Restaurant Mimoza – Dubrovnik, Croatia

Restaurant Mimoza was a nice change from pizza and pasta. Photo: Mimoza

Food in Dubrovnik was disappointing. It was all rather mediocre. I’d had good luck finding cool places to drink, but when it came to supper the city just wasn’t cutting it. Maybe I was eating at the wrong restaurants. Maybe it’s all just geared towards the never ending stream of cruise ship passengers who prefer familiar foods. On my fourth night in town I took myself outside the Old Town walls to Restaurant Mimoza. I was craving anything that wasn’t pizza or pasta.

Mimoza is a large restaurant in Dubrovnik able to seat upwards of 300 guests, located 100 meters west of the Pile Gate. It doesn’t have any outdoor seating but they do their best to make you feel as if you’re eating on a covered terrace. Ceiling fans continuously move the air around and the smell of the grill reminded me of camping cookouts and bbqs. While they had no coveted view of the city walls there is a large fresco on one wall depicting the famous scene.

While the atmosphere was pleasant, my first impression was sliding towards negative when they wouldn’t serve me a glass of tap water. This isn’t all that unusual in Croatia but still bugged me. 12 kuna ($2.20) for sparking water it was. I’d also heard that the bread and pate they bring you pre-meal usually isn’t free so I waived it away when the waiter brought it over. He seemed utterly confused and took away the pate but left the bread. I stared at it. How much was it? I didn’t want to ask and look like a tool. How much could bread possibly be? “Screw it. I’m going to eat the warm grilled carby goodness and enjoy it.” I’d worked up an appetite kayaking and was hungry.

Bacon wrapped pork served with chunky applesauce, potatoes and vegetables.

The menu was all reasonably priced with not a pizza or pasta dish in sight. I chose the bacon wrapped pork tenderloin and wasn’t disappointed. The apple sauce was chunky and sweet. There was a different taste on it though and it took me half the meal to realize that it had been made with mustard. Oddly enough, it really worked. The pork tenderloin medallions were slightly charred and perfectly cooked. Crispy on the outside, but still juicy on the inside. The smokiness of the meat was complimented so well by the sweetness of the apples. Roasted herbed potatoes and grilled veggies completed the meal.

As if sensing my joy after three mediocre suppers, a woman with a large group nearby suddenly broke out into opera. After that it was Happy Birthday and La Vie en Rose. The food wasn’t haute cuisine or especially fine dining but Restaurant Mimoza was like port in a storm of blandness. Reasonable prices and good, tasty simple food in a pleasant atmosphere.

If you find yourself in Dubrovnik, get yourself out of the Old Town, steer clear of the endless pizza and pasta joints and try Mimoza. The most enjoyable meal I had in Croatia and the bill only ran me 100kn ($18) after tax and tip. The verdict on the bread? Free!

Have you visited before? Do you have any restaurant tips for Dubrovnik-bound foodies?