Chef Ana Grgić Tomić: Flavours of Mediterranean in the heart of the city

Photo: Lili Bašić

Ana Grgić Tomić, for more than ten years is the first lady of the hotel Esplanade kitchen, also awarded with the Trophy Chef of the Year according to the Gault&Millau Croatia 2022. She created a new à la carte menu for the restaurant Zinfandel’s, inspired by the summer, sun and the sea. Yogurt and elderberry pearls, Oscietra caviar, buckwheat popcorn, Kvarner Bay scampi, flower powder, bee pollen, sea urchin, mussels, porcini mushrooms, lovage, lavender, coconut, figs, rhubarb - are only a part of Ana's new flavour symphony that entices tasting.

The chef explains her choice: “While designing the new collection, I researched the offer on the market and carefully selected ingredients that I then tried to meticulously combine into refreshing, tempting, contemporary, and, above all, delicious dishes. Special attention was given to ingredients’ sustainability and minimum processing so as to have them preserve their authentic taste.”

Kvarner shrimp with young carrots / New potatoes, Oscietra caviar and salted lemon / Citrus and rhubarb sorbet. Photo: Lili Bašić

"Among plenty of ingredients from the summer menu, the chef highlights her favourites: “Definitely the Kvarner Bay scampi coming from the Velebit channel. This time, I’m serving them with flower powder and a sauce made from carrot juice and bee pollen, which is extremely healthy and nutritious and soothes the nervous system. I decorated many dishes with wonderful edible flowers from local Family Farm, as such giving them a fragrant summer note. Summer is the season of tomatoes, and this time I decided to serve them as a refreshing consommé along with fresh basil and fleur de sel. I found excellent tomatoes at a nearby family farm that grows 80 types of sweet, juicy and completely different tomatoes. In this menu, I have included ice sorbet for all those who want to freshen up with flavours of citrus fruits and mint, which, like most herbs, comes from our small garden on the Oleander Terrace. There, my team and I carefully nurture basil, thyme, mint, rosemary, lavender, and chilli peppers, and I believe that this gives our food a unique flavour. I am proud of our homemade crackers and our own focaccia, which we serve with homemade flavoured churned butter, foamy and very tasty, as well as premium organic olive oil.“

Zucchini flower filled with truffle cream / Chocolate truffles, olive oil foam / Tomato consommé, smoked mini tomatoes. Photo: Lili Bašić

Zinfandel’s Restaurant, with its magical Oleander Terrace is favourite place for business meetings as for the food lovers gatherings, offering lunch and dinner a la carte menu, served daily from 12.30 p.m. to 11 p.m.