Chef Ana Grgić Tomić brings a selection of fantastic dishes to the chic Le Bistro
Black quinoa and marinated pumpkin with honey, Adriatic scampi and fregola with chanterelles, carrot marmalade and yoghurt snow, croquette with duck confit, ravioli with smoked trout and curd, creamy corn soup with marinated shrimps, pear, blue cheese, and pomegranate gel cream risotto, pork shoulder with dark beer and honey sauce, red porgy fillet with collard and Jerusalem artichoke – enticing seasonal ingredients in Ana’s creative combinations will delight even the pickiest of palates.
This popular gourmet place seems made for indulging in life’s small joys, and the selected range of wines and sparkling wines by the glass, its charming staff, and the new à la carte menu that emphasises the seasonal and the delicious – it all sounds like the perfect start to another calendar year.
The iconic Esplanade’s Le Bistro and the famous Zagreb hot spot invites true gourmet fans to plan their winter get-togethers in the warm atmosphere of Parisian chic, with new flavours and dishes from the à la carte menu created by Executive Chef Ana Grgić Tomić. “Le Bistro offers a unique and relaxed ambience, which is why the dishes I design are simple. I place emphasis on seasonal and available ingredients, their minimal processing so as to preserve all valuable nutrients, textures, colours, and flavours, on maximum usability, but also on interesting pairings that are attractive to both the eye and the palate,” emphasised Executive Chef Ana Grgić Tomić.
Let yourself be delighted by one of the tempting appetizers. Marinated sea bass in citrus fruit juice in combination with Brussels sprouts, red beets, and wasabi powder is a spicy combination of flavours that not many can resist. The trend of healthy ingredients brings to Ana’s menu gluten-free black quinoa, among other dishes, which this time comes paired with marinated pumpkin, roasted pumpkin cream, and candied pumpkin seeds, topped with feta cheese crumble and fried rosemary powder. “Besides the focus on seasonality, the intention is to create some vegetarian dishes, but in such a way that they are delicious and enticing to everyone. I believe this pumpkin dish will be an absolute hit, especially because I use all the ingredients to the fullest, which means we also have a zero-waste moment here, while I also prepare them in various ways and combine them to get an interesting and tasty dish.”
Fans of Mediterranean flavours will be delighted with the crostata with cream of sun-dried tomatoes and basil, with smoked anchovies and homemade arugula pesto, then Adriatic scampi enriched with fregola and chanterelle mushroom velouté, as well as scallops with a fine thick crab cream, served with carrot marmalade and yoghurt snow. “These dishes are a light introduction to what follows, while, for example, the crostata can be consumed on its own with a glass of wine or sparkling wine, enough to fill you up, and warm you up,“ says the Esplanade’s Chef.
Ana’s award-winning risotto – which in 2022 was also listed in the famous gourmet guide by Guida Gallo, which celebrates the best risottos around the world – this season gets a new creamy version complete with pears, blue cheese, and pomegranate gel, while traditional ravioli get their own twist with a combination of smoked trout and curd with perfectly juicy citrus fruit marmalade. “This season, we’re serving homemade ravioli with a delicious beurre blanc sauce that we cook with butter, cream, and wine, while we add citrus fruit marmalade precisely because it absorbs fat and adds freshness, for a perfect balance of flavours. At the end, we add tuna bottarga, more precisely dried roe, which we grate for the perfect aroma,” emphasised the Chef.
Winter days call for delicious hot meals, including creamy corn soup with marinated shrimps, crispy polenta, and chili aioli. Make sure you do not miss out on this soup. It tastes great, it is very nutritious, and will easily warm you up!
The new Le Bistro menu offers an excellent selection of meat and fish main courses. Turbot fillet, known for its specific delicate meat, comes paired with oven-roasted parmesan and herb cream, while the aromatic red porgy fillet pairs perfectly with collard greens, creamy Jerusalem artichoke, and turmeric and trout roe sauce. True meat lovers will enjoy the fantastic salted veal cutlet breaded in chili panko crumbs with caramelised shallots and chestnuts, but also the unmissable beefsteak with buckwheat and mushroom ragout. As a special recommendation, the Chef spotlights slow-cooked pork shoulder which is served with mini scones made of cornmeal, dark beer and honey sauce with the addition of black beans, creamy avocado, and coriander oil.
In addition to appetizers and main dishes, the new Le Bistro menu also brings a collection of amazingly tasty desserts, which should definitely round off any lunch or dinner. Fans of French pâtisserie will enjoy the perfectly creamy and crunchy dark chocolate crème brûlée with a special technique of candying chestnuts in brown butter, cinnamon, and anise, with mulled wine curd. The irresistible orange and honey mousse with caramelised apples and almond cream is simply a must-try. As a special recommendation, the Esplanade’s Pastry Chef Mirjana Špoljar singles out brownie with dark chocolate and fine chocolate cream flavoured with cherries and anise. Carob sponge cake with mascarpone namelaka and caramelised quince hits the sweet spot among new dessert symphonies.
In addition to the new à la carte offer, Le Bistro also offers a taste-tested collection of indispensable classics such as steak tartare, the French classic – soupe à l’oignon, Caesar salad, and famous Viennese steak with creamy potatoes. This iconic Zagreb bistro is also known for its legendary oven-crisped Esplanade štrukli, which also come in a gluten-free version, but also a frozen one, so you can enjoy the štrukli at home.
At Le Bistro, you can start your day with a tempting à la carte breakfast and a selection that includes crispy toast with fine avocado cream, poached egg and fried pancetta, followed by a vegetable omelette or the delicious eggs Benedict, served on a hot brioche with butter, and freshly squeezed juice. There is also delectable French toast with honey and orange marmalade, as well as pancakes with berries and maple syrup. Breakfast is served every day from 9 to 11 a.m.
The permanent offer of Le Bistro includes the Daily Menu (Menu du Jour) with three courses of fresh dishes chosen daily by the Chef, accompanied by a glass of Krauthaker house wine and coffee or tea for only EUR 34. The Daily Menu is offered every day from 12 noon to 5 p.m. Complement your meal at Le Bistro with a glass of premium wine and chilled sparkling wine or champagne, about which the helpful staff will be happy to give you a recommendation.
Le Bistro is open every day from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. (the kitchen is open until 10:30 p.m.), and reservations are made by phone at 01 45 666 11 or by email at [email protected]. You can find more information at the website www.lebistro.hr. Le Bistro provides superfast free Wi-Fi and viewing of the à la carte menu with faithful photos of dishes in the Esplanade’s app.
Ana’s attitude to gastronomy, a young and charming team of chefs and waiters, and the pleasant and relaxed ambience of Le Bistro are reasons enough to spend time enjoying tantalising dishes and fine desserts in the heart of the city.
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Photos (Archive of Esplanade Zagreb Hotel): Novi menu Le Bistro 1-2024
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