
January in Zagreb became more exciting with the new winter menu at Le Bistro
For those struggling through the winter months, the diverse range of flavours on the new menu at Esplanade’s Le Bistro will surely bring some warmth and brightness to the cold days in Zagreb.
Wagyu Japanese beef tartare with truffle brioche, slow-cooked pork shank croquette, foie gras mousse with gingerbread cracker, raviolo filled with rabbit ragout, warm-cold lobster salad with marinated pumpkin, swordfish carpaccio in coffee marinade, creamy celery and fennel soup with smoked salmon lollipop, wild sea bass fillet with poached cauliflower, or duck leg confit with roasted apple purée are just some of the irresistible options on the à la carte menu that will entice you to visit Le Bistro this winter.
Familiar flavours, appealing combinations and new interesting forms – this is how Esplanade’s Chef Ana Grgić Tomić describes Le Bistro’s new winter menu.
The warm atmosphere, Parisian chic, friendly staff and tempting menu at Le Bistro have been attracting many local and foreign guests for years. They sincerely appreciate not only enjoying real comfort food dishes but also the new flavours brought to the plate by Esplanade’s Chef, known for her culinary creativity and aesthetics.
Among the appetizers this time, Ana included wagyu tartare which is prepared from a very specific cut of meat. “Marbled in fat, the meat of the prized Japanese beef is aromatic, tender and very tasty. That’s why we prepare it in the form of raw tartare combined with truffle brioche that we make ourselves and serve with shallots and roasted baby salad. However, wagyu tartare is nothing like classic beef tartare. While as many as 12 spices go into steak tartare, we only add salt and pepper to wagyu to bring out its great creaminess and aromatic meat”, Ana added.
Seafood lovers will surely be delighted by the swordfish carpaccio in an intriguing version in a lemon, coffee and olive oil marinade, accompanied by Brussels sprouts and a black garlic tuile. “Lemon juice is quite minimal in carpaccio, so I decided to experiment a little. The combination of coffee and olive oil adds a unique flavour to the meat. In this dish, the coffee helps create a perfect balance between the richness of the swordfish and its freshness, while the black garlic intensifies the flavour”, said the Chef.
As a kind of favourite among appetizers, Ana recommends the hot and cold lobster salad with marinated pumpkin and orange pulp, as well as a chestnut and curd gnudo. “Pumpkin is a food that is available during colder days, and when combined with lobster, it creates a unique flavour sensation. To make use of all parts of the ingredients, we prepare a velouté sauce using the pumpkin and lobster shell, along with the addition of orange. This combination gives the dish a unique and velvety flavour”, Ana emphasises and adds: „I believe that gnudo will become a real hit. Gnudi are associated with gnocchi, but they are much lighter. In this menu, I prepare them using a blend of ricotta cheese and roasted chestnut cream. I start by roasting the chestnuts, turning them into a cream, mixing it with ricotta cheese, and seasoning it with just salt and herbs. I then press this mixture onto flour, let it sit overnight, and shape it into balls that I ultimately cook – absolutely divine.”
Le Bistro’s winter menu wouldn’t be complete without a hearty soup. This time, Ana has crafted a special combination that brings true delight to the table and warms both the soul and body: she paired a creamy celery and fennel soup with a smoked salmon lollipop. “Fennel and celery pair wonderfully with salmon, which highlights the freshness of fennel and its distinct menthol undertones. A playful dish that I believe anyone eager for new and interesting flavours will enjoy”, Ana said.
Among the main courses, special attention is given to the smoked cuttlefish strips, prepared by Ana and her team in a unique way. “I only use fresh cuttlefish, cutting it into thin strips and smoking it with cherry or walnut wood. Cuttlefish strips are smoked for five to ten minutes, depending on the desired intensity of smoke. Cuttlefish is a simple food, but its flavour becomes more interesting and richer with a hint of smoke. I serve the strips with bean cream, kale salad, date vinaigrette, and fried sweet potatoes”, explains the Chef. Among the main dishes, Ana also recommends the oven-crisped pie with venison and porcini ragout, wild sea bass fillet with caramelised chicory and poached cauliflower, and beef steak with chestnut and honey cream.
