Category Archives: Gostilna Kunstelj

Autumn Colours and Tastes of Radol’ca

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Gostilna Kunstelj, ifeelsLOVEnia, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia blog, Slovenian food, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

Radol’ca, like much of the rest of Slovenia, is awash with stunning autumn colours at the moment, so if you get the chance, now is the time to visit and take a drive through the Gorenjska countryside.

This week and next will be the peak of the autumnal colours, as the leaves are dropping at a rate of knots now, so don’t miss out on this short-lived annual spectacular. Autumn is a time of mixed emotions for me; I love it because of the colours and still (usually!) relatively warm weather, but at the same time know that it means winter is on the way!

In addition to stunning colours, autumn is a time of seasonal tastes, and the annual Taste Radol’ca month of local menus, which takes place every November, is another good reason to visit. This Friday 29th October the opening event of this year’s Taste Radol’ca takes place at Vila Podvin in Mošnje, near Radovljica. It begins in the afternoon with a farmers’ market featuring local suppliers and tastings, whilst in the evening the opening dinner will be prepared by Taste Radol’ca chefs and served by waiting staff from all the nine participating restaurants.

The farmers’ market, which will run from 5pm to 7pm, is open to everyone – the more the merrier (though note that you must meet, and be able to prove, that you meet one of the RVT conditions (recovered, vaccinated, tested) – while the five-course opening dinner is a ticket-only event. Contact the Radovljica Tourist Information Centre to enquire about purchasing tickets and to find out more information about what to see and do in autumn in the Radol’ca area.

After the opening event, and right up until the end of November, you will be able to try one (or more!) of the specially prepared menus featuring local ingredients prepared by the talented Taste Radol’ca chefs at: Vila Podvin, Draga Inn, Lectar Inn, Kunstelj Inn, Gostišče Tulipan, Gostilna Avguštin, Gostilna Pr’ Tavčar, Restavracija Center and Restavracija Tabor.

On a side note, albeit still on the same theme, if you haven’t yet got round to visiting Vila Podvin – awarded a Michelin Star in both 2020 and 2021 – you might want to hot foot it there before the end of November (again, don’t forget RVT), when its eight-year chapter of exceptional success draws to a close.

But all is not lost, as one book closes and opens, as the entire Vila Podvin team will be moving to Hotel and Restaurant Linhart in Linhart Square, the heart of the old town of Radovljica, which Uroš and his business partner, Marcela, bought at the start of 2020 as a result of their offer being rejected to purchase the building in which Vila Podvin operated. The hotel, like many other places in Radovljica (Linhart Hall, Linhart Square…) is named after the well-known 18-century Slovenian playwright Anton Tomaž Linhart who lived in the neighbouring house.

So, now is the time to visit AND taste Radol’ca! Hope to see you there, or rather here, soon!

© Adele in Slovenia

Taste Taste Radol’ca…at Home!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, COVID-19 Slovenia, Food, gluten free food in Slovenia, gluten-free food in Slovenia, Gostilna Kunstelj, ifeelsLOVEnia, Okusi Radol'ce, Radovljica, Restaurants, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Slovenian food, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

A follower of my blog in Canada recently wrote to me asking if I could write a post about Slovenian recipes, so how could I refuse to comply! So, Mary in Canada, this one is for you!

Since all the restaurants, bars, cafes etc. are (still) closed – it’s been like this here since the end of October last year – we (both the owners of such establishments and the public at large) have had to get used to cooking more at home whilst also taking advantage of the take-away food on offer at selected places. Many of the Taste Radol’ca restaurants have been offering take-away food and, in fact, it has actually been to my advantage in some respect that chefs have had more time to ‘play’ in their kitchens, and Aleš Tavčar, head chef and owner of Gostišče Draga in the Draga valley in Begunje na Gorenjskem, finally found time to make me a glut of gluten-free štruklji to go in my freezer.

And since štruklji really are something unbeknown to most of the world, they were the first thing that sprung to mind when deciding which Slovenian recipe to first write about.

