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& Introducing a new segment!
Pizza Reviews by Nate!
It all started while walking the walls of the old city in Dubrovnik. We spotted a quaint little restaurant below with a nautical theme and local dishes including cuttlefish risotto and ćevapčići,
but we decided on the pizza.
From our first meal we learned two things:
1. What a liter of wine looks like
2. More research needed to be conducted in regards to the local delicacies otherwise known as pizza
Crust, Sauce, Cheese, Toppings? Or
A slice of heaven.
Two pizzas: The Figaro – fresh figs, cheese, olives A light pizza, an exceptionally thin crust and the figs’ sweetness paired nicely with the saltiness of the cheese that seems to be a savory trend in Croatia. The Gourmand – mushroom, bacon, rocket, pepperoni and sour cream. A little more dynamic with the flavors of a smoked meat they called bacon and very thinly sliced mushrooms. In fact everything about the pizza was thin which allowed all the toppings to get a crispiness reminiscent of a tortilla chip which was only further accentuated by the addition of dollops of cool sour cream. The overall crispiness and inventive flavor combinations of Oliva's pizza were the best so far, I am wondering when I will get my next fix. |
We arrived in Split after spending 4+ hours on the road to find our apartment host Mirta at the bus station. We asked her the important questions about the city the location of the beaches, attractions and of course the best pizza place in town.
Mirta explained that once the tourist season ends, restaurants and shops within the walls tend to shut down making it hard for those businesses to gain locals’ approval - so just a few blocks from our place, outside the old city walls there is Maslina (which means olive...repeating theme‽). So we walked in the general direction circled on our map and just happened to spot the sign of the restaurant pointing down an alley behind another ancient wall. |
Since it was the best meal we had had in Split so far it was instantly put on our list of backup restaurants if we happened not to find anywhere else to eat during our stay . . . and we may have returned the next day for another pizza. This time, for a late evening vegetarian pizza with mushrooms, onions, peppers and the surprise addition of corn. As almost expected now, another wood-oven baked crust, sweet sauce and toppings that are a bit al dente. Every pizza so far has had some sort of olive thrown on top sometime during the baking process making a warm olive with a cool pit (although the pitted olives do slow down the eating process). Flavor combinations and portion size definitely won me over in Split, and there are still a few more pizzas including a steak and mustard seed, which I hope to try some time soon.
Great place: if you like looking at a sprawling communist-style city skyline with a spotting of Mexican mafia-owned industries along the riverfront or cascading mountain ranges that reach out of mosquito infested pine forests. After volunteering for a few days, we went down the street to the local internet source and bar and spent the day enjoying air conditioning and secondhand smoke. But since the cafes do not serve food, we got hungry and decided to venture out to the Smurf themed fast food chain - Štrumf!
Štrumf had a list of about ten different pizzas of which they actually possessed toppings for one - ham, cheese, and mushrooms. Made to order, it took less than 10 minutes to: top, bake and ask me if I wanted any mayo or ketchup (actual ketchup at this place) squirted on top from the sandwich bar they also had. I declined but opted for some corn since it was such an interesting addition to the pizza in Split.
The taste was one you would probably expect of a Smurf-themed fast food chain, the crust was light and doughy, the cheese was goopy and it was warm so it pretty much satisfied the most basic needs one has after spending 8 hours in a Croatian internet café. It was not the best pizza I have had on the trip, but it still beat some of the gas station pizzas I have had in the past. So if you are in Solin and you need a place to eat, Štrumf pizza is probably just what you need, because - hey, you are in Solin.
We took a break from the natural scenery of Solin and returned to Split for a day. We arrived too early to head back to Maslina, so we decided to walk some of the city and check out the main beach area. The coast was shaped by rock formations, which break the waves and keep both the water and the mood of the sandy cove nice and calm. The coast transitions from sandy beach to cement as it wraps around the bay where a variety of restaurants and even a casino have established themselves. Luckily we discovered another pizza place after a day of swimming (and sea-bathing as explained in the last post). A seemingly American inspired place - Pizzeria Karaka, with pizzas named after movies and actors including DeNiro. We decided on the gorgonzola, blue cheese and chicken pizza and I also opted to add mushrooms.
Generously sized with lots of toppings, the thick crust and overall density of the pizza was reminiscent of something from home rather than the carefully orchestrated flavor combinations here. The mushrooms were lost on the pizza, overwhelmed by the mix of cheeses, sauces and seasoned chicken. I left wondering what the next country would bring in terms of pizza. Would there even be another pizza? Only time will tell. So far on this trip Croatia is winning in the quest for best pizza with their diversity of walk-up shops with slices, restaurants with interesting toppings and prices that you cannot argue with, and I hope the tend continues as the traveling continues. |