At the Mala Riba restaurant, much like a fish in the Adriatic Sea, the young manager Karla Mikičić swims with ease; 14 years ago her family, together with the Nikolac family, launched a tavern of the same name in Matulji near Opatija. The Matulji operation is well established, so they decided to expand it to Zagreb, where since opening in June they have become a recognisable spot for enjoying seafood specialities. The Mikičić and Nikolac families are engaged in fishing and run a well-organised fishing fleet, so their restaurants receive the finest, freshest fish and the far-famed Kvarner scampi. The dining concept is the same in Matulji and in Zagreb, and the kitchen was set up by chef Zdravko Tomšić. The offering is based on the small fish after which the restaurants are named. Renata Cisar and Mustafa Topčagić, authors of the Vino uz žlicu (Wine by the Spoon) project, together with Karla Mikičić devised a menu built around dishes that sit closer to the spoon.
The gathering opened with the rakijas and liqueurs of the Krulčić Distillery from Lindar near Pazin. Owner Renato Krulčić is the fourth generation to work in distilling; his great-grandfather Giovanni obtained the licence 104 years ago. The base of the distillates is grappa (komovica), and they present, Krulčić says, a traditional Istria in a contemporary way. Guests tasted the Travarica rakija, made to an old recipe and originally created as a calming tincture for the Benedictines, and Crni trn (blackthorn), the Istrian wild plum whose fruit is picked once the frost sets in and the astringency turns to sweetness. Liqueur lovers were especially taken with their Amaro di oliva, based on the olive fruit, and Terranino.
The fish dishes were elevated by the Bajkin extra-virgin olive oils. Loris Bajkin, owner of the family estate, presented the single-variety oils Buža, Istarska Bjelica, Frantoio and Leccino, along with the Familia blend, which guests tasted with crisp bites of homemade bread rolls. They planted their first olive trees in the mid-1990s in the village of Bajkini near Vižinada for family use, and today they tend 3,800 trees at nine locations. Their Buža recently won gold at a competition in New York.
The dinner opened with a trio of cold fish and seafood starters. On the plates were red mullet marinated in lemon juice, pieces of amberjack, and squid with broad beans and fennel… It was served with the lively Rosé Premium brut sparkling wine from the Kutjevo winery, produced by the classic method of a second fermentation in the bottle from Pinot Crni grown on the Hrnjevac and Vinkomir sites. Its pleasing pink hue is rounded out by aromas of red berries, led by strawberry, raspberry and cherry.
The fish soup – with pieces of white fish from the daily catch, Kvarner scampi and rice – was accompanied by the Chardonnay 2024 from the Franc Arman winery in Vižinada. Pale yellow in colour, with fresh aromas of white fruit and blossom and a lively, fresh and slightly sweet palate carried by gentle acidity, it slotted neatly into the flavours of the soup.
Things continued in a brothy vein with gvacet – fish from the daily catch in a sauce of wine and olive oil – paired with Franc Arman’s second flagship, the Sivi Pinot 2024. A yellow wine with a rosy glint, fresh and fruity on the nose with a pleasant note of dandelion. Gvacet and this wine were declared by the journalists the best combination of the 28th Vino uz žlicu.
With a new spoon came monkfish tripe with beans to the table, a dish from the love it or can’t stand it category. It was paired with the Črjena Zemja 2023 from the Kapić winery in Matulji, which spent a year in small barrels and eight months in stainless steel before bottling. Winemaker Toni Babić said it would have done well to rest six months longer, but he found it fitting to present it on this occasion. Its fine acidity, with aromas of wood and dark berries, suited the monkfish offal.
Dessert was a chocolate profiterole, served with an unusual and very tasty olive-oil ice cream from the Valle Losca Gelato brand from Volosko near Opatija. The story began at the Valle Losca tavern in Volosko, said the brand’s representative Marino Bošnjak, and the vision is to nurture the tradition of Italian gelato, with an emphasis on fresh milk and cream and seasonal fruit from local growers. Alongside single-serve cups and gelato cakes, family packs in thermoboxes for home use are also on offer. Their ice cream was served with the Sweet Muscat 2024 from the Iuris winery.
The evening closed with a hug of coffee and a punch of aroma from Hug&Punch. Personalised coffee, said educator Domagoj Trusić, is made from selected beans, just as the finest grape berries are selected for the best wines. The Hug&Punch company from Matulji supplies origin coffees and also runs a micro-roastery and an education centre where they teach bean preparation, blending and the crafting of the ideal blend.
The Vino uz žlicu eno-gastro project is entering its seventh year. There was learning and pleasure in the wines, the food and the accompanying gastronomic delights. After a short break, the next gathering with journalists over glasses and plates is planned for mid-January 2026.
Written by: FAMA
Photographs: Julio Frangen
26.11.2025.
