Valsabbion

Description:

• Unique, superb, a don't-miss experience: This is dining at Valsabbion, where Istrian specialties meet artistic sensibilities and expert preparation. Even a simple lunch can be spectacular with the "Petit Delice" or "Taste of Istria" samplers of Istrian cheeses, tapenades, or fish mousses and olives accompanied by house-made breads. Dinner is the pièce de resistance here, and if you can't make up your mind between the scampi rolled in Istrian ham or the chicken breast in vermouth sauce with grapes and artichokes, then try the degustation menu with 12 small portions of Valsabbion's best recipes. Don't miss the olive-oil aperitif -- three cordial glasses filled with Istrian olive oil, olive tapenade, and olive butter, with crusty bread for dipping. With a bottle of fine wine from Valsabbion's well-chosen cellar, a gentle breeze wafting through the open terrace, and lighting provided by the reflection of the moon on the sea, a meal at Valsabbion is a sensory experience you won't soon forget. Our advice? Book a table on the VIP terrace, a breezy, canopied deck across the street from the hotel that has a view of the bay and a cachet of exclusivity. Splurge on the 12-course tasting menu. You'll feast on tasting portions of such innovative dishes as scallop wrapped in squid ink pasta or potato soup in a ring of spices. There is a 15% surcharge for the terrace and our tasting was 475kn ($88) per person (without wine.)

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010