The original Bota Šare restaurant was opened in Mali Ston. It was founded by the married couple Božidar and Tanja Šare. Today, it is a family business with multiple locations across Croatia, run by their children.
The restaurant opened its doors in Zagreb in 2008, first on Nova Ves. It soon moved to Zvonimirova 124, where it has been operating for over fifteen years. Among Zagrebians, it is known as one of the best fish restaurants in the city. Therefore, it is necessary to make a reservation, especially if you want to sit outside.
Since we know that fantastic fish is prepared at the restaurant, as we have eaten it several times, this time we decided to try a bit of everything. The restaurant was packed on Saturday afternoon. The menu is diverse, ranging from raw fish, sushi, fish platters, and some meat dishes. The wine list is mostly focused on Croatia, covering all regions.
We started with fish carpaccio from fresh greater amberjack with avocado (€13), tuna tartare (€14), and tuna sashimi on arugula (€8). The fish in all three dishes was absolutely fresh, lightly seasoned, and rich. The amberjack was simply seasoned, firm, full of flavor, and didn‘t really need the avocado. The tuna sashimi was one of the most impressive we‘ve tried recently, also very essentially seasoned, delicate in flavor, and it worked well with the bitter arugula. In addition, these four thickly sliced pieces of tuna sashimi with pickled samphire stalks are real value for money.
The tuna carpaccio is also praiseworthy, like the previous two dishes, lightly seasoned and enriched with firm, salty capers. The bread for the tartare, with various spices, is crispy, full of flavor, firm, and salty. With the appetizers, we also received two types of soy sauce: a stronger and a milder one.
We continued with sushi, four types: Oyster Roll (€9), Special Roll (€12), Dragon Roll (€7), and Tiger Roll (€6). All four rolls were fantastic, perfectly prepared, firm, and supple. The sushi chef prepares them in front of the guests, in a corner by the bar. Each roll had a hint of crispiness, seductively hedonistic. The fish is fresh, which was most noticeable in the Special Roll, which is wrapped in tuna. The Oyster Roll is also excellent, with the tempura oysters being especially tasty.
Since we didn‘t opt for a large fish, we tried three "main" dishes. Ston risotto (€17), black gnocchi with prawns and scampi (€22), and Dalmatian-style mussels (€15). The risotto was as it should be: clean and salty in flavor, rice cooked correctly, slightly sweet due to the shellfish, and with a clear taste of the sea.
The black gnocchi with prawns are very filling. Firm, strong, colored with cuttlefish ink, they sit in a juicy sauce. The prawns are very sweet—a delicious, salty, and creamy experience. The scampi on top is fresh and tender. The Dalmatian-style mussels are light and clean, with lots of steam in the shell and a soft, salty bite. The broth from the buzara is clear and fragrant; olive oil, garlic, parsley, and a little white wine make a wonderful sauce for dipping the crispy flatbread.
After three courses of brutally good food and a bottle of Bastiani Malvasia (€29), which paired excellently with all the dishes—our trio at the table was completely full. So, at the end of lunch, we only tried a piece of rožata (€5), which we split in two. Rustic in appearance, smell, and taste. Plump and wobbly, it breaks under the spoon, wonderful in flavor.
The atmosphere throughout lunch was lively and cheerful. Our main waiter was fast, professional, and witty. Slightly aggressively friendly. The other waiters were a bit more rushed, which is understandable given that the restaurant was packed.
The food we tasted at Bota Šare may have never been better. The sushi is currently in top form, and we’ll gladly return for it. Bota Šare definitely remains one of the key city addresses for fish cuisine. Reservations are therefore a must, especially for the terrace, which you should visit while the sun is still out.
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