Batelina

Out of town in Banjole, at the base of the Premantura peninsula, is this absolute gem of a seafood restaurant. Batelina is run by the friendly and welcoming Skoko family – who between them catch, cook and serve the food here – and the menu revolves around whatever is in that particular day’s catch. First courses are a particular highlight and might include dishes such as conger eel mouse, grilled scallops, steamed crab meat served in its shell, seared tuna steak, marinated sardines, and delicious anchovies and olives, all served with crusty home-made bread and the finest local olive oils. The mains centre on impeccably grilled fish – perhaps sea bass, perhaps monkfish – after it has been brought to your table for you to select. There are also home-made pasta dishes; an excellent, well-chosen wine list; and to round things off, a selection of mouthwatering home-made desserts (such as chocolate-and-chilli cake) and a clutch of local and home-made spirits, from grappa to biška, the latter deceptively strong but with the edge tempered by a touch of honey. Superb food and excellent service in an intimate setting all add up to one of the most memorable dining experiences in Istria.