Do you know the taste of happiness?

From small to proper bites, from piquant dishes to the most delicious desserts, when it comes to food, Srijem and Slavonia are insurmountable

Small bites as a start and finger food in the Slavonian way is even more delicious if from the black Slavonian ‘fajfer’ pig. Cracklings, ‘kulen’, ‘kulenova seka’, ‘švargl’, sausage, bacon, ‘podlijevani sir’, ‘ajvar’…, then a broth, just taken from the heat, still stewing, ‘sarma’ or a roast after that, followed by delicious cookies in all colours and sizes. Brandy before anything else and a selected wine from the Srijem vineyards with every dish… An entirely common day in Srijem and Slavonia will look like a real feast to you. If you are a gourmet, you must visit. The invitation is valid indefinitely.

Confirmed by Michelin

Your cheeks will burn and your belly will become hot from it. It has everything that it should – a harmony of tastes: moderately salty, moderately dense and moderately hot, with noodles melting in your mouth, red pepper powder not obscuring the wonderful taste of fish. In the language of a sommelier, the aftertaste continues for a long while. The only thing that is missing are the fish bones. Therefore, it got its unpretentious and simple name – ‘fiš’ without bones.

This innovative version of one of the most popular dishes east of Zagreb was created many years ago in the Danube Hotel in Ilok and has since been its trademark. This hotel, a true avant-garde in the traditional Slavonian, Srijem and Baranja cuisine, is not famous for its innovative ‘fiš’ only but is also the first in this part of the country that got a Michelin star. Entirely deserved as all those who ate there at least once know. The price is great, the quality top, all is fresh and delicious, and for a sweet ending, we recommend the ‘šnenokli’. It may seem too simple to you but that is just the charm. A true explosion of tastes in such a traditional and everyday dish so that you will immediately want to ask the head chef for the recipe. Well, perhaps not immediately… Once you are done eating.

Wine stories of Srijem

Excellent dishes are completed with excellent wines and those from Ilok, the centre of the Srijem vineyards, have seduced the most demanding palates for centuries and have been drunk at European courts since in the Old Cellars the noble Odescalchi family, 200 years before Bordeaux and Burgundy, filled them in special containers thus protecting them from the traders and resellers who often mixed them with lower quality wine.

The true connoisseurs and lovers will enjoy the aromatic Traminac wines in Ilok with the story of the wine from the Ilok cellars that was drunk at the coronation of Queen Elisabeth II being still alive. Grapes for the supreme Traminac of this most awarded Croatian vinery are cultivated at Principovac, a well-known vineyard and country estate of the Odescalchi family where in 1710 its first vine was planted. Since then, this royal sort does not stop intriguing the world of wines.

In Ilok, you must take a walk through its most beautiful historic kernel, visit the Church of St John of Capistrano, the Ilok Municipal Museum in the Odescalchi castle, the Old Cellars from 15^th and 18^th centuries and, with a previous announcement, at least two or three wineries out of twenty of them on the Ilok wine road.

Urban but so Slavonian

The domestic and positive atmosphere to be felt only in Slavonia and a modern and refined interior typical for fine dining restaurants in great cities of the world could thus briefly describe the new Vinkovci Lu restaurant. The head chef is Ana Marija Stanković, an awarded chef, a state champion and bronze medal winner at the Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart. A hot burger, homemade smoked sausage, pork fillet, glazed pork ribs, chicken fillet in almond crust, French rack of lamb, beefsteak, rump steak, perch filet…, you will enjoy her interpretation of the traditional Slavonian cuisine, in particular if you follow the contemporary trends and above all appreciate the quality food that this part of Croatia is famous for.

Even though the number of modern restaurants and pubs is growing, Srijem and Slavonia will greet you with a warm welcome also in the traditional, provenly excellent restaurants where the dishes simmer mildly for a long time, prepared with a lot of heart and with a secret ingredient or two, just like in the past by our daughters-in-law.

Last but not least

Having saved such a place for the end, we will take you to Sotin to visit one such place, the popular Gondola, a restaurant and an excursion site. There they cook according to the traditional and carefully selected recipes. You will enjoy the aromatic Slavonian sausages, well-known ‘čobanac’ or delicious ‘Šokac’ steaks with ‘špecli’…, and even the strongest of character will not be able to resist the greasy cake and the most delicious ‘salenjaci’ with the homemade jam of the owner, aunt Luce, which look so good and lure you with their scents. And then, when you take your first bite, you will feel the taste of happiness.