Štruklji at Gostišče Draga

The recipe and photos shown below are for gluten-free štruklji, which, due to gluten being what provides the ‘elastic’ in dough mixes, are slightly different to ‘regular’ štruklji. Therefore, I should stress that ‘normal’ flour will provide you with a better result and your štruklji will look and taste somewhat better too, so unless you have to avoid gluten (coeliac disease in my case, though others have an intolerance and/or choose not to eat it for other reasons) you can use the same quantity of regular flour. These days I’m just happy to be able to eat them, even if they aren’t exactly as I remember them in my pre-coeliac days.

The full recipe with quantities is at the end of this post.

First gather the ingredients for the dough – flour, salt, egg, vinegar, water, oil.

Combine them well but don’t overwork the dough.

Shape the dough into a round loaf shape.

Next, make the filling using curd cheese, eggs, sour cream and salt.

Mash (or mince) the curd cheese well, add the eggs and sour cream then season with salt.

Roll out the dough – after watching the ‘pro’, I was allowed to help with this part!

Spread a generous amount of the filling mix over the dough.

Next its time to roll the štruklji then lift them gently onto lightly oiled foil or a non-stick cloth before steaming or cooking into salted simmering water.

This is the basic, traditional way of cooking and serving štruklji, but these days, in terms of how you choose to eat them and what kind of fillings/flavours you add, the sky’s the limit. You can eat them as a main course, a side dish or even chocolate štruklji for dessert. I’ve yet to find a flavour I don’t like!

At Gostišče Draga you can try a savoury version with a mushroom sauce…

May be an image of food

…or, my preferred option, topped with cranberry sauce for a savoury/sweet taste.

Until the restaurant is able to reopen – and in fact also thereafter too as they have proved to be such a success – you can buy some of Gostišče Draga’s dishes and home produce from the family farm in jars. The range include goulash, jota, bograč and various pickled vegetables. Aleš and Tina have certainly not been resting on their laurels during this long lockdown – all credit to them. The jars can be bought direct at the restaurant (at weekends), at the Lesce farmers market (Friday afternoons/Saturday mornings), from the vending machine outside Gostilna Kunstelj, and at various local shops as well as further afield.

No photo description available.

Recipe

Dough:

370g flour (gluten-free or regular)

pinch of salt

One egg

10g vinegar

300g water

90g oil

Filling:

1kg curd cheese

6 eggs

200g sour cream

Salt

Method:

Make the dough by mixing together the flour, eggs, water, vinegar and oil then shape into a round loaf.

Make the filling by mashing/mincing the curd cheese then add the eggs and sour cream and season with salt.

Roll out the dough – it should be very thin – ???? then spread over the filling. Roll the štruklji into a Swiss roll shape then lift gently onto lightly oiled foil or a non-stick cloth and roll to fully encase the štruklji. Steam for 45 minutes or cook into salted simmering water for 30 minutes.

And that’s it – simple when you know how!

Let me know how you get on!

© Adele in Slovenia

A Different December in Radovljica!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Christmas in Slovenia, COVID-19 Slovenia, Gostilna Kunstelj, hiking in Slovenia, hiking trails, ifeelsLOVEnia, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia blog, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

As you might expect, the festive season is going to be somewhat different this year in Radovljica, and, in fact, in Slovenia as a whole. Am I rocking the mask look?!

Unfortunately, Slovenia is faring far less well second time round and, at the time of writing (1 December), the situation is thus: there is a curfew in place from 9pm to 6am; all restaurants/bars etc. are closed; all non-essential shops are closed; we are not allowed outside of the municipality where we live; masks must be worn at all times outdoors too, other than in ‘green’ areas where it is possible to ensure a 3 metre distance from others; there is no public transport; mixing with others is not allowed other than with immediate family members; all sports events/public events etc. are cancelled. So, as you can imagine, the atmosphere is not as festive as it could be, but that doesn’t mean that Christmas has been cancelled; this year it will just be more ‘intimate’, which isn’t always a bad thing!

However, with the festive season upon us, there is a glimmer of hope and a twinkle of fairy lights, and Radovljica is looking even more picture-perfect than ever! So, let’s focus on what you CAN see and do right now, rather than what you CAN’T!

A stroll through the historic old town centre of Radovljica is pleasant and interesting whatever the time of year, but even more so in the festive season. Tourism Radol’ca have really gone to town this year with this festive lights, which now not only adorn Linhart Square but also the town park and the square in front of St. Peter’s church.

To get you in the festive spirit, below you can watch the switching on the festive lights in Radovljica, which took place at 5pm today.

