted everyone to enjoy that symbol of happiness, and that‘s how this dessert was created, which is still popular in Japan today, especially in Tokyo, where the original shop is still open."
The Que, on the other hand, opted for a more modern approach: the taiyakis are filled with ice cream, not just bean paste, and besides the classic matcha flavor that the Japanese love, there are also chocolate, mango, and even local favorites like Kinder Bueno and Raffaello. "We always wanted to find a balance between the original and what our people would like," says Danijel.
Besides taiyaki, we can‘t fail to mention their mochi ice creams.
"Mochi dessert in Japan is traditionally filled with sweet cheese, fruit, or red bean cream. Our version is refreshing – rice dough is cooked and rolled out, then wrapped around balls of cold ice cream. It‘s a great thing for summer when you want something light and unusual." And mochi here is made by hand.
And truly, every bite is a refreshing summer bomb, sweet, yet not heavy. An exotic product and the work of the Munitić family. But besides unusual sweets from the other side of the world, here you can also order shakes or, if you prefer something more familiar – pancakes, for those not ready to experiment.
Besides bringing new flavors to Rijeka, The Que also tries to keep prices affordable, just as Seijiro Kanbei envisioned in Tokyo, so everyone can enjoy the symbol of happiness without having to dig deep into their pockets.
And while Petra and Giuseppe are still often abroad for work, Danijel is "on the front line" making sure every guest gets a top-quality product and atmosphere. "Even though we aren‘t a large company, every visitor matters to us, and we try to make that felt in every bite."
So, if you find yourself in Rijeka and crave something unexpected and sweet, stop by at Ignacija Henckea 1. Lucky charm-shaped waffles await you and, believe us, they‘re not just cute little fish to look at but delicious little pieces of Japan in the heart of Croatia.
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