In the past few days, we have found ourselves almost daily after work at Kvatrić, at the Aftertaste festival. In fact, we ended up there several evenings in a row, so we asked ourselves: what is the secret to the success of a festival that, since September 11, has attracted so many visitors and managed to revive one of the city‘s forgotten squares?
First of all, Aftertaste, organized by Vinart, the team behind Wine City and Grand Tasting, has successfully revitalized Kvatrić. Although it is a location with huge potential, right in the city center and surrounded by great bars such as Urania Bar and Four Wheel Coffee, for years nothing significant actually happened on the square itself. This festival has proven that Kvatrić not only can, but should.
One of the key factors that attracted us, and many others, are the prices, which, unlike many Zagreb festivals, are set very democratically. Occasionally there are special offers, so two days ago, with a glass deposit, we also got a free Martini. In general, wine glasses are around an affordable 4.5 euros, as in the case of the excellent Štampar Urban White sparkling wine, and bottle prices are only slightly higher than retail.
This is an approach that the audience truly appreciates. Every evening we saw several open bottles on the tables. Saša Špiranec‘s Wine Vault, which is also the most exciting enological stand at the festival, offered rare bottles such as Šember‘s Pinot Noir 2013, and the special wine by Frano Miloš, Stalagmit, is always available.
But the drink offer here is much broader than wine. Filip Lipnik at his stand makes very good cocktails, such as the Aftertaste cocktail, while the team at the Lepi Dečki stand offers excellent beers of various styles.
The food offer is not too extensive, but what is available is interesting and tasty. The Petrus stand by Tin Miletić is definitely the main attraction. There are queues in front of it every evening, and for good reason. The sardines are juicy and crispy, the soparnik is very good (although a little more in the portion wouldn’t hurt), and the tuna is excellent. Mrav Burger prepares good burgers, while the cheese stand pairs well with the red wine offer. Finally, the overall atmosphere is infectious, the music is varied, and the entire event is very organized and tidy. The staff is quick, tables are constantly cleaned, and everything runs very smoothly.
Aftertaste seems to have succeeded in what may be the most important thing. In addition to offering great entertainment and a program, it has shown that Kvatrić can finally breathe as a gastronomic hotspot of the city. That is a success that goes beyond the festival itself, and for us, it’s more than enough reason to return until Sunday.
Za sudjelovanje u komentarima je potrebna prijava, odnosno registracija ako još nemaš korisnički profil....