Pavus Restaurant Ambiance

This medieval castle has stone walls with small windows that give away a little moody vibe. For more down to earth feel there is dark wooden furniture everywhere. Also, the handmade ornaments act playful and make the restaurant more laid-back. Since the Castle Tabor is on top of the hill, we got to see the surrounding forest as well as the Lasko town in the valley.

In reality, this fairytale Castle Tabor has one minus we can’t be quiet about. On the day of our visit, a large plastic tent occupied the castle’s courtyard and ruined the outside image. Probably they were preparing for some bigger event, and we have another excuse for our next visit.

Pavus Restaurant Menu

Chef Marko Pavcnik at Pavus restaurant embraces modern Slovenian cuisine with a free spirit. He is incorporating wild ingredients and combining international favorites into his dishes. While the tasting menu changes with seasons, the final dish depends on the items Chef Marko Pavcnik has at hand. On the day of our lunch at Pavus restaurant, we got to taste the mix of Asian and European influences on Slovenian cuisine. Just right, for our slow transition from Asia to Europe. Enough Said, Let’s dig into our Restaurant Pavus Review.

Amuse-bouche

If I have to pick one combination of this two-part pallet starter, I choose the “sassy glassy.” Well, allow me to call it so, mostly due to the glass in which the creamy foam stands. It’s about the refreshing cucumber flavor and cube of terrine floating in it. I loved the gentle salty-sour balance of briefly pickled cucumber and meaty piece. The second bite at Pavus restaurant showed French influence in Slovenian cuisine. Freshly made pate on a crispy slice – yummm.

First Course – Trout Sashimi

“Slovenian style” marinated Trout Sashimi starts with condiments like radish pickled in beetroot’s juice as let’s say “ginger replacement.” While the gravy made of elderflower berries worked with aromas in trout’s marinade. Let’s say the gravy could be taking the place of a “runny sushi condiment” swap.

For the “thick paste,” we got the orange cream that melted quickly and coated trout. On top of that, there were cuttlefish ink polenta and spicy Nasturtiums. The whole dish works very refreshingly, clean and great balanced. Watch out Japan!

Second Course – Deer Carpaccio

Maybe quinoa chips were meant for a dip in foie gras foam. If not, there is still an option for the future. Firstly, it is the deep-fried quinoa chips we loved, with or without anything else. However, when combined with goose liver foam, the balanced buttery notes took over. Add to that some raspberry and a piece of black walnut skin for some sweetness.

Of course, that’s not all. On the bottom, there is delicious deer carpaccio. Deer carpaccio shows Italian influences, plus over 50% of Slovenia is still devoted to nature. Tender meat with black forest fruits and delicious goose liver foam is an amazing head start.

Third Course – Poached Egg, Truffles, Celery

On this plate, we could taste celery seasoned with truffles, poached egg, and bread crumbs. First, it was about nourishing celery head foam to which parsley contributed some freshness. Colorful match to this tasty garnish proved to be the mild celery oil made of celery stems and leaves. Chef at Pavus restaurant even pickled the celery root. That means he is using the whole plant and show his creativity.

As we all know, creativity is not enough, so let’s check other aspects. We love the balance between oil and poached egg. Also, herb oil can easily overwhelm the main component, but not here.

Fourth Course – Black-belted Pig, Miso, Kimchi and Eggplant

Our interpretation of this dish is; “Reality, here and now.” The star on the plate is the Krskopolje Pig. The Krskopolje pig or black-belted pig is the only preserved Slovenian indigenous pig breed. This pig was popular to keep among regional farmers so it makes even more sense to serve it at the Restaurant Pavus. Now, if we compare it with the commercial pork, it has a stronger color, intensive aroma, and is tastier because of marbled meat and slower growth. The aroma in this particular dish circled towards China with their famous five-spice mix. Asian influence expanded through kimchi and the miso addition.

Proteins in this dish were flawless, miso sauce and pickled addition were right on spot. Add fried rice ball and five spices to this combination and we get a great dish.