The theme of this year’s decorations is Radovljica’s long tradition of wickerwork.

This year, despite the lack of an advent market and live events/performances, you can still enjoy an ‘adventure’ in the form of the new ‘Journey to the Fairies’ Tree‘.

Photo: http://www.radolca.si

Of course, and thank goodness, nature hasn’t been affected by the virus – some would argue it has in fact got even better due to less pollution – thus taking to the forest is a great way to socially distance too! So, check out the array of themed hiking trails and short hikes ideal for little ones in the Radol’ca area.

We’ve been hiking a lot on the Jelovica plateau of late, since we can’t go that far from home due to the restrictions. There has been a lot of fog in the valley so getting up above it – as we did last Saturday – is certainly worth the effort!

In addition, a number of the Taste Radol’ca restaurants are offering home delivery and/or take-away food, so you can also have a day – or days – off cooking over the festive season, and you can even pick up fresh ingredients and treats from the vending machine in front of Gostilna Kunstelj!

You can keep up-to-date with the latest information on the COVID-19 situation here and find out more about the latest events, well, as and when there will be any – in the Radol’ca area here.

To end, I wish you all a very happy and, of course, more importantly healthy, Christmas and New Year and hope to be back with you soon with some more positive news!

© Adele in Slovenia

 

A Taste Radol’ca Culinary Challenge!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, gluten free food in Slovenia, Gostilna Kunstelj, ifeelsLOVEnia, Karavanke mountains, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Slovenian food, Taste Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

Life in Slovenia is almost back to normal – tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants, campsites, etc. are open, and there are even tourists to be seen here and there! That said, there has been a spike in new cases in the past week, so we aren’t out of the woods yet, and caution is still the name of the game.

As a result of COVID-19, now, more than ever, it is important to support local businesses and to look after our health – of which eating a healthy, balanced diet plays an important part. So, it seemed an appropriate time to set Taste Radol’ca restaurants a culinary challenge!

The background to my ‘challenge’ is the situation I find myself in these days since being diagnosed with coeliac disease, which is that going out to eat leads to feelings of: (1) anxiety, (2) apprehension, (3) embarrassment and (4) envy. The first two are due to never being able to be 100% sure that when I order gluten-free food it will really be gluten-free and prepared in a ‘safe’ way, the third is due to having to ask the waiting staff and/or chefs so many questions, and the fourth because invariably I can only ever order one or two things from the menu, which most often aren’t the things I would have previously chosen to eat, and I then end up feeling envious looking at fellow diners tucking into their tasty-looking meals.

Thus I decide it was high-time to be brave and embrace the great, local cuisine and to put my faith in the Taste Radol’ca chefs! I contacted 4 restaurants and asked them to prepare a selection of dishes – meat-based, vegan, and vegetarian – all of which needed to be gluten-free. I should add that I’m neither a vegan or a vegetarian, however, I know that these days an increasing number of people are turning to vegan lifestyles, and there are also those with coeliac disease who choose to additionally be vegan, which must be doubly difficult.

So, below you can see the tasty delights I devoured, beginning at Gostišče Draga in the Draga valley in Begunje na Gorenjskem.

I used to particularly enjoy the various sweet and savoury štruklji at this restaurant, and up until now, I hadn’t found anywhere that offers gluten-free štruklji. I had kind of resigned myself to never being able to eat one of my favourite Slovenian foods again, well, unless I made them myself – and that isn’t about to happen!

So, I was more than over the moon to discover that owner and head chef Ales Tavčar finally lived up to his promise and prepared gluten-free štruklji for me! And, even better, they were such as success they will be featuring on the menu sometime in the near future.

Struklji can be eaten both as a savoury dish, for example with a mushroom sauce…

…or sweet, for example with cranberry sauce. I think my face tells the picture of how delighted I was, and, trust me, they tasted as good as they look!

Vegans are catered for too with dishes such as buckwheat with apple and almonds, which is also gluten-free.

Next up was Gostišče Tulipan in Lesce. Regular readers might recall that I held my celebration there on the occasion of gaining Slovenian citizenship last year. And at that time too it came up trumps with a gluten-free buffet for all my guests. You can read about my celebration here – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2019/10/14/when-adele-in-slovenia-became-adele-is-a-slovene/

So, my visit was with less trepidation in the knowledge that they know their stuff in terms of gluten-free food and preparation.

