sardine – gourmettrips

Dinner
Visited: May 2022
Rating: mentioned in Guide Michelin

We had already eaten at Rizibizi, a restaurant in the resort of Portoroz on the short Mediterranean coast of Slovenia, years ago. At that time it was located a bit above in the town with its own parking lot. Some time ago it moved and is now located directly on the “beach” promenade, squeezed between a pizzeria and another restaurant with Italian-influenced cuisine. The three of us were able to sit outside on the terrace that evening in beautiful weather. I answered the question about the aperitif by asking for a glass of white wine. Sauvignon Blanc with a rather fruity freshness was my request, two bottles were opened one after the other and each was given a glass to taste. The first was too mature, the second rather flat from the aromatics. Finally, a Slovenian Malvasia ended up in the glass, which offered exactly what I was looking for.

The menu is handed out in the form of a newspaper. There are different menus of 4, 5 and 8 courses. There is also a truffle menu and an à la carte selection. We ate à la carte.

We bridged the wait for another guest with good ham, mediocre olives and acceptable bread.

Crunchy Polenta/Onion-red-wine-cream/marinated sardine, crispy chip with anchovy cream

The amuses bouches were unusual, but are not worth remembering. I liked the anchovy cream best.

Octopus/wild asparagus/asparagus creme/Black sesame sponge

Tenderly cooked sliced pulpo was accompanied by wild asparagus and crème from it. Sponge of black sesame and some flowers completed the plate. This cold appetizer plate was okay – no more, no less.

Rizibizi uses a lot of truffles, as mentioned above there is even a six-course truffle menu.

Fusi (also Fuži in Croatian and Slovene) is a traditional Istrian pasta from Croatia and Slovenia. It was accompanied by truffle cream and generous shaving of black truffle.

Grilled scallops came on a puree of violet potatoes, truffle crème and were covered with truffles.

Mashed potatoes, truffle cream, grilled steak and freshly shaved truffle. A green salad was served as a side dish. The meat was of good quality, the side dishes were pleasing.

Spare ribs loosened from the bone on mashed potatoes with vegetable chips were served on this plate. Tasted very good to the one who ordered this dish.

Seabass/white polenta/zucchini crème/tomato confit

On slices of white polenta were three pieces of fried sea bass with crispy skin. The whole was surrounded by zucchini cream, in which there were some confit tomatoes. The fish was impeccable in quality and preparation.

What was announced as a chocolate soufflé turned out to be a lava cake with a liquid center. We had to wait for this dessert. The lava cake should probably have stayed in the oven a bit shorter. The chocolate and mint flavor reminded other guests at the table somewhat of the well known sweets After Eight.

Boldly, truffle was combined here with chocolate mousse, chocolate sauce and chocolate crumble. The mousse was good, for the truffle was not really necessary.

Conclusion

The restaurant is mentioned in Guide Michelin. The ingredients used in the dishes here go beyond an average restaurant cooking. Some preparations know how to please, others less so. The à la carte selection of main dishes is limited, with many interesting options only available for two people. I found the desserts both weak. Overall, however, the company at the table enjoyed it.

Website: rizibizi restaurant

Lunch
Visited July 2021
Awards: One Michelin Macaron

I had the feeling in advance that it will not be the best experience for my family. If you have family members that have special requirements do not go into restaurants which do not publish a menu on their website. Probably my mistake not to have taken the time for reading carefully what has been published on their website about their philosophy. This is a meat-free restaurant. They only use local and seasonal fish and seafood from the lagoon and vegetables from their own garden. There is no à la carte menu. You have the choice between a 5, 7 or 9 courses menu. We took the 5 courses menu. I had two glasses of wine with the menu, both white wines from their own vineyards. The venue is beautiful. You basically take lunch in their garden.

We arrived around one hour before our reservation at the vaporetto station Mazzorbo after a 40 minutes boat trip starting from Fontamente Nove in the north of Venice. A short walk direction Burano takes you to the hotel. I quickly jumped in to inform the restaurant that we will come to the restaurant in one hour and that some participants do eat fish but no seafood.

After we took place at the table water and home-made Grissini were served. My daughter liked the Grissini very much. They were made from corn wheat and also olive oil was used. They remind her on a popular cereal for breakfast…

Greetings from the kitchen were offered.

In the box: salt-crystallized wine leaves and tapioka cracker; in front miter pumpkin (german: Bischofsmütze) and bottarga

Whole grain bread with cucumber and mayonnaise; dumpling with fish tatar

Good warm bread and very good sicilian olive oil

Both very good taken on its own but did not fit very well together. A less intense white bread would highlight the quality of the olive oil better.

Variation of scallops, clams and mussels

When this was served, we first looked alienated to each other. This was noticed and the course was taken from the table. The waiter I was talking to when we arrived apologized a lot for this faux pas.