Zinfandel's brings a collection of new signature sensations created by Executive Chef Ana Grgić Tomić

09/05/2024

Zinfandel’s brings a collection of new signature sensations created by Executive Chef Ana Grgić Tomić

King crab claws, fennel flower, roasted rapini broccoli buds, young nettle, fresh Adriatic shrimp, coconut, truffle, roasted melon, lobster ragout, monkfish fillet, spring goat, eggplant confit, roasted lion’s mane mushroom, caramelised corn cream, dehydrated white chocolate with matcha powder, mint, raspberry – these are only a part of the new menu where Chef Ana Grgić Tomić, with great attention, combines selected and fresh premium ingredients into fantastic dishes that will make you want to visit Zinfandel’s, a restaurant which was awarded a green Michelin Star.

The Esplanade’s renowned Chef Ana Grgić Tomić has just launched a new edition of the à la carte menu that will certainly entice you with its fresh seasonal ingredients, her special style, and exciting blends that bring to Zagreb a touch of the Mediterranean.

This charming chef has on numerous occasions been awarded for her culinary virtuosity and creativity, with her most recent award standing out in particular: the Étoile Blanche by Organisation Mondiale de la Gastronomie, presented at the European Hotel Awards 2023 award ceremony in Barcelona. Despite this, the modest Ana always honestly admits that her favourite part of the job is working in the kitchen, preparing meals, and designing new menus with her team of chefs.

“Carefully selected ingredients are blended into interesting combinations that bring to the plate attractive textures, gorgeous colours, and surprising flavours – this is what I was primarily guided by when designing the new menu. I must admit, there was no lack of inspiration, especially because I associate this time of year with the awakening of nature, but also because of my creative streak, which helps me fully transpose my imagination onto the plate. I work closely with excellent local suppliers who send us only the best ingredients, so preparing new dishes is always a special pleasure. While designing new courses, I tried to use seasonal ingredients. We prepare a part of them in our own workshop with special preparation techniques“ said Chef Ana Grgić Tomić and added that she pays great attention to sustainability, maximum ingredient usability, flavour symphony, and meal presentation, for which she has carefully chosen plate design and colour.

“In the new menu, I would make a special mention of the king crab claws, a fantastic course that in combination with apple and celery juice with pea mousse and matcha tea provides a combination of intense flavours. In addition, there is also delicious lobster ragout, where the lobster is prepared very simply, in order to preserve the original taste. I rounded off the story with home-made pasta that we make in our kitchen, and I added dried tomato powder and coriander leaves. “In addition to main ingredients, fresh spices such as rosemary, basil, mint, and chilli pepper, which we carefully nurture during spring and summer in our garden at the Oleander Terrace, are particularly important for preparing meals, while other fresh herbs such as nettle, wild garlic, acacia, and elderberry are grown for us by a family farm, which we can always rely on.”

Catering to guests’ needs, Ana likes to highlight vegetarian meal options, saying that “truffle and goat cheese creamy croquette with roasted shallot gel and added fresh truffle is something that I believe many will like, particularly because fresh goat milk comes from a local family farm and gives the meal a truly excellent aroma. There is another very interesting dish that is definitely worth trying if you are a fan of veggie options – roasted rapini broccoli buds with béarnaise and panko crumbs and brown butter crumble as well as confit tomatoes marinated with vanilla and tonka syrup along with tomato sorbet, fennel flower, olive oil, and asparagus jelly.”

Ana’s award-winning risotto, which in 2022 was listed in the famous gourmet guide Guida Gallo that celebrates the best risotto around the world – this season got a new green version complete with young nettle, fresh Adriatic shrimps with citrus fruits, and coconut gel. “The whole process of preparing food is very specific. I use young nettles to make a fine cream, which I mix into a juicy risotto in the end, while at the same time I prepare nettle tempura, which in the end takes on a perfect note of herbiness and crispness. Along with shrimps carefully marinated in fresh citrus juice, this nutritionally rich dish will surely be a popular choice on the new menu,” underlined the Chef.

For a true taste of the sea, there is poached sole with lemongrass mousse and zucchini flower, and monkfish fillet with timut pepper combined with parsnips roasted in their skin, and marinated with honey and orange.

Ana has composed spring asparagus into a fine creamy soup that, with the addition of goat cheese, becomes an irresistibly hearty dish. Also in high demand is the crab bisque with smoked mussels and garlic cream, which is slowly becoming an Esplanade classic, others of which include hand-chopped steak tartare, which is prepared before guests from the best parts of meat and selected spices, then sea bass roasted in salt which is a specialty in itself, particularly among foreign guests, while there are also creamy Istrian fuži with truffles, and the iconic Esplanade štrukli roasted in cream, also served in a gluten-free version.

Wagyu Entrecôte no. 4 will delight fans of steaks, considering the specificity of this kind of beef, while in Ana’s new menu it comes with young leek confit, creamy potatoes, and pickled mustard. In addition, there is juicy beef steak with delicious port sauce, roasted lion’s mane marinated with soy and sesame, while a special delicacy is the spring goat, marinated with herbs and whey, with eggplant and crispy artichokes.

The dessert menu is the sweetest note in story about the gastronomic experience of Zinfandel’s restaurant. This time, creative dessert menu, created by Pastry Chef Mirjana Špoljar, brings sweet combinations of mango, chocolate, cereals, yoghurt, lime, while a select favourite that will delight many is the tempting basil sponge cake with dehydrated raspberries and raspberry and aceto caramel. If you are more inclined to chocolate flavours, order from the sweet menu the flexi chocolate ganache with caramelised cereals and mango cream. The refined aroma of mango is blended with white chocolate, which is why few will be able to resist this sweet combination. If you just want to refresh your palate, venture into the rhapsody of ice-cold combinations and choose our yoghurt and lime ice cream with the irresistible aroma of fresh raspberries, mint, and basil. It should be mentioned that no desserts on the new menu should contain gluten and that they are all suitable for a vegetarian diet.

For the full experience, our sommelier will gladly select the best wines and sparkling wines from Croatia and the world that will perfectly round off your fine dining experience. Indulge in the unforgettable atmosphere of the Zinfandel’s restaurant, and during warm days plan to dine in the magical atmosphere of the Oleander Terrace, which offers an enchanting view of the city. Combined with Ana’s innovative courses and charming and professional staff, Zinfandel’s has been offering a supreme culinary experience for many years.

The à la carte offer is available at Zinfandel’s every day for lunch and dinner from 12:30 pm to 11 pm. On Sundays, from 12:30 to 3 pm, Zinfandel’s serves traditional brunch at a price of €65 per person (drink not included), while a sumptuous breakfast buffet and à la carte breakfast is served daily from 6 to 11 am. Book your table simply and easily online through the OpenTable application, by phone at 01 4566 644, or by email at [email protected].

Zinfandel’s pays special attention to guests’ specific dietary needs, which is why dishes prepared according to halal standards, vegetarian dishes, and gluten-free dishes are specially marked. You can find more information at: www.zinfandels.hr, @zinfandelsrestaurant.

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