Restoran Katedralis, Zagreb

Zagreb Cathedral

Restoran Katedralis sits on a corner overlooking Zagreb’s beautiful cathedral. The restaurant offers a vast menu with plenty of Croatian delights to satisfy the hungry tourist looking to indulge in some local specialities and best yet, this restaurant is not a tourist trap. The large, split-level terrace is filled with tables of Croatians enjoying great food and fantastic wine. The restaurant staff are attentive and friendly, without being overbearing.

While mulling over the menu, the waiter presents soft white bread, accompanied by a local, soft cheese, mixed with cream and herbs. The cheese may resemble coleslaw (one food stuff I simply loathe) but it tastes delicious and is worth trying, even if one finds its appearance slightly off-putting.

Kruh, sir i vrhnje

The main courses on offer include a selection of typical home-cooked meals, as well as usual restaurant favourites such as Zagrebački Odrezak (veal schnitzel Zagreb). The schnitzel was served with a garlic dipping sauce, wedge of lemon, thin, fried onions, and some carved carrots and radish. The schnitzel was thick and wrapped in ham and cheese before covered in breadcrumbs and fried. The cheese, usually an edam like cheese, oozed out with every cut of the knife. This plate was quite simply heavenly but incredibly large which made it a little bit of a challenge to eat every morsel!

Zagrebacki Odrezak

Other traditional main courses included a mixed meat plate, with beef, pork and chicken, served with a herb sauce, and a veal saltimbocca, the latter of which is traditionally Italian but also eaten and enjoyed throughout Croatia. However, unusually, the veal saltimbocca, a thin veal escalope with sage, prosciutto and dry sherry, was served with a pepper sauce.

Mixed Plate

A mixed dish of grilled vegetables, aubergine, courgette and white pepper with cubed potatoes made the perfect side dish.

Veal Saltimbocca

The wine list boasted many great Croatian wines and Graševina, Vrhunsko vino, Vinogorje Kutjevo, Berba 2007, 12% vol. seemed like the perfect choice to wash down the meal with. Not too immature, as many East European wines can be, the taste is smooth, dry and not too floral and its colour was golden. The wine and meal was followed by a homemade pear schnapps which was quite lethal!