Trout – The Tastiest Freshwater Treat

There's good seafood to be found in Zagreb thanks to the vicinity of the Adriatic Sea, but, of course, we can't really say that seafood is part of Zagreb's local cuisine. For this we have to look closer, in the lakes, rivers and streams surrounding the city. Fishing for freshwater fish is a popular hobby, and there are plenty of little fish farms around. Out of all the freshwater available in this area, nothing beats a nice fresh trout, especially a wild one. In local gastronomy, trout is the most appreciated and widely available fish, popular both among hard-core gourmands and regular eaters.

“Streams in the Žumberak area the best address for fresh trout.” Image credit: Taste of Croatia

The best trout in Croatia comes from the Gacka River, and you can try some of these in Zagreb, e.g. in Vinodol restaurant. Yet, we have our own sources closer to the city, too. Žumberak Mountains is our trout territory, west from the city, towards the Slovenian border. Pristine nature and clear waters are the perfect ground for trouts to thrive. Fish farms usually have the native brown trout and the rainbow trout originating from Northern America. There are quite a few places in Žumberak that make a great weekend getaway spot, providing both amazing scenery, outdoor activities and restaurant facilities, giving you the option to catch the fish yourself or have it served. Take Žumberački raj, for example.

“Can you imagine a more appropriate place for enjoying freshliy grilled trout?” Image credit: Kršlinov mlin

Even in the city, in its western outskirts, there's a restaurant where you can actually choose your own trout directly from the stream. V starem melinu is set literally in an old watermill on Dubravica stream, and they have their own little population of trouts farmed for the restaurant. It will be swimming until you order it. Apart from the fresh fish, which will most often be grilled, they also smoke it. And when there's plenty of smoked trout around, trout pâté is the logical answer. Should you want to prepare your own trout at home, fresh trout from Zagreb surroundings can be found almost daily at farmers' markets all over the city. Yet, I admit, the trout tastes better when someone else is preparing it and when you're eating it next to its natural habitat.

“As simple as it gets, a crispy grilled trout.” Image credit: Vilinske jame FB

My favourite trout place by far is a little family farm/restaurant in the middle of nowhere, just off the Slovenian border, west from the town of Bregana. Kršlinov mlin is literally set on a stream, with its own little water mill. This family-run place serves home-cooked food made from local and seasonal gardens. Brown trouts come directly from the stream and you're eating them to the soundtrack of waterfalls murmuring in the background. Along with the basic grilled trout, you can also choose between cornmeal-crusted or pumpkin-seed-crusted trout and trout stuffed with fresh porcini mushrooms and bacon. Not fattened up and too big, the trouts are amazingly tender and flavourful. Especially when they serve them with baked baby potato halves.

“A serving suggestion from Vrabac Trout Farm – pan-fried breaded trout.” Image credit: Ribnjaci Vrabac FB

Although at first you might not connect the trout with the traditional cuisine of Zagreb, it's definitely there, as a welcome and refreshing change from the usual meat- and dairy-based menu that we all know. And having a freshly caught grilled trout on the spot is definitely one of the greatest pleasures of summer in Zagreb.

Header image credit: Taste of Croatia

Author: Taste of Croatia / Morana Zibar