In advance: During the holiday season, you should call ahead (from 4 p.m.) and make a reservation. This restaurant is currently fully booked a week in advance - and with good reason. A restaurant specializing in fresh fish and seafood. You don't go here to eat cevapcici or a pizza. I recently stayed here with my son and our dog. We were treated in a very friendly manner, the dog was immediately given a bowl of water - in general dogs are not really a problem in Croatia. We took advice and took the mixed appetizers of fish and seafood followed by a fish platter from the grill. We were thrilled with the various starters, 7 or 8 bowls, including fish carpaccio, and there was half a liter of house white wine and a bottle of mineral water and a coke for my son. The main course consisted of grilled sea bream, grilled redfish and grilled squid/calamari. As a side dish, chard was served with potatoes. Everything very, very tasty. We are both good eaters and we were full. For dessert we got a Sicilian candy specialty - which pushed our stomach capacity to the limit. Conclusion: We were impressed by the quality, you get decent portions and are treated in a friendly manner - what more could you ask for? You can't expect bargains with this quality, we paid 86 euros - but didn't regret a cent of it. In complete contrast to a nearby restaurant that also specializes in fish, which we also tested, see my other reviews. Unfortunately, it was no longer possible for us to reserve the Batelina afterwards, since, as mentioned at the beginning, it was already fully booked for a week - a pity. Totally recommended but you have to be lucky...
Read moreThis is a destination restaurant if you are anywhere on the Istrian peninsula. The owner/ chef fishes every day in his boat and you get what he catches. But it is about more than fresh fish. He is a great cook. Appetizers were varied , well balanced and delicious, and the charge about 12 euros a person. Pasta top notch, also made in house. We especially enjoyed the parsnip ravioli with chunked tuna in sauce. The waitstaff will show you the catch of the day. We chose scallops. We asked for 2 glasses of the house red, and the waiter said, "I'll bring you a 1/4 which is about the same" and indeed this small carafe was about 2 glasses, but priced cheaper. Waitstaff was so friendly. We also had a great table in the second room right next to the fire, which at the end of October was special. Tips : make reservations as 90% of their tables are reserved in advance. Our hotel called one day in advance for us; we were there in low season however so not sure this will always work.
August: closed because the fish are too far out at sea for their small fishing boat.
Jan: 3 weeks closed because "all the locals are skiing"
While you can order off a menu here, it is much more fun to trust the waiter, and the prices are so reasonable doing so isn't scary. Our 3 courses + wine+ one dessert =90Euros. If that is not in your price range, I think you can either check out the menu before going in, or just tell your waiter what your limit is and ask for suggestions.
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Read moreTrusting the very good rate of this place, we have made our experience at Batelina. Food is for sure fresh and directly brought by the daily fishing, which was very tasty and really great. The rest.. TOTAL RUBBISH. The service, in particular. We were worried about the little time available (1h 30m) to eat starter, first and second dish. We have been told there was enough time to go through. The result: service did not start the first dish in time, we waited 25 minutes, getting in the end, just the time to finish it and heating the waiter saying 'our kitchen has been already cleaned', at 21:20, 10 minutes earlier. In a fish restaurant we have seen barely fish. Congratulations. Last and not least, a very good price in the end, the equivalent of 61 euros, for one tiny starter (good for one person only - costing 160kn), and two first plates. That's it. 60kn in addition for a carpaccio we never asked for. Prices for a 'novelle cuisine' restaurant and I am very sorry that this was not specified while reading ratings on Google Maps. Well, feel free to read the cost of this place, BEFORE thinking to come here. EDIT: just forgetting to mention that you cannot use cards to pay. They say 'to accept any kind of cash'. I wonder if they declare their revenue to...
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