The latest Gastronaut trip took a merry crowd of restaurateurs, foodies and travel journalists to Murter island for three days filled with spectacular menus and visits to extraordinary destinations in the area. You’ve had the chance to read about our final stop on the culinary tour, and it’s only right we do a full 180 and return to the first day of our Murter adventure – a phenomenal dinner, courtesy of our main host, the 4-star Hotel Borovnik in Tisno town.
Taking a trip in November can be tricky, as you can never know if the weather will stay on your side. We were off to a shaky start, getting caught off guard by torrential rain along the way and arriving at Tisno soaking wet and somewhat disheartened. However, a quick change of clothes and a few complimentary drinks later, the crew was in high spirits once again, taking a sightseeing tour of Tisno and returning to the hotel restaurant to dive into the mouthwatering menu created by chef Robert Marenjak.
Before the main event, a warm welcoming speech from our hosts: Tourist Board Director Filip Henjak and Mayor of Tisno Municipality Ivan Klarin, who said he was certain that such an assembly of experts will contribute to the overall development of tourism on Murter. Karin Mimica, the leading force behind the Gastronaut team, thanked the hosts for providing us with a valuable opportunity to get better acquainted with the area and all of its outstanding features.
And so we turned to the food – a themed menu titled Beans and the Sea, a curious combination of two seemingly disparate domains that in the end proved to pair superbly, making some of us exclaim ‘I would never think of that!’ on multiple occasion.
A broad bean and anchovies paté for the entrée...
...paired with the first house wine of the night, Ćaćin san white cuvée from Slamić.
Then onto the first course, luscious scallops on a bed of orzo, complemented by the Slamić Rose 2015.
Next were the fish fillets served on a bed of lentils, paired with my personal favourite red of the night – Plavina 2015 from Sladić, one of Gastronaut wine sponsors.
And then, two stars of the show: a flavour-packed brujet, a hearty fish stew with calamari, lentils and orzo, paired with Lasin 2015 from Sladić...
...and a cuttlefish and broad beans ragout with creamed potatoes, served with Babić 2013 from Slamić.
Hotel Borovnik
The menu was rounded up by a simple, yet sensational dessert: the succulent Pears à la Borovnik, poached in Shiraz for multiple hours and served on a bed of meringue.
A fine menu of Adriatic classics with an unexpected twist that exceeded everyone’s expectations and left us with our cheeks flushed – yet another proof of the extraordinary quality of service at Hotel Borovnik.
Hotel owner Dane Slamić completed a renovation project earlier this year to expand the capacity to 120 rooms; the refurbished hotel is now also equipped with a gym, a wellness centre, indoor and outdoor pools, and a sauna, presenting the guests with a broad array of activities and services to make their stay as memorable as possible.
Hotel Borovnik
Another great feature? The view: the hotel is located in the centre of Tisno, right next to the waterfront, overlooking the famous Tisno bridge that boasts a colourful history you can read about here. Truly a perfect destination in any season of the year!
