Črniče

As the afternoon waned, we drove southwest from Ljubljana to the small town of Črniče in the Karst region of Slovenia, nestled in the sun baked hills of the Vipava valley. We stayed at an ecotourism farm, "Arkade", run by the Cigoj family. They make their own wine and prsut (Slovenian prosciutto). For our evening outing, I made reservations for us to eat at one of the most well known Slovenian restaurants, Majerija, in the neighboring town of Slap. Majerija, run by Matej Tomazic and his wife, is in a small, immaculately restored 300 year old farm house situated alongside vineyards and sweeping views of the Vipava valley. Matej strictly adheres to locavore principles in creating his dishes - breads, fruits, vegetables, pigs, cheeses and wine served are all grown and procured in the surrounding communities. His food focuses on highlighting the bounty of this region of Slovenia, interpreting local cuisine with a slightly modern approach. We opted for a 6 course dinner with wine pairings for each. Without question, it was one of the best meals of my life. Every single aspect of the food was thoughtful, deliberate, and most importantly, delicious. Each dish we were served, Bogey and I could not stop expressing our disbelief and amazement at how wonderful the food tasted. Our meal complete, Bogey and I chatted with Matej for quite a while as we discussed the local culture, the regional foods, Slovenian wine and his own personal historical arc of starting the restaurant and building it to what it is today. He gave us a private tour of the wine cellar where he has curated the best Slovenian wine from around the country and also stores his house made varieties of schnapps (from herbs and fruits, all locally harvested of course). It was inspirational to hear how he has turned his passion for the food, his culture and the environment of his part of the country into this beautiful expression that he can share with visitors and friends.Read more