Alla Beccaccia, Valbandon (Croatia): Authentic Istrian Flavors & Boškarin Beef

"Just inland in Valbandon, this modern Istrian konoba is led by Annamaria Kolić alongside her husband and sommelier, Ivor, and celebrates the freshest local ingredients with seasonally inspired recipes. Bread (including gluten-free) and pasta are homemade, and the menu spans meat and vegetarian options: Istrian prosciutto and pancetta, hard cow’s milk cheese, bone marrow with an herb crust, and Istrian beef tongue with sauerkraut and horseradish to start; white truffle pasta, peasant-style pasta with tomato sauce, Istrian sausage, pine nuts, and capers, or posutice with cabbage, Istrian prosciutto, and Kumparička goat cheese among the first courses. Mains spotlight regional traditions such as Istrian beef liver with sweet and spicy apples, slowly braised Boškarin neck, and, by reservation, free-range rooster cooked under a peka—a bell-shaped dome covered with embers that yields tender, flavorful meat after hours of slow cooking. A wooden ceiling and a large fireplace set the scene for winter peka cooking, while a spacious terrace and garden enable outdoor meat grilling in summer. Game regularly appears (wild boar, pheasant, or venison), and for dessert, the Čokooliva blends chocolate, vanilla gelato, olive oil, and chili pepper. The kitchen values and showcases prized Boškarin beef, a point of regional pride." - Sarah Scaparone