Dining at 360° Dubrovnik
In all honesty, it is not difficult to eat well in Dubrovnik. There are plenty of decent dining establishments ranging from the fanciest (which I will write about her) to simple street food. On my last trip to this magical place, I decided to go “high-end,” having heard so much about the only Michelin starred restaurant in the city. So it has the location, the name and popularity (Cristiano Ronaldo ate there the week before me!) and the star, but was it worth the hype???
Let’s start with the setting which is nothing short of spectacular. Built into the ramparts surrounding the old town, there is no such thing as a “bad table” in the outdoor seating area. You either look over the charming harbor or the castle. What more could one ask for?!
The service was really WOW (as it should be), but I have to note that there was an extra kindness and attentiveness about the staff. Yes, I was alone, so maybe that added to it, but I noticed each server, where it be water or wine, was happy to chat and explain all about the menu and Croatian food and wine in general. I have to give a little extra kudos to the sweet sommelier, who is half Croatian and half-Italian (note they have 5 on staff). I only had a couple of different glasses of wine but his passion in describing their origin in both English then broken Italian was charming. Note to all, try the local rosé as it can go up against any high-end bottle from Provence!
There are several tasting menus (along with various wines marrying well with each dish (and I am sure the sommelier really gets in action with these!) as well as an a la carta list. Even with the a la carte menu, you receive an amuse bouche (Tuna ceviche with avocado mousse and citrus foam…yum!) and well as homemade, delicious breads served with truffle and olive butters. Oh, and also a pre-dessert sorbet! I throughly enjoy my antipasto of Scampi cappuccino (panko crusted scampi with a foam of scampi that looked like a cappuccino – innovative and delicious. My second plate was the turbot with cauliflower cream and clams. I thought (and still do) one of the best dishes of the past year.
The kitchen is run by Marijo Curić, born and raised in Dubrovnik and working in the kitchen since he was 17. His experience comes through in every dish. i should also mention the dessert which was chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. This may have been my least favorite dish, not so much because it wasn’t delicious, but it was more than I need after my meal and surprise pre-dessert!
Last but not least, came the check, and to my pleasant surprise, the total bill with tip came to about $100 USD! Considering where I was and the other Michelin star restaurants I have eaten at, I thought that was a steal.
Needless to say, my experience at 360 was well, “stellar”. I highly recommend it and suggest booking far in advance (especially in the summer).
Address: Sv.Dominka bb, 20000 Dubrovnik
Phone: +385 20 322 222
Website: 360dubrovnik.com