This time I enjoyed risotto with prawns and truffles – gluten-free and also suitable for pescatarians…

…rump steak with roasted vegetables and potatoes – all naturally gluten-free…

…and rice noodles with homemade wild garlic pesto – vegan and gluten-free.

And all enjoyed on the terrace with a great view!

Next was the turn of Restavracija Center in Lesce, which is a new, and very welcome, addition to the Taste Radol’ca ‘family’.

Since being diagnosed with coeliac disease this place has become my ‘go-to’ restaurant, notably for their amazing gluten-free pizzas, which actually look, and taste, like pizzas – something that can’t be said for many a gluten-free pizza! The dough is made separately and the pizzas are cooked in special baking trays to avoid any cross-contamination. Eating here is the one time I don’t feel so hard done-by!

And this pizza ticks the vegetarian box too, though there are plenty of meat pizzas, too!

For meat eaters, a great gluten-free choice is the beef tagliata, potatoes, rocket and parmesan…

…while vegans can enjoy a seasonal risotto – this one with asparagus was by far the best risotto I’ve ever eaten and from now on will be my second choice in the event that they have run out of gluten-free pizzas, which does happen at times, so it’s always best to call ahead to check to avoid disappointment.

And I ended at Gostilna Kunstelj, which ranks among one of Slovenia’s most well-known traditional restaurants. Even the former Yugoslavian president Tito used to visit!

In fine weather the fantastic view makes the food taste even better!

Since Gostilna Kunstelj’s whole ethos is based on using local and seasonal produce, there is certainly no lack of choice for vegetarians and vegans, and many of the dishes are either naturally gluten-free or can be adapted to be so.

A big hit with me, and a revelation too, was the buckwheat with vegetables and pumpkin seed tempeh. Full of colour and flavour, indeed!

There are numerous salads on the menu, which use produce from the restaurant’s own garden.

Gostilna Kunstelj also has renovated guest rooms, all of which come with stunning views too!

Fortunately, Taste Radol’ca’s talented chefs came up trumps and I’m delighted that now I know I have a slightly wider choice of dishes when I go out to eat, though, of course, the worry is, and will be, ever-present, as even the tiniest grain of gluten sets off an autoimmune reaction. But one needs to also remember that there are people far worse off in life!

© Adele in Slovenia

Kunstelj Inn – A True and Tasty Tale of Tradition!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Food, Gostilna Kunstelj, Julian Alps, Karavanke mountains, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Radovljica Chocolate Festival, Slovenia blog, Slovenian food, Taste Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

Kunstelj Inn in Radovljica is a family-run restaurant with rooms that has a long tradition and a great reputation. It is also one of the participating Taste Radol’ca restaurants, takes part in other culinary events such as Slovenian Restaurant Week and is featured in the Gault&Millau restaurant guide.

Five year’s ago, Maja Buden (nee Štiherle), daughter of Toni and granddaughter of Tone and the fourth generation to head up the family business, took over as manager of the inn. To mark this anniversary, as well as a certain ‘big’ birthday with a zero at the end, she threw a celebratory gathering last Friday! Happy Birthday and congratulations Maja!

And, of course, a Slovenian celebration wouldn’t be complete without accordion music and traditional entertainment!

Having recently translated a special edition newsletter to mark this special anniversary, I was keen to be able to share with readers of my blog some of the highlights and photographs of the inn’s long and fascinating history, and, fortunately, Maja gave me the nod to do so!

Kunstelj Inn was opened by Franc Kunstelj in 1873 and some years later handed it over to his son Rudolf. Rudolf was very ambitious and had a vision and belief that the small family inn could become the heart and soul of social life in Radovljica.

The Rudolf Kunstelj Inn in 1906. Photo: 110 years of the Radovljica Tourist Association

He set to work building a large lounge with a stage for celebrations, a wine cellar, a freezer and a veranda with views of the Julian Alps. The renovations placed Kunstelj Inn on the map of the most popular local restaurants in Slovenia.

Grandmother Jerica later took over the running of the inn. She had a reputation as a fearless woman who always knew exactly what she wanted and was not afraid to tell people to their face what was on her mind! She survived two wars, became a widow at a very young age, raised two sons, and took over and managed Kunstelj Inn all by herself.