Dessert at Pavus Restaurant

One part of the dessert was refreshing, while the rest bonded in comforting notes. To point out, there was fragrant Slovenian native wine (Jurka) sorbet in deep pink color. The color is all-natural from grape’s dark purple peel, also known as a rich source of antioxidants. Chef Marko Pavcnik enhanced grape’s fruity-floral aroma with Asian aromatic spices. He seasoned the Greek yogurt with cardamom while pumpkin got star anise. As a crunchy element, there were buckwheat popcorns, which get along perfectly with yogurt and pumpkin.

We must also mention the expanded fragrant symphony when we combined the dessert with aromatic “Diseci Traminec” from Slovenian winery. It not only prolonged the taste but also added wings to grapes aroma. Talking about wine…

Wine

Ahhh yes, finally in a country with a rich wine history. To be honest, the wine was one of the things we truly missed back there in Asia. However, we will make up for that. For our Restaurant Pavus review, we paired our main course with Merlot Benedetic, 2016 and Tilia Rubido, 2017. Merlot with its deeper ruby ​​color and red fruits on the nose was a perfect match for our pig. Low acidity and fresh finish with a slice of spiciness on spot!

On the other side, Tilia Rubido is a chapter for itself. It is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, matured in barrique barrels for about two years. It is elegant and playful at the same time. Some dried prunes, fresh red fruits, jam, smoke, and full body. This glass was nice with the pork, but I wouldn’t mind to have it with our Deer Carpaccio as well. Exceptional wine! For dessert, we added “Diseci Treaminec”, which means aromatic Traminer. Ian doesn’t like this one, due to the irritating aroma, minding him on perfumed wine. But I loved it.

Conclusion

JRE Restaurants usually don’t disappoint, and our Restaurant Pavus Review can only confirm that. Our five-course menu was a delicious and fun experience. Slovenian ingredients going hand in hand with Asian spices, sure why not. If these twists are Chefs’ signature, let it be. This castle lunch was delicious and we warmly recommend the restaurant to all travelers.

Restaurant Pavus Review Card

• 9.3/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.3/10
• 9.6/10
  SERVICE – 9.6/10
• 9.6/10
  PRESENTATION – 9.6/10
• 9.5/10
  FOOD – 9.5/10
• 8.8/10
  DRINKS – 8.8/10
• 9.3/10
  VALUE – 9.3/10

 Price and Location

The five-course menu at Pavus restaurant costs about 54 USD per person. Note that making a reservation is highly recommended and will assure a pleasurable experience. If you want to adjust the menu due to your dietary restrictions it is best to inform them already in your reservation. Here is a link to the location for easier navigation.

Pavus Restaurant Dress Code

Whenever you visit the Pavus restaurant, we suggest you consider obeying the smart-casual dress code. After all, you will be entering the noble premises.

The post Restaurant Pavus Review: Castles are Magical appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

The Ambiance

Restaurant Strelec is situated inside the Ljubljana castle. Half of the interior wall is rough rock, while the other half are medieval paintings. It shows the history of the Slovenian nation and some symbols connected to it. To be honest, this is the ambiance someone would except inside the medieval castle. However, furniture is more contemporary and it goes great with modern add-ons, like lightning.

Amuse-bouche

I couldn’t keep my hands away from amuse-bouche and I have to say that it’s hard to put the knife down from deliciously smoked butter and stop spreading it on warm bread. That creamy butter is delicious on its own, but it wasn’t just the butter. On the side, there was a freshly made goose pate, which was delicious till last spread.

Marinated Smoked Mackerel

The first dish was marinated, smoked mackerel on top of the celery cream, beautifully combined with horseradish mayonnaise, which got refreshing dimension when the chef added applesauce to it and the crunchy heart of the salad accompanied with dashi algae sauce. I must say this dish was very creative. I was surprised by how great applesauce can take mackerel higher on the wholly next level.

