Konoba Vela Vrata

When I stepped inside this recently renovated tavern in Beram, a small village in Istrian hinterland famous for the medieval fresco “The Dance of the Dead”, the first thing that crossed my mind was: “It’s as cozy as on my couch”. The kindness of the innkeeper Sandro and freshly baked bread we found on the table only amplified that home feeling in the air.

As a starter we had prosciutto and cheese, which were OK, but nothing spectacular. After their maneštra with bobići (thick bean soup with sweet corn) we wanted to lick the plate clean; probably it was prepared in the old-school way, simmering for many hours on low heat. However, the best thing you’ll try here is homemade pasta, like pljukanci or fuži, or even better ravioli stuffed with fresh cheese and spinach in fennel and pancetta sauce. Pancetta was, trust us, tastier than the prosciutto. The surrounding area is abundant in mushrooms so, in the season, of course, a sauce made with fresh boletus often accompanies these divine pastas. You can also order pasta with wild game goulash or truffle based sauce.

We were too full for the main course, usually sauerkraut with cured pork sirloin or sausages and various grilled steaks with truffles. But it’s a sin to skip desserts here! They are rustic and always follow the season – baked apples in caramel sauce, for example. The wine offer is quite limited, but some good bottles from Istrian winemakers under the radar can be found.