Many of the dishes Jerica introduced onto the inn’s menu can still be found today, albeit with a modern ‘Maja twist’, as well as other traditional Slovenian food, including blood sausages, Carniolan sausage with sauerkraut or turnip, buckwheat polenta, homemade štruklji and more.

Meanwhile, grandmother Maria left home at the age of 14 to work at the Roblek dom mountain hut. Tone and the now legendary Slavko Avsenik – the founder of Slovenian folk music – used to visit the hut as rumour had it that there were a lot of pretty girls there! And it turned out to be true, since Tone and Maria met and later married, and Slavko Avsenik even played at their wedding!

Grandmother Maria (second from left) doing washing at the Roblek dom mountain hut

A particularly amusing tale is that of Grandad Tone and his golf ‘caddy’ Grol. Tone didn’t start to play golf until he was 62, when, due to his weak heart he gave up hunting as well as skiing and golf became a form of relaxation and enjoyment.

As the doctors had instilled in him that he must strictly avoid all forms of exertion, for some time Tone thought about how he could lighten the load of carrying his heavy golf clubs from one hole to the next and he hit on the idea that his faithful companion Grol could help!

Uncle Ivan made Grol a special trolley for transporting Tone’s golf clubs, and Grol adapted really well to his role as ‘caddy’.

Maja’s father Toni regularly went on exchange to Switzerland to “learn from the best”. It was there that he learnt skills from one of the most well known Swiss patisserie chefs, Hans van den Klinkenberg, in Hotel Eden in Lugano. Toni brought all the tricks and secrets he learnt from the patisserie chef to Kunstelj Inn’s kitchen, which led to Kunstelj’s strudels, pies, ice-cream and other cakes soon gaining a reputation as the best desserts in Gorenjska.

Like her father, Maja also has a passion for desserts and, also like her father, she went to Austria to learn her patisserie skills. Her role model, who she met on one of her culinary travels, is Lea Linser; at that time Lea was running an acclaimed restaurant in Luxembourg and was the first ‘tv chef’ on German television. To this day Maja turns to Lea’s cookery books for inspiration for her signature desserts.

Some year’s back Maja created the first Kunstelj ‘grizike’ (cake pops), which later became – and still are – one of the star attractions of the Radovljica Chocolate Festival!

You can also visit during the time of Slovenian Restaurant Week, which takes place twice per year for 10 days in autumn and spring, when you can take advantage of a 3-course menu for just 19 euros per person, the next edition will take place from 11th – 20th October (note: the website is currently only available in English, but menus will soon also be available in English and by next year the entire website too – working on that one too!).

Kunstelj Inn is also part of Taste Radol’ca and for the whole month of November all nine participating Taste Radol’ca restaurants offer special menus based on local ingredients also for a set price of 19 euros  per person.

So, now you know (some of) Kunstelj Inn’s history, why not visit to find out (and taste!) more!

© Adele in Slovenia

Magušar’s House – An Aladdin’s Cave of Clay!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Food, Gostilna Kunstelj, ifeelsLOVEnia, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

The fruits of the first year of a three year project titled ‘Catalogue of Slovenian Clay‘ are being unveiled today in an exhibition at Radovljica’s Magušar’s House. The official opening of the exhibition begins today at 7pm, so you’ve still got time to get along, but if you don’t make it, don’t worry, the exhibition will be on view until the end of the summer (entrance is free, however, prior notice is required).

Photo: Miran Kambič

For the owner of the house and initiator of the project, Urban Magušar, clay isn’t merely a raw material from which he has been creating for decades – it is his life. “Those that work with clay all the time, are in touch with the origin of the universe”, said Urban in a recent blog post (the English version of the brand new website is coming soon!) for Tourism Radol’ca.

The current finds of Slovenian clay are shown on the map below. Incidentally, is often said that Slovenia, when viewed as a whole on a map, is shaped like a chicken. Do you agree?

After coming up with the idea, Urban set about contacting ceramists throughout Slovenia and over 100 samples were brought to the workshop in Magušar’s House where they were tested for basic physical properties: contraction, porosity, colour and granulation and heated to temperatures of 800-1,300˚C to determine the temperature range of sintering and melting.

