CROATIA - Croatia and Slovenia - page 68

Two staples of Croatian food, as in most Mediterranean lands, are wine and olive oil.
You'llseevineyardsandolivegrovesblanketing theCroatian countrysideandislandscapes.
Croatiansjokethatgrapesarelikeanewbride—theydemandalotofattention,whileolives
are like a mother—low-maintenance. Another major part of the local diet is the air-dried
ham called pršut (a.k.a. prosciutto—see sidebar on here ) .
While you'll find places called restaurant , you'll more often see the name
konoba —which means an unpretentious traditional restaurant, like an inn. To request a
menu, say, “Meni, molim” (MEH-nee, MOH-leem; “Menu, please”). To get the attention of
your waiter, say “Konobar” (KOH-noh-bahr; “Waiter”). When he's ready to take your or-
der, he'll say, “Izvolite.” When he brings your food, he'll likely say, “Dobar tek!” (“Enjoy
your meal!”). When you're ready for the bill, ask for the ra č un (RAH-choon).
Main Dishes
On the coast, seafood is a specialty, and the Italian influence is obvious. According to Dal-
matians,“Eatingmeatisfood;eatingfishispleasure.”Theyalsosaythatafishshouldswim