Croatia - Eastern Europe - page 194

and garlic confit. Le Bistro boasts that it serves the best zagorski s trukli (cheese baked
in phyllo with cream sauce) in town and even offers a frozen version to take home,
but we found the dish rather bland, even with sugar on top.
Mihanovi5eva 1. &

01/456-66-66. Main courses 40kn-100kn ($7-$18/£3.65-£9.15). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily

10am-11pm.
Restoran Ivica I Marica CROATIAN VEGETARIAN The newest kid on
busy Tkal c i 5 eva has also introduced a novel concept—traditional Croatian prepara-
tions with a healthy twist—whole grains, local products, and no meat. The menu at
this woodsy place named after Hansel and Gretel (in Croatian), is no less fascinating.
Begin with whole-grain flatbread accompanied by local fresh cheese or olives and
tomatoes. Then move to integral sujnudle (boiled dumplings with hunter sauce or
mushroom sauce). Fish is on the menu, as are moussaka with eggs and soy ham plus
four varieties of s trukli.
Tkalci5eva 70, 10000 Zagreb. & 01/481-73-21. Fax [phone]. [e-mail]. Entrees
39kn-70kn ($7-$12/£3.55-£6.40). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon-11pm.
INEXPENSIVE
Nokturno and Leonardi PIZZA/PASTA At first glance it's hard to tell where
Nokturno begins and its next-door neighbor Leonardi ends. Both are crammed in a
space on the side of an alleyway; both have similar menus; and both have the same
opening hours. Nokturno is always jammed with patrons, while Leonardi isn't quite
so busy, but the pace there is slower, too. It is Nokturno's interpretation of pizza that
attracts crowds with its crispy crust and fresh ingredients. Whichever restaurant you
choose, you can't miss.
Nokturno: Skalinska 4. & 01/481-33-94. Small pizzas 18kn-30kn ($3-$6/£1.62-£3.25); other dishes 20kn-45kn
($4-$8/£3.45-£4.10). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 9am-1am. Leonardi: Skalinska 6. & 01/487-30-05. Small pizzas
15kn-35kn ($3-$6/£1.40-£3.20); other dishes 28kn-65kn ($5-$13/£2.55-£5.95). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 9am-1am.
Pinguin Sandwich Bar SANDWICHES Get in line with the locals
who mob this tiny made-to-order sandwich shack at all hours. The huge menu is
entirely in Croatian, but order-takers understand some English, and most sandwiches
are illustrated with color photos. Try the Rustico, a tasty combo of mozzarella,
pancetta, oregano, olives, tomatoes, herbed mayo, and any of half a dozen condiments
between two fresh-made pitalike rectangles of olive bread. Don't try to eat these Croa-
tian subs while walking down the street or you'll wear them.
Nikola Tesle 7. No phone. Sandwiches 13kn-20kn ($2.25-$3.45/£1.20-£1.85). No credit cards. Mon-Sat 24 hr.; Sun
5pm-midnight.
EXPLORING ZAGREB
The best—and in some cases the only—way to see Zagreb is on foot. Gornji Grad
(Upper Town) is full of historic buildings and churches, restaurants, boutiques, mon-
uments, and entertainment venues. Donji Grad (Lower Town) is strong on museums,
parks, historic architecture, and shopping. Other sights are a short bus or tram ride
from the center of town. Whatever you do, don't miss Trg Bana Jela c i 5 a (Jela c i 5
Square) , where the Ban's statue stood for nearly 80 years until World War II,
when the square was renamed Republic Square. The statue was removed and stored in
pieces after it was determined that the monument had become a rallying point for Croa-
tian nationalists, who were a threat to the ruling Communist Party. It wasn't until 1990
that the statue was returned to its original home, and the square to its original name.

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