Within minutes of arriving in Zadar, I felt relaxed. This small, quaint city, which perches on the Adriatic coastline, has a slow and steady pace. One restaurant which particularly encapsulates this feeling is Fosa, specialists in Croatian seafood. My friend Gemma and I were lucky enough to dine with them one evening in September on the penultimate eve of our holiday.
Tucked away behind the ancient walls of the castle and overlooking a small harbour, Fosa’s location couldn’t feel any more intimate. Upon arrival, our waiter escorted us to our table and left us for around 10 minutes, which, in my opinion, is much longer than most eateries. After delivering our menus and a refreshing glass of Rosé fizz, we were left once more for around 15 minutes. Again, very different to other restaurants, but this suited our laid-back mood and the vibe of the city.
As I said, Fosa specialise in seafood, so naturally Gemma and I went for a fish feast! For starter, I opted for the sea bass carpaccio; a plate of wafer-thin fish accompanied with blueberries, Grand Padano cheese, caviar and a sweet dressing. Now these aren’t flavours I’ve had together in the past, but I’d certainly have them again in the future. Seabass is naturally light in taste, so it worked well when teamed with the sweet, fruity flavours. Add in the strong cheese and the plate could *almost* be mistaken for a fancy ploughman’s!
Gemma chose the octopus salad for her starter, which was brimming with flavour! Food writers will say octopus is one of the dishes you must try during a trip to Croatia and I’d highly recommend Fosa’s offering. Served in a mound of capers, fresh, sliced olives, Grand Padano cheese and juicy cherry tomatoes, the meaty octopus was simply delicious – the perfect light starter.
As well as fabulous food, Fosa have a first-class wine list and, after having previously sampled a few glasses of bitter white wine on the islands, we were well impressed (and grateful) for a smooth, fruity glass of white on mainland Croatia. We shared a bottle of Kraljevski Vinogradi’s 2015 Pošip Prestige, which went down rather quickly.
If you chat to my friends, they can vouch for how indecisive I am when it comes to eating out. I put a huge amount of pressure on myself to pick the best dish as I don’t cope well with jealousy! Fortunately, our kind waiter saw my hesitancy and kindly pushed me in the direction of the trio of fish… Not for those with small appetites, the dish is as it suggests: three (smaller) portions of fish with three (smallish) portions of complementing side dishes.
HEAVEN. The wasabi-spiced tuna was succulent and meaty, the red mullet and Swiss chard were gorgeously seasoned and the sea bass, with julienne vegetables, deliciously flavoured.
Gemma, on the other hand, went for the far more conventional offering of seafood pasta. The pasta was perfect and cooked al dente; the prawns, on the other hand, tasted a little *too* prawny, almost dominating the flavour of the tomato sauce. Thankfully, the generous offering of Grand Padano saved the plate.
When it came to dessert, our waiter kindly saved me the distress of selecting a pudding and served us three mini portions; after all, they do say good things come in threes! The lavender and white chocolate mousse and separately the milk chocolate mousse were light and creamy. The baked cheesecake wasn’t too sweet and boasted that velvety dense texture we all love.
To summarise: Fosa offers a relaxed, leisurely evening. If you want somewhere buzzy, it’s possibly not for you. But if you’re seeking a chilled, romantic dining experience, with stunning seafood, it’s perfect.
Address: Kralja Dmitra Zvonimira 2, 23000 Zadar, Croatia
Phone: +385 23 314 421
Website: fosa.hr/en
