April 12, 2020 - Keeping stay-at-home meat lovers sane in an insane world, the Deda Ide Po Svetu delivery service from Nikola Bozic from top meatery Durina Hiza is proving an absolute hit.
We are finding out a lot about ourselves and others in this crazy corona era, and one conclusion I am reaching is that the craziest Croats I know are becoming just a little crazier as they find innovative ways to respond to the crisis.
My absolute favourite person to follow - and we are in contact daily - is one the craziest of them all, the charismatic but not entirely sane owner of one Croatia's top meat restaurants, Durina Hiza in Varazdinske Toplice - the one and only Nikola Bozic.
As the global economy fell apart, all Croatia's restaurants closed and hospitality staff were laid off in their thousands, young Nikola not only retained his staff, but hired more. And then he refocused his business to a national home delivery programme, bring the very best steaks and many other great local products directly to desperate meat lovers in self-isolation all over the country. You can read more about the steak delivery service here.
This week Istria was part of the delivery network.
And slowly the lonely open roads of Croatia are being covered by the Deda Ide Po Svetu service.
The service has proved a hit with expats, even more so since an English menu is available. Please note that this is subject to rapid change due to availability. Staying in touch with the Durina Hiza Facebook page will keep you informed of the latest availability and delivery schedule.
Meet Schtig and Gorilla, the Deda Ide Po Svetu delivery team.
From Istria to Slavonia, Zagreb and slowly down the Adriatic, going further south than Makarska next week.
Picking up premium supplies along the way for an ever-expanding menu for home delivery.
My favourite fridge in the world used to serve the diners of the Durina Hiza, one of the few restaurants outside Zagreb that had a steady stream of customers willing to drive 45 minutes outside the city for dinner.
Now that fridge and other prime Durina Hiza ingredients are adjusting to the new reality and being delivered all over the country. The view from Velika Gorica this week.
And Easter on Krk will be a little more enjoyable.
I have a friend in Zagreb who is choosing the moment to devour his freshly-delivered T-bone and deer steaks. Meanwhile in Split, my Romanian friends are counting down the minutes until their delivery on Friday - just in time for Romanian Easter next week, which will be celebrated with a self-isolation barbecue with traditional Romanian dishes and a Deda Ide Po Svetu meat fest.
Meanwhile in Zaostrog, a small village south of Makarska, I was catching up with a friend self-isolating with his punac and punica, and he wanted suggestions how to show his appreciation to his hosts. Within minutes, an order was placed, and Schtig and Gorilla will be making meat dreams come true in a small Dalmatian village on the Adriatic.
This boy IS making a huge difference to people's lives with this outstanding service.
And while I can't wait to relive unforgettable nights in Varazdinske Toplice like this with Nikola and Ribafish, for now I sit back and follow this crazy Croat as he goes above and beyond the call of duty to deliver an outstanding - and much appreciated - service.
And he is clearly having fun...
This week's schedule:
Wednesday in Slavonija (Osijek)
Thursday in Zagreb
Friday in Dalmatia (Split, Zadar, Makarska)
Saturday in Varaždin (Ludbreg, Čakovec, Varaždinske Toplice as well).
To order, by email only - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