The menu also includes the unmissable classic dishes such as oven-crisped štrukli, Caesar salad, oven-crisped French onion soup, and the tempting Wiener Schnitzel with mashed potatoes. Desserts from Esplanade’s patisserie perfectly round out the entire dining experience at Le Bistro. Part of the tempting selection includes almond streusel with orange cream and almonds, as well as an unusual beetroot and dark chocolate sponge cake that perfectly complements the yoghurt and sour cherry mousse.
Le Bistro also offers a Daily Menu (Menu du Jour) for €42. This includes a daily fresh three-course meal selected by the Chef, a glass of house wine, and coffee or tea. The daily menu is served every day from 12:00 to 17:00. The selection of chilled wines and sparkling wines available by the glass enhances the enjoyment of flavours. Feel free to ask the service staff for recommendations. For the best start to the day, Le Bistro also offers à la carte breakfast from 9:00 to 11:00. Some of the dishes that will warm you up and fill you with energy for the rest of the day include eggs Benedict on warm brioche, toast with avocado cream, poached egg and fried bacon, oatmeal with cinnamon and honey, or American pancakes.
Le Bistro is open every day from 9:00 to 23:00 (the kitchen is open until 22:30), and reservations are made by phone at 01 45 666 11 or by email at [email protected]. You can find more information at the Le Bistro website.
If you want to surprise a loved one, your family or business partner with an experience at Le Bistro, we recommend purchasing a digital gift voucher. It will surely make an excellent gift and a culinary delight. Find more information at this web site: Gift Voucher – Esplanade Zagreb.
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ABOUT EXECUTIVE CHEF ANA GRGIĆ TOMIĆ
Ana Grgić Tomić, the leading lady of the Esplanade kitchen, started her culinary career at the hotel 25 years ago and has been at the helm of Zinfandel’s Restaurant – one of the best restaurants in Croatia – for more than twelve years. She also oversees the charming French restaurant Le Bistro and successfully manages Esplanade Catering. Her innovative and creative menus have amazed numerous guests and famous people from the world of showbiz and entertainment, members of royal families such as King Charles, world statespeople, and many more. Ana has received a number of accolades for her personality, excellence, and style of cooking. Prestigious publications have nominated her for woman of the year and person of the year. Her risotto was included in the famous Guida Gallo guide’s list of the best risottos in the world in 2013, 2016, and 2022. Ana’s style of preparing dishes and her personality have led her to participate as a jury member in the popular TV cooking shows Celebrity MasterChef and Three, Two, One – Cook!. In addition, Ana proudly bears the title of ambassador for the Fish Forward Project in Croatia within the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) initiative, setting an example for raising consumer awareness of the global environmental and social consequences of the consumption of fishery products. Ana was one of the first in Croatia to introduce into the hotel business, in collaboration with the WWF, the Food Waste program. Her principles of sustainable food preparation brought to the Zinfandel’s restaurant a prestigious Green Michelin star. In 2022, Ana was crowned Chef of the Year as selected by the guide Gault&Millau Croatia, while in 2016 she was awarded the title of Great Chef of Tomorrow. In 2023, at the European Hotel Awards ceremony in Barcelona, the World Gastronomy Organisation presented Anna with the special Étoile Blanche Award, while Zinfandel’s was awarded as Best European Hotel Restaurant. Her culinary virtuosity and creativity have been recognised by the gourmet association Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, which awarded Ana the prestigious title of Chef Rôtisseur. Throughout her years of working at the hotel, Ana had the opportunity to collaborate with numerous foreign chefs awarded with Michelin stars from France, Italy, Israel, Korea, Austria, and is a regular guest with her team at top restaurants abroad, thus representing the very top of Croatian gastronomy.
Published: 9. January 2025