Grad Štanjel Restaurant & Lounge bar by Q KOMEL

Inside the Kitchen: Chef Simo Komel at Grad Štanjel Restaurant & Lounge (Slovenia)

"Set within Štanjel’s castle, this family‑run restaurant pairs pastel‑toned rooms, background music, and an incredible Karst panorama with warm, elegant service led by Gaja Komel and meticulous attention to detail. Chef Simo Komel, a self‑taught cook with a refined touch, tells the Karst’s story in a single narrative that joins sea and land, updating traditional recipes while honoring local producers and the area’s gastronomic culture; the menu shifts with the seasons and the daily market. Every meal begins with a small glass of Gregor Lisjak’s olive oil with Piran salt and an olive—placed at the center of the plate like a course to give the oil its due importance. Offerings range from Adriatic turbot, sea bass from Fonda, gilt‑head bream, shrimp, and scampi to beef and veal in warmer months, then game (wild boar, venison, pheasant, wild rabbit) and pork when it turns cold, yielding dishes such as Venison Fillet with onion purée and forest fruits; Mosaic of Pork Neck, charcoal‑dark and pancetta‑wrapped, fried with a crumble of dehydrated pork skin and served on celery root purée with red beet foam; and Ravioli filled with chicken stomach on creams of milk‑garlic and parsley. The table is rounded out by Pedja Kostić’s bread from Trieste, Zidarič’s Jamar cow cheese (for example with eggplant and tomato), Brin distillery’s gin served with a Terrano sorbet, and desserts like pear cooked in its own liquor with pear gelato, cinnamon crumble, raisins in Terrano liqueur, and caramelized walnuts; the Creamy Corn Soup with ginger, roasted red pepper, house‑made sour cream, and polenta chips is emblematic of the territory. The family’s Q Komel prosciutto—produced in their own curing facility, typically aged two to four years and offered off‑menu—appears regularly, with an 81‑month ham among the best they’ve made. Service moves to a large outdoor courtyard in warm weather and to a dedicated room in winter, and Komel also curates a selection of Italian and Slovenian Karst wines within the castle." - Sarah Scaparone