Nautika
Dubrovnik -Croatia
(near Pile Gate)
Brsalje 3
20000 Dubrovnik
Croatia
385 (0) 20-44-2526
Review copyright - Ginda Simpson
It is a sun-kissed day and we are in no hurry, feeling blessed to have the whole afternoon to ourselves – no tours, no schedule. From the terrace of the Nautika Restaurant we look over the sparkling water that is pierced by giant craggy rocks, yet sheltered between two of Dubrovnik’s old forts, the Bokar and the Lovrijenac. Table linens with a subtle nautical design are of a blue that floats somewhere between the hue of lavender and the azure of a cloudless sky, a color that perfectly reflects Croatia.
We order wine and sit back anticipating the famed Nautika cuisine prepared by chef Mario Bunda. After a perusal of their menu, we decide it is less of a challenge if we simply give in to the chef’s proposals – one a multi-course seafood meal called Fisherman’s Dish from the Island of Šipan; the other entitled the Master Chef’s Menu that starts with a Lobster Salad. My first course, a salad of four delicacies – octopus, shrimp, swordfish and calamari, arranged in that order on a long, narrow dish was a tasty introduction of things to come. Each entrée brought to our table rivals the one before, in artistry of presentation and delicacy of flavor. The pure white plates, designed to show off the uniqueness of each course, add to the visual enjoyment of the meal, turning an everyday lunch into a celebration. My husband and I find ourselves reaching over with our forks to sample each other’s selections – or it would not have seemed fair that I had the Cream of Scampi Soup while he got the Scampi on a Bed of Polenta. The star of my menu was the Steamed Hake with Grilled Vegetables Julienne, but it would be difficult to say whether it outshone my husband’s Veal Medallions in Prosecco-Wine Sauce. And thus continued our meal, slowly and with much satisfaction. All good things must come to an end. Must they really? Our wonderful lunch ended sweetly, followed up with a glass of local Malvasia, its amber color sparkling like a jewel on our sun-splashed table.