Below you can see Urban in his ‘Aladdin’s cave of clay’!

Being a total clay ‘virgin’ it was fascinating to see all the different kinds of clay and how they react and change when heated and treated.

The artist and ceramist Živa Slavec explained to me about the different characteristics of the clays, for example, those from the Gorenjska are lighter in colour as there is more limestone, whereas those from the flat lands in Slovenia’s north-east are darker in colour and also more easy to locate and access.

Magušar House in itself is also worth a look, with its arcaded gothic courtyard, dating from c.1500, and pottery workshop where you can buy Magušar bowls and other pottery items. Occasional exhibitions, workshops and other events are also held there.

You can also find Magušar bowls being used in some of the Taste Radol’ca restaurants, where the focus on local food is further enhanced by serving it in local bowls made just minutes away – certainly no food miles involved here!

Taste Radol’ca at Gostilna Kunstelj

The Visit Radol’ca website has more information about Magusar’s House and the other historic houses in Radovljica’s old town, Taste Radol’ca restaurants, as well as plenty more information on what else to see and do in the town and its surroundings.

Do go and take a look, it sets you thinking and you will probably never look at a clay bowl the same way again!

© Adele in Slovenia

Taste Radol’ca at Spring Restaurant Week – The Tastiest Week of Spring!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Food, Food Tours in Slovenia, Gostilna Kunstelj, ifeelsLOVEnia, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Radovljica Chocolate Festival, Restaurants, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Taste Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

After the past bitterly cold week, which saw temperatures plummet to around minus 20 and even lower for consecutive days, and the seemingly endless snowfall during the month of February (18 days of snow out of 28), spring can’t come soon enough, believe me!

And a sure sign of spring, other than warmer temperatures (still waiting for those!) and spring flowers (currently buried under metres of snow!) is Spring Restaurant Week!

Restaurant Week takes place bi-annually, in spring and in autumn, and makes dining at some of Slovenia’s finest restaurants accessible and affordable to all.

Photo: Žan Lebe,

All restaurants that are part of Restaurant Week are assessed and have to meet strict criteria to be included, therefore, the fact that there are three Taste Radol’ca restaurants included in the 19 restaurants in northern Slovenia, is a sure testament to the quality of Taste Radol’ca.

This year 101 restaurants are taking part in Spring Restaurant Week and from 16th – 25th March will offer fixed menus for just €18 per person. Reservations are essential, and many of the restaurants get booked up early, so don’t delay, book today!

Photo: Dean Dubokovic

Kunstelj Inn in Radovljica is known for its solid, traditional Slovenian food. Much of the inn’s produce comes from its own garden and from the local farm shop 18sedem3, which stocks a wide range of produce and products from local farms and other producers.

Two three-course menus are available for Restaurant Week, including main dishes such as oat risotto with smoked trout, baked lemon and sunflower seeds, or roast chicken with red cabbage strudel and apple.

Photo: Žiga Intihar

Photo: Žiga Intihar

Vila Podvin in Mošnje is one of Slovenia’s finest restaurants, winner of the 2017 Slovenian Restaurant Awards ‘Best Restaurant in Northern Slovenia’ and a member of the Jeunes Restaurateurs. Head chef Uroš Štefelin puts a modern twist on Slovenian food with a focus on local and seasonal ingredients and has created ‘His’ and ‘Hers’ three-course menus for Restaurant Week.

Restaurant Lambergh, part of Chateau Lambergh and Hotel, is in the midst of the countryside in the hamlet of Dvorska vas, yet is within minutes of Radovjlica. The hotel restaurant is open to the public and overlooks the beautiful Renaissance Chateau Lambergh. For Restaurant Week, head chef Grega Rozman has created two three-course menus – one meat-based and the other fish-based.

Of course, if you don’t make it for Spring Restaurant Week there’s always Autumn Restaurant Week, and you can also Taste Radol’ca year-round a the nine participating restaurants – apart from the three above, the others are Gostilna Avguštin, Gostilna Tavčar, Gostilna Lectar, Joštov hram, Gostišče Draga, and Gostišče Tulipan.

Taaste Radol’ca will also be cooking up delights at multiple events such as the Radovljica Chocolate Festival (20th-22nd April), the Month of Local Cuisine (the whole month of November), Refreshing Thursdays in the Square (live concerts and street food every Thursday evening in July), or join me for a Taste Radol’ca Food Tour.

