ZAGREB - Croatia and Slovenia - page 131

In the Lower Town, near Jelačić Square
(See “Zagreb” map, here .)
These places are all within a level five-minute walk of Jela č i ć Square.
Vinodol is a sprawling, white-tablecloth-classy dinner spot, with a peaceful covered ter-
race and a smartly appointed dining room under an impressive vaulted ceiling. The good,
reasonably priced cuisine includes lamb or veal prepared peka -style, under a baking lid
covered with hot coals ( peka portion costs 90 kn, served only at certain times—generally
at 13:00 and 19:00; 50-120-kn main courses, open daily 10:00-24:00, Teslina 10, tel. 01/
481-1427).
Nishta, the highly recommended vegetarian restaurant in Dubrovnik (see here ) , recently
opened a Zagreb branch, with an eclectic menu of international meatless cuisine and an ex-
tensive salad bar (15-35-kn starters, 35-90-kn main dishes, Mon-Sat 11:00-22:00, closed
Sun, Masarykova II, tel. [phone]).
Ribice i Tri To č kice (“Fishand...”)servesupfish,seafood,and...whateverelsetheyfeel
like. Enjoy the casual, colorful upstairs dining room and the affordably priced fish, bought
daily at the market. Or sit at the outdoor tables, on an urban street. Restaurants on the coast
offerampleopportunitytosampleCroatianfish,butthisisagoodopportunitytohavesome
inthebigcity(30-90-kndishes,ordersidesseparately,daily10:00-23:00,PetraPreradovi ć a
7/1, tel. [phone]).
Cheese Bar offersaneasyopportunitytosampleCroatianwines(45bottlesavailableby
theglass,most20-30kn)accompaniedbyaplateoflocalcheeseswitholives(65kn).While
the cheese isn't quite the gourmet experience you'd hope for (most taste about the same,
withdifferentspices),thestay-a-whileambienceispleasant,andthelocation—ablockfrom
Jela č i ć Square or the cathedral—couldn't be more central (daily 8:00-23:00, Cesar č eva 4,
mobile [phone]).
Fast and Cheap: Sandwich Bar Pingvin, busywithlocalsdroppingbyfortake-away,is
a favorite for quick, cheap, tasty sandwiches with chicken, turkey, steak, or fish (plus some
pasta dishes). They'll wrap it all in a piece of grilled bread and top it with your choice of
veggies and sauces to go—or, to eat here, sit at one of the few tiny tables or stools (17-33
kn, Mon-Sat 10:00-late, Sun 18:00-late, about a block below Jela č i ć Square at Teslina
7). For ć evap č i ć i —the classic Balkan grilled-meat dish (described on here ) —drop by the
Sarajevan-owned Jazz.ba, hiding in a very central, nondescript neighborhood (15-20-kn
small plates, 35-50-kn big plates, daily 10:00-23:00, Varšavska 8, mobile [phone]).
Fried and Fishy: Mimice is a local institution and an old-habits-die-hard favorite of the
older generation. Although it's quite tired and dreary, I like it as a cheap and memorable
time-warp serving up simple fish dishes (16-31 kn, order starches and sauces separately).
Choose what you want from the limited menu (if confused, survey the room for a plate that