If you're looking for a place where tradition and modernity meet, the Forty-Four restaurant is a must. Although located within the bustle of Dubrovnik’s city walls, the Forty-Four allows you to enter a quieter world dedicated to the gourmet delights of the Mediterranean. Located in the courtyard of one of the traditionally built stone houses of the Old Town, the entire interior exudes the atmosphere of Dalmatia’s maritime heritage. The restaurant reflects the area in which it is located, in fact, its narrow streets, stone houses with colourful plants in the windows, the smell of the sea and fresh fish.
Underlying this time-worn design and atmosphere, there’s also the climate, which helps create the traditional local produce – shellfish, lamb, mackerel, gnocchi – here provided with a more modern, unconventional approach.
The fact that the menu abounds in traditional Mediterranean and Croatian dishes, arranged in unusual and interesting combinations, is one of the main reasons why the Forty-Four can be recommended to those looking for something slightly out of the ordinary. Here, a perusal of the menu and the main ingredients excites, a feeling usually reserved for high-end restaurants and those crowned with a Michelin star. Though not yet anointed by Michelin's critics, the Forty-Four still offers the flavours and feel of an indulgent luxury gastronomic experience.
Expert waiters deliver on the menu’s neatly arranged and well-rounded promise, looking after each table with care and charm, so that the diner leaves satisfied and complete.
Recommended dishes include the star appetiser of the cold seafood platter with ginger-and-pear jam, the main of Korčula macaroni with beef, young goats’ cheese and fresh Istrian truffles – just as exciting as it sounds – and the dessert of the day of the three on offer.
If you have any questions or need a recommendation, just ask your friendly waiter. Just don’t miss out on this gastronomic pleasure. Ivana Vlahušić
Forty-Four restaurant
Miha Pracata 6, Dubrovnik (+385 97 660 7765, fortyfourdubrovnik.com).