Handmade Ravioli

Probably Restaurant Strelec Review can’t dodge Italian influence and there is nothing wrong with it. Italian cuisine is important and dishes are more than welcome.

The sensational smell of grilled penny buns invited me to get a taste of their delicious softness. The chef nailed it with a whole combination: grilled penny buns with poached egg and handmade ravioli stuffed with aged cheese served by the pork foam.

Scallop and Chestnut

The sweetness of the scallops and chestnuts is another combination that impressed me and ranked in the second place. Tender meat and the golden surface of the scallop were distinct in spite of intense chestnut purée, which was well worth to taste by itself in combination with sweet quince. The warmth of the chestnut was supported by celery foam. The chef smashed the creamy texture and added an additional refreshing level of taste to it with baked chestnuts, crumble, and young green chicory.

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Restaurant Pavus Review

Wine

Of course, there is no good food without some great wine. Ian selected chardonnay Marof, fresh and very subtle wine, which was just right for tender fish and scallop. He also experimented with some “Zelen”, which was slightly too strong but very good wine, full of tannins and long aftertaste. For the second main dish, we have had Duet by Edi Simčič, a Cuvee with a lot of fruitiness as well as spiciness. Blackberries with cherry and spicy pepper, supported by minerality – absolutely amazing! A complex character of this red was just right for the second main dish.

First Main: Trout Fillet

The first main dish was a continuation of tender fish tastes. This time, it was a fillet of red trout, which had only one flaw. The fillet was overbaked. However, it was nothing serious. On the side, there was a creamy potato puree, baked young carrot, and fennel in the company of dried apples and trout roe in the amazingly good sauce.

Second Main: Slowly Cooked Beef Tail

The second main dish was beef tail, slowly cooked in sous vide, and after that baked in the pan with three sprouts fold, which was sprinkled over with fried pig skin and black garlic paste on each side. The subtle and complex flavor of black garlic connected all the ingredients together. Black garlic paste, also known as fermented black garlic, is a complex ingredient with umami taste and its sweetness in the back. This ingredient is very expensive, which shows the attention of this chef – it’s all in!

Restaurant Strelec Review: First Dessert

The tastes of the great main dishes were still in our mouths when the first dessert came. The pre-dessert contained some strong flavors, a combination of chocolate mousse and salty caramel with cooked pear really remaining in my memory.

Chef Jagodic Never Disappoints: Second Dessert

Although I felt full and believed that I couldn’t eat anything more. However, the situation changed at the moment when another dessert was placed in front of me. It was completely opposite to the previous one. A refreshing and colorful dessert, screaming to eat it.

The carrot pastry with the softness of sour cream ice cream combined with the freshness of mandarin in the company of white chocolate mousse is what kept me coming for more.

Goodbye Sweets

To seal the deal, we were surprised by bite-size red-beet foam coated in chocolate, sitting on a pastry and sprinkled with buckwheat popcorn and potato chips dipped in chocolate.

Conclusion

The visit to this restaurant was something we were both looking forward to and that’s why we prepared our bellies to the extent that we could hear them protesting. We knew that the pleasing feast is on its way. According to our research, we set our expectations high and Chef Igor Jagodic overpassed it. This Restaurant Strelec Review will stay in our memories forever.

So, if you want to eat like a king, then this is the castle you need to “attack”. Ouu and by the way, Strelec means shooter (with a bow). The name is justified… They got us for sure!

Restaurant Strelec Review Card

• 9.6/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.6/10
• 9.5/10
  SERVICE – 9.5/10
• 9.5/10
  PRESENTATION – 9.5/10
• 9.6/10
  FOOD – 9.6/10
• 9.2/10
  DRINKS – 9.2/10
• 9.7/10
  VALUE – 9.7/10

Price and Location

5- Course degustation menu like ours will cost you about 63,5 USD, which is a great value, due this is one of the finest restaurants in the capital city. However, here is a link to the location for easier navigation.

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