I’m looking forward to some good grub to banish the winter blues – cheers to that I say!

 

© Adele in Slovenia

 

The Festive and Tasty Season in Radovljica 2017

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, adeleinslovenia, Christmas, Food, Gostilna Kunstelj, ifeelsLOVEnia, Mošnje, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Restaurants, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

 

What at a tasty month November has been, thanks to Taste Radol’ca, and what an exciting festive month December promises to be, too!

I haven’t managed to visit all the nine participating Taste Radol’ca restaurants, thus far at least, though there is still time until the end of November! Those that I have visited, however, have mighty impressed me with their local, seasonal and creative menus. It is also a bonus knowing that eating Taste Radol’ca food supports local farmers and other small food producers, since the focus of Taste Radol’ca is on local food, thus it’s a win-win all round.

Taste Radol’ca 2017 at Gostišče Draga

Although November is drawing to a close, you can still Taste Radol’ca throughout the year. Some of the participating restaurants have special bee symbols on their menus denoting Taste Radol’ca dishes, whilst others, such as Vila Podvin and Gostilna Kunstelj, strive to ensure that menus are seasonal, using the best available local and seasonal products. Read more about Taste Radol’ca here – http://www.radolca.si/en/what-to-do/events-1/taste-radolca-2017/83/394/

December in Radovjlica also promises to begin on a tasty note when the festive season kicks-off on 2nd December at 4.30pm with the switching-on of the Christmas lights, the opening of the Advent Market (10am – 7pm), a show by Čupakabra including juggling, stilt-walking and a circus workshop (5pm) and the simultaneous closing event of this year’s Taste Radol’ca (5pm-8pm) with street food and a concert by the band Kontrabant (6pm-8pm).

The small Advent Market in Linhart Square – the heart of the old town centre – will be open on 22nd, 25th, 26th and 29th December from 12noon – 7pm, the 2nd and 23rd December from 10am-7pm, the 3rd and 24th December from 10am-5pm, the 27th and 28th December from 3pm-8pm, and the 30th December from 10am-8pm.

Other events taking place during the festive season include a street show for children on 23rd December (10am-11am) and on the same day children can take a ride on a ‘fairytale’ horse with the Sitar ranch (11am-3pm) in front of the church in Linhart Square.

On Christmas Eve there will be an acrobatic performance by Acromantix (11am), and a visit by the festive Bernese mountain dogs with the Papy dog bakery (11.30am-1pm).

On Christmas Day take a stroll to the old town centre (to walk off Christmas lunch!) where you can watch a performance by the Ana Snežna street theatre at 5pm, whilst the following day, Boxing Day, Čupakabra will perform at 5pm.

Children won’t want to miss a visit by Grandfather Frost (Dedek Mraz) and the children’s show ‘What has Grandfather Frost Brought?’ on Wednesday 27th December at 5pm in the Radovljica Mansion.

These are just some of the highlights of the festive season, for the full programme click here – http://www.radolca.si/en/what-to-do/events-1/festive-december-in-linhart-square/83/395/

 © Adele in Slovenia

 

 

NEW: Come Taste Radol’ca with Me!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, adeleinslovenia, Begunje, Food, Food Tours in Slovenia, Gostilna Kunstelj, ifeelsLOVEnia, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Restaurants, Slovenia, Taste Radol'ca, Taste Radol'ca Tours, Visit Radol'ca by

COME ON A TASTE RADOL’CA FOOD TOUR WITH ME!

I had been mulling over the idea of offering Taste Radol’ca Food Tours for quite some time, and now, at last, I’ve found the time to bring it to fruition!

Until now Taste Radol’ca had largely been concentrated on the main event – the month-long special menus and events in November. However, since all the restaurants offer special Taste Radol’ca dishes year-round, I figured why not open up the opportunity for visitors to Radovljica to also have the opportunity to Taste Radol’ca year-round.

So, I set about arranging a get-together with restaurant owners and acquainting them with my idea, which they were all very enthusiastic about, and getting my head together with Iva from Ljubljananjam, who offers food tours of Ljubljana http://www.ljubljananjam.si/ and, hey presto, Taste Radol’ca Tours is go!

