There are few restaurants in Croatia that we associate with a single person. Dvor with Zirojević, Štefana with Peligrini... There are even fewer restaurants where the head chef is practically the only one. That’s how Šakota’s Nav, for example, operates.
However, there is another restaurant, or rather a tavern, whose name we automatically connect with a great chef. We’re talking about Konoba Griblja, founded back in 2008. Konoba Griblja has gone through the hands of several owners, even chefs, but one man has stood out, put it on its feet, and pushed this tavern to the very top of Croatian gastronomy. Braco Sanjin, the head (and practically only) chef at Sukošan’s Griblja, got the restaurant going, then left, and finally returned a few years ago. Thanks to Sanjin, Griblja recently won its first Michelin recommendation. This is absolutely deserved, but more on that below.
Konoba Griblja is open all year round, except for one month when the staff takes a break. The tavern operates from 6 pm to 11 pm, but if you make a reservation, like us, you can come earlier and dine in peace. The restaurant staff, besides Braco, consists of only two more people: a sous chef and a waitress, who is also the dining room manager and the restaurant’s sommelier, Andrea.
We arrived at the restaurant on a scorching hot summer day at 2 pm, having previously reserved a table. This is necessary here because even when they open at 6 pm, only a few tables are served in the tavern. The space is extremely pleasant. The four of us decided to try several things from the menu. The menu itself is very simple, based on a few cold and hot appetizers, a couple of soups, main meat and fish dishes. The wine list consists almost exclusively of domestic winemakers, predominantly from Dalmatia. However, besides Dalmatia, the list features interesting wines from the rest of Croatia, as well as a few champagnes. We opted for a bottle of the cult Krajančić Intrada (40 €), which the waitress told us would soon be off the menu. A pity.
We started with a few cold appetizers. The shrimp pâté (12 €) was excellent. Slightly sweet, delicate in texture, easily spreadable on excellent, warm white bread. A pâté worthy of all praise. The tuna tartare (17 €), besides its freshness, stood out for its creativity. Sanjin harmoniously enriched the gentle sweetness and freshness of the fish with a spicy note of wasabi, creating a layered and balanced flavor that needed nothing added.
Savur of Adriatic sardine (11.50 €) was perfect. Sweet and sour in profile, aromatic due to a slightly larger amount of spices, the savur was addictively appealing. With higher acidity and a fair amount of marinated onion, it was simply brilliant.
Then came the soups, and we couldn’t decide which one we liked more. The cream of shrimp soup with broccoli (12.60 €) had an enviable texture, aroma, and flavor. The density was just right, while the delicately prepared pieces of shrimp balanced the whole soup. The broccoli gently balanced the sea saltiness of the shrimp, and the entire soup was light and refreshing. The fish soup essence (10.60 €) was at the same level in terms of excellence. Rich, thick, juicy. With a large amount of fresh seafood, enough rice and olive oil, and a rustic character, the soup truly satisfied us.
Then a situation occurred – a dish arrived that the four of us shared, which we now regret. The risotto with prawns, pine nuts, and Pag cheese ice cream (22 €) was perfect. To say it was perfect is an understatement. It was one of the best risottos we have ever eaten. The rice was al dente and creamy, the stock gave the risotto sweetness (clearly a long-cooked, thick shrimp stock), and everything was rounded off into a harmonious whole. When you add the salty "ice cream" of Pag cheese on top, you can’t believe what you’re eating.
We took a short break, reflecting on what we had just eaten. It’s worth mentioning that when ordering, we were presented with a large platter of fresh fish and shellfish, from which we chose the main "culprit" for the main course. The platter featured several heavyweights: scorpionfish, large dentex, John Dory, and monkfish. And some warty venus clams. We chose almost a kilo and a half of monkfish, as well as half a kilo of warty venus. On the waitress’s recommendation, Sanjin prepared the white fish (90 € per kg) and shellfish (56 € per kg) for us as gregada.
After a short pause, a large pot arrived, its aroma taking over the entire room. This gregada showed how simple ingredients, with good kitchen execution, can make a very convincing dish. The potatoes were perfectly cooked – firm but juicy, having absorbed the flavor of the fish and olive oil. The monkfish, although extremely fresh, could have spent a few more minutes in the pot to fully relax and melt into the sauce. In short, the dish was just a little short of excellence.
We were almost full, but couldn’t resist the desserts, which were excellent. The Dalmatian rozata (7.50 €) was better than any we’ve tasted this year. Seductive texture, ice-cream-like, with enough sweetness, the dessert was extremely light. With the addition of lavender and mint, which we detected in the dessert’s syrup, Sanjin gave the dessert a herbal note that truly elevated the rozata. The dark Belgian chocolate mousse with fleur de sel and extra virgin olive oil (8 €) was also very good. Airy in texture, with a noticeable amount of salt and olive oil, we really liked it. With the desserts, we drank Grabovac Kujundžuša Riserva 2017 (6.50 € per glass). A fantastic pairing.
However, above the top-notch food and extremely pleasant, rustic ambiance, our waitress Andrea stood out the most. She’s the type of server who’s always there, refilling the basket with excellent homemade sourdough bread when she sees it’s running low. The type of server who knows the entire history of the restaurant, the owners, and the guests. The type of server who refills the water when needed, who can describe the dishes and wines as if she prepares them herself. Above all, beyond professionalism, Andrea is exceptionally warm, approachable, and made our lunch special. As we found out, she completed two degrees, speaks three languages besides Croatian, and is not a waitress by profession. Which surprised us, as we experienced a level of professionalism from her that we may have encountered only a few times in Croatia. In her example, it’s clear she loves her job, which she performs with such elegant refinement and approachability that we have nothing more to add.
Ultimately, Konoba Griblja certainly deserves the Michelin recommendation, and even more than that. Braco Sanjin creates the menu himself, and from what we’ve heard, he plans to change it as well. Which is actually great, as we are convinced that with even more signature dishes, he could further raise the bar of excellence. This is a chef who knows what he’s doing, and does it devotedly, without compromise.
We will definitely return to Griblja, with great expectations, because we know they will be fulfilled. The warmest possible recommendation.
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