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January Tradition

The Unmissable Esplanade Štrukli Days at Le Bistro

The special offer includes two portions of štrukli for only €16 (HRK 120,55), and is available

until 31 January 2023.

 

In January, one unmissable culinary destination is certainly the iconic Le Bistro at Zagreb’s Esplanade Hotel, which traditionally hosts the Days of Esplanade Štrukli for guests.

 

Guests simply adore our štrukli, which have become hugely popular over the years, even beyond the borders of Croatia. Some foreign guests even come to Zagreb only to enjoy this dish. The štrukli are delicious and tasty, simply irresistible, and they find their way onto the menu of almost every important celebration and anniversary. January is the ideal time, and true hedonists have been contacting us for days to book their table and indulge in this perfect comfort food, with which we usually recommend a glass of premium or sparkling wine”, said Le Bistro’s Manager Ivan Trbušić.

 

Esplanade štrukli are hand made with just a few fresh ingredients, according to the same tried and tested recipe, one over half a century old, which is why they are especially valued. Štrukli are made daily at the hotel’s pastry shop and are synonymous with the tradition and quality of the local gourmet offer. The dough is kneaded and stretched across the entire table until it becomes paper-thin. It is then filled with fresh cheese, and the štrukli are shaped with a thin porcelain plate, to then be steamed, carefully placed in a ceramic dish, topped with fine cream, and crisped in the oven until golden brown. Guests consume them as an appetizer, as a main course with a pinch salt, or as a dessert with sugar. “We serve štrukli to our guests for breakfast along with other local products such as Drniš prosciutto, Pag Island cheese, home-made cracklings, olive oil, and local sparkling wine from Plešivica. They are the most delicious part of almost every important event, disappearing in no time. However, it is the iconic Le Bistro which has the strongest link with this specialty,” said Executive Chef of the Esplanade’s kitchen Ana Grgić Tomić.

 

This traditional speciality from the Croatian Zagorje region, created in a hilly landscape of picturesque pastures and fields, has earned its undisputed place in the culinary selection of the Esplanade Hotel from the very beginning. Štrukli were first prepared at the Esplanade Hotel back in 1951, and it all started with the idea to offer visitors and international guests at gala festivities something appealing, authentic, and taste-tested, from different Croatian regions. The chefs recognised the value of national dishes as the most attractive invitation for guests who like to enjoy local delicacies, and štrukli have ever since become a staple classic of each of the Esplanade’s menus. Making the journey from vernacular cuisine to elite restaurants, this delicious dish has reached the very top of the offer thanks to the fact that it is handmade, its quality, fresh ingredients, and place within local tradition. The Esplanade’s štrukli have also been tasted by numerous famous guests, including foreign dignitaries, members of royal families, athletes, actors, singers and others, who were never left indifferent to this traditional delicacy.

 

The special offer of the Esplanade Štrukli Days lasts from 6 to 31 January 2023, and refers exclusively to consumption of two portions of oven-crisped štrukli in the restaurant Le Bistro at the promotional price of €16 (HRK 120,55). Each portion contains two pieces of štrukli. The regular price of one serving is €11.28 (HRK 85). The promotion does not apply to the purchase of frozen or take-out štrukli.

 

  • VIDEO: at this link you can view and download a video which shows how Esplanade štrukli are prepared (production: Šimun Šitum / Imhotep productions 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aage0dmCXF8
  • Photos can be downloaded here (Esplanade Hotel archive) Esplanade Štrukli
  • Contact for reservations at the Esplanade’s Le Bistro restaurant
  1. +385 (0)1 4566 611, E.[email protected], www.lebistro.hr

 

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Contact:                                                                                                       

Sanda Sokol, PR & Marketing Manager

  1. +385.1.4566.036, M. +385.91.4766.647, E. [email protected]

 

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About Executive Chef Ana Grgić Tomić

This experienced executive chef, and Chef of the Year 2022 according to the renowned Gault&Millau guide, has been running Zinfandel’s Restaurant, one of the best restaurants in Croatia, as well as the charming French restaurant Le Bistro and Esplanade Catering, for more than ten years. Ana pursues the tradition of the Esplanade Hotel’s cuisine while keeping up with world-class culinary trends. Her creative and imaginative menus have impressed many guests and celebrities over the past years, as well as members of royal families, such as the Swedish king and queen, the Japanese prince and princess, the prince of Saudi Arabia, the royal couple from Denmark, and many others who did not remain indifferent to Ana’s culinary ingenuity. 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, and the renowned Guida Gallo guide included her risotto among the 101 best risottos in the world in 2013, 2016, and 2022. Ana’s style of preparing dishes and her personality led her to participate in the popular TV cooking programme Celebrity MasterChef as a jury member. 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. The Gault&Millau guide awarded Ana the title of Great Chef of Tomorrow, specially emphasising her respect for the seasonality and quality of ingredients, as well as consistent and carefully refined dishes. Her culinary virtuosity and creativity have been recognised by the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs gourmet association, which awarded Ana the prestigious title of Chef Rôtisseur.

 

 

ABOUT LE BISTRO    

Since opening in 1986, Le Bistro immediately assumed an important place in the daily life of the city. For decades, it has been offering guests dishes typical of a bistro, and its elegance, simplicity, and trendy offer attract numerous local and international guests. In addition to the regularly updated à la carte menu, Le Bistro offers an à la carte breakfast, excellent coffee, tempting desserts, and a gourmet offer for take-out. The restaurant’s laid-back and relaxed experience is supplemented by free superfast wireless internet and the PressReader Hot Zone, with more than 7,000 newspapers and magazines.

 

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