Wine Tasting at the Sodček Wine Bar

A Taste Radol’ca Tour is for you if:

  • You’d like to find out more about Slovenian food and wine
  • You would like to see AND taste Radol’ca
  • You can’t decide which of the great Taste Radol’ca restaurants to try
  • You are short of time and would like to taste a bit of everything
  • You would like a local, native English guide to show you round and give you some insider knowledge
  • You just love eating and drinking!

Štruklji at Gostilna Kunstelj

I’ve put together 4 suggested itineraries, which you can see below. However, all tours can also be custom-made according to your wishes. So just get in touch and we’ll take it from there.

  • A Classic Taste of Radol’ca
  • Wine Lovers’ Tour
  • Music, Mountains and a Taste of Tradition
  • Honey and Chocolate Tour

Chef Uroš’ magnificent chocolate creation at Vila Podvin

For more information about the tours see the Taste Radol’ca Tours section of this site here https://adeleinslovenia.com/taste-radolca-tours/, where you can also find an enquiry form to complete.

So, come and taste the sunny side of the Alps with me and I look forward to meeting some (more) of the readers of my blog and showing you just how beautiful and tasty Radol’ca really is!

© Adele in Slovenia

 

 

Eat, Drink and Be Merry in Festive Radovljica!

Posted in adeleinslovenia, Christmas, Food, Gostilna Kunstelj, ifeelsLOVEnia, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Restaurants, Slovenia, Theme paths by

Word is rapidly spreading about how beautiful the Christmas decorations are this year in Linhart Square – the heart of the old town of Radovljica. If you haven’t visited yet, be sure to do so and find out why it’s the talk of the town, and further afield too!

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Photo: Miran Kambič (www.slovenia.info)

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are the best time to visit when there is a small Advent Market as well as live entertainment for all the family. The Advent Market is also open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (26th December), and on both days there are street performances at 5pm. For the full programme, click here – http://www.radolca.si/en/what-to-do/events-1/festive-december-in-linhart-square/83/395/

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Photo: Miran Kambič (www.slovenia.info)

And while you are here, why not take some time to Taste Radol’ca too!

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Kunstelj Inn’s famous cake pops with a Christmas twist!

Since it can be a little bit of a faff, or at least I think so, trying to find out which restaurants are/aren’t open and when during the festive season, I decided to take it upon myself to do the hard work and compile all the information in one place i.e. here! So below is a full list – or rather of those that responded to my request for information. Note: restaurants are open as usual in the period between Christmas and New Year, unless otherwise stated below.

Gostilna Avguštin – 24.12: 9am-6pm, 25.12: Closed, 31.12: 9am-6pm, 1.1: 12noon-8pm

Gostilna Kunstelj – 24.12: 12noon-3pm, 25.12: 12noon-10pm, 30.12 open as usual + 6pm-8pm Cocktail Party, 31.12: 12noon-5pm + 7pm-10pm New Year’s Dinner (reservations required)

Gostišče Draga – 24.12: 11am-3pm, 25.12: 10am-6pm, 26.12: 10am-6pm, 27.12: Closed, 28/29.12: 11am-9pm, 30.12: 11am-10pm, 31.12: 10am-3pm, 1.1: 10am-6pm

Gostišče Tulipan – 24.12+25.12: Closed, 31.12: Open + New Year’s Dinner (reservations required)

Lectar Inn – Open daily throughout the year from 9am – 10pm

Vila Podvin* – 24.12: 12noon-5pm, 25.12: 12noon-5pm, 31.12 Open + New Year’s Dinner (reservations required), 1.1: 12noon-5pm

Joštov Hram – 24.12: 9am-5pm, 25/26.12: Closed, 27-30.12: 9am-10pm, 31.12: 9am-5pm, 1/2.1: Closed

* If you haven’t the time, or the will, to rustle up a gourmet home-cooked Christmas lunch, this year Vila Podvin is offering a fully-prepared takeaway version of their Christmas lunch. You could even pretend you made it yourself! More information and the full menu can be found on the Vila Podvin Facebook page (see the post, in both Slovene and English, dated 6th December).

vila-podvin-xmas-dinner-to-go

So, armed with information about what events are taking place, as well as information about restaurant opening times, there are now no excuses not to visit Radovljica this festive season! What are you waiting for?!

© Adele in Slovenia