Girl’s night out in Zagreb – a ‘rebel’ feast at Bekal 

(Photo: Private album)

By S.P

Girls’ night. We decide to have dinner in Bekal. I am in charge of reserving a table. The website looks fancy, but I can’t quite make it work. I call the old-fashioned way and make a booking. 

I am all dressed up for dinner with my lovely friends, but I get there early. I am in Tresnjevka on a side street looking for the restaurant. From the outside, it looks more like an abandoned old coffee bar than anything fancy. 

The word ‘Bekal’ is written in spray paint near the door. I enter, and the punk rock feeling does not stop. Huge flames are drawn all over the wall, and the kitchen is completely open. 

Everything here is cooked on fire, only wood and coal. Chef Turković greets me. He is not anything less punk. Bleached messy white hair and tattoos all over his arms. He smiles as he welcomes me, and other than the punk quality, he also has something yogi bear in him. 

As I get to my seat, he is already pouring me some sparkling wine, all biodynamic, he explains. 

My friends arrive laughing loudly, and we immediately start chatting about everything that happened since our last dinner. I feel a bit overdressed for the setting, but my friends are equally dolled up, so I don’t give it much thought.

First course 

First course – beef tartare with ramsons, smoked cheese, and blueberry oil. Fancy title but not a looker on the plate. Some warm bread comes with it. 

I slap some tartare on it and put it in my mouth. It is extremely tasty and well put together. We even stop gossiping for a few seconds while enjoying the dish. 

(Photo: Private album)

Chef Turkovic does not leave our glasses empty for even a second. Coming with more biodynamic options from Croatia and Slovenia. I give a Babic from the producer Marinovic a try. Very earthy, minerally with some cherry notes. I must admit I am not the biggest fan of natural wines, but this does nicely.

(Photo: Private album)

Second course

Second course: Dalmatian greens with chestnut cream, anchovies, and cheese. Not any cheese but a particular variety that is made from sheep’s milk and aged in sheep’s skin. ‘Sir iz mišine,’ he says casually. 

(Photo: Private album)

Everything is very casual, from the plating to the plates to keeping your cutlery in between courses. Tables and chairs seem to have been here in the previous restaurant as well. Everything casual but the tastes. Those are complex, teasing, and very filling. 

(Photo: Private album)

My blonde friend asks for more of the bread. She always does. A big fan of gluten, not that you would know by looking at her. She happily chews away on the bread and eats her greens. We are deep in conversation when round three begins.

Jerusalem artichokes in sauce hollandaise, smoked kajmak, and rocket. I have never really found out how to translate kajmak into English. It’s an unpasteurised, unhomogenised cheese which is kind of like whipped cream cheese. It’s delicious and eaten with all kinds of foods, even chevapi. More bread again. 

(Photo: Private album)

I am quietly envying her ability to put away glutenous grilled bread by the kilogram while trying a different red wine. Puszta libre by Claus Preisinger. It fits right in, it’s pretty punk as well. Also a natural wine, raspberry and cherry tastes and very light for a red. 

Main course 

Time for our main course – lamb with slow-roasted carrots finished in lamb fat. The meat is so soft that it melts in your mouth. Presented again on a stainless steel platter they might use in prison, I imagine. My long-haired, curly friend chattering away with the bleached-haired chef. She knows her lamb, and she likes this one. 

(Photo: Private album)

We go to the terrace for some smoking, as smoking is still very much a thing in our country. The terrace overlooks the neighbourhood and a playground. This place sits in it perfectly without sticking out. Except I am sipping a natural wine after my lamb with slow-roasted carrots.

The chef is happily chatting with his guests, explaining that all his food is seasonal and organic and that he might get his hands on some leek next week, but probably for only ten plates.

Then he gets excited about pea season being around the corner. I think to make food as nice you probably have to be the type of person to get excited about pea season. Maybe my blonde friend should have been a baker as her excitement for bread is just as great.

Dessert 

Dessert – lemon balm custard, popcorn of millet, propolis, and pollen. Sounds like a cough syrup, I think, but it’s very balanced and just yummy. Something Yogi Bear would love to eat, I imagine. 

(Photo: Private album)

My friend has not asked for bread with this course, so it must be great. We get a local brandy with our bill, and it is very flavourful. I normally find them to be either overly alcoholic tasting or overly sweet, but this one is herby and interesting, not destroying the palate. 

In total, I am impressed with Punk Yogi Bear and his food. Also with his choice to go completely relaxed and not seeming to care about plating, plates, chairs, or any aspect of interior design except graffiti. 

The five-course meal costs 50 euros per person, and a glass of wine costs 6-8 euros. Chatting with Chef seems to be included. 

Bekal

Address: Kostelska ul. 11, 10000, Zagreb