My spouse and I
dined at Degenija Restoran for dinner on a Thursday evening in early September
2016. We stayed next door at the Degenija Hotel, which is part of the same
small hotel/restaurant complex. Although the properties share a name, it is not
possible to transfer your dinner bill to your hotel folio; you must pay
separately, although both the restaurant and the hotel accept credit cards.
When we checked into the hotel, the desk clerk booked our table at the
restaurant for dinner, and at our request, he also pre-ordered the house
special dish for us. You might also be able to request a table online using
their website, but be sure to make a reservation because the popular restaurant
gets crowded, and there is not much space to wait. (It has a bar, but it is
more for staff service than the kind of bar where people sit to wait for a
table.)
Degenija Restoran is
located about 3 miles from Plitvice Lakes in the small pastoral village of Seliste Dreznicko, Rakovica, nestled in the serene countryside. It offers indoor dining for about 90
patrons, and additional outdoor seasonal seating on a canopy-covered terrace
for about 60 guests. The wood-frame house, the patio, and the hotel are
surrounded by gorgeous colorful flowers and hanging baskets.
The menu focuses on
authentic regional dishes, including meat, fish, and brick-oven pizzas. Our family-style
main dish (“veal peka” or “veal under the bell [or metal dome]”) was the most
delicious and memorable dish of our entire trip to Slovenia and Croatia. The
restaurant has a special detached kitchen/wood-fired oven area where the dish
is made. The huge platter contained a veal shank surrounded by roasted potatoes
and carrots, an enormous feast for two! Be sure to save room for dessert,
because the Degenija offers an extensive selection on display in their glass
cases. Our bill for the veal peka for two, one starter (a house-made meat,
cheese, and fish platter), one dessert (Bled cream cake, or “kolac razni”), and
two rounds of drinks was 360K (approximately $57 USD). Service was excellent;
staff was adept and attentive.
We enjoyed a
delicious and unforgettable meal at Degenija Restoran.
