Our Split Riva can be enjoyed as one of the most picturesque settings in the city; palm trees line the Adriatic, cafes permeate the smells of coffee through the air, and perhaps, most importantly, Brasserie on 7 has the front row seat.
Brasserie on 7 (further referred to as “B7”) was influenced by the time when the Split Riva was better known as the French Riva during Napoleon's occupancy. Pulling from French gastronomic principles, B7 offers world class fare in one of the most attractive dining venues in Split.
On a perfectly warm and sunny Split day, I met with B7 owners Maria and Korana for lunch. The ambience of the restaurant instantly makes you feel as if you’re in a posh French paradise, with the perfect mix of plush pillows and pale blue accents meticulously placed throughout the space. The outdoor terrace helps you forget that you're sat next to a string of other restaurants and cafes on the Riva, with potted flower planters filling the void from the neighboring restaurants next door.
As we sat down, I had a quick glance at the menu before Maria and Korana both said, “you have to get the veal.” Already trusting these two with my life, I wouldn’t order anything but the veal, and there I sat, patiently waiting for what I knew was about to blow my mind.
An interesting and fitting method B7 uses to cook their meat is “sous-vide," a culinary technique in which vacuum-sealed food is immersed in a water bath and cooked at an exact, consistent temperature. Before I knew it, too busy in delightful conversation with the girls to notice any time pass, my meal arrived (and needless to say, my veal was cooked perfectly “sous-vide”).
The piece of veal was just right in size; wrapped in a thick piece of bacon, brushed with a jus, and set atop a bed of creamy mascarpone polenta. For decoration, a caramelized pear rested on top and a decoration of fava beans encircled the star of the dish.
The combination of flavors perfectly married one another; each bite of bacon-wrapped-veal dipped in the creaminess of polenta, with the tanginess of jus, screamed in my mouth. The veal itself had to have been the most tender I’ve tasted, and so tender, I repeat, that you could cut it with a butter knife and let it slowly melt away into your taste buds. A dish of excellence? Absolutely.
Full but not in a food induced coma, at just the right state of hunger for a bite of dessert, Maria ordered a trio of flavors for us to calm down our taste buds with after the food explosion that just erupted in our mouths moments before. A chocolate chilli cake, chilled lemon tart, and traditional rožata were the chosen ones.
The creamy, chocolate texture of the cake with a hint of hot chilli made this dessert the supreme winner. Served with an impressively rolled scoop of goat’s cheese ice cream (just to tame the heat), how could you possibly go wrong?
The chilled lemon tart had to be most unique. The sweet treat fit for a summer day, the cooled tart was topped with meringue and rested on a crust of crunchy walnuts.
The rožata tasted like my grandmother's kitchen and flaunted the perfect neutral, silken bites to calm the mouth from the bold flavors of the rest.
An overall truly impeccable experience, B7 is a force to be reckoned with. I know I’ll be coming back for more, and I’d advise you do the same.
