Steven Y.
Yelp
I want to start out by saying that this Restaurant Adventure is very special to me. For the first time in many years, I recently discovered a restaurant that serves food that is close to the cuisine of my Croatian heritage. The name of the venue is Rakija Grill Balkan Cuisine and it is located in Downtown Miami, Florida.
Named after the potent brandy of both Serbia and Croatia and other parts of the Balkans, Rakija Grill has been open for approximately two years, and is the only place I know of ANYWHERE in South Florida that serves this type of Balkan fare. For this trip, I was joined by my wife and a couple of my friends.
From the moment I walked through the door, I felt the homey and nostalgic atmosphere of a Konoba, like the kind of rustic tavernas that I used to enjoy whiling my time away on the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia.
Reminders of Old Yugoslavia were everywhere, with a large map of the defunct nation displayed on the wall. There were kerosene lanterns hanging from the ceiling along with casks that were fashioned into lamps. It is these types of details that transform a simple meal at a restaurant into a mini vacation to another world.
Not long after we settled down, our food server, Slobo, came over to greet us. During the entire time we were there, Slobo took exceptionally good care of us, professionally tending to our every need.
To accompany our beverages, Slobo recommended the special Mediterranean Meze platter. A Serbian version of a charcuterie board, this was an exquisite and elegant cross section of hams, Kulen salami and smoked beef, along with sliced cheese. On the side was a bright, orange-colored vegetable spread of red peppers, eggplant and garlic called Ajvar. On the side was a small pile of fresh Serbian-style Ustipci bread chunks, served with Kaymak, which is a sort of clotted cream with a cheesy, yoghurt-like flavor.
On the appetizer menu was a culinary gem that I was very familiar with from my frequent trips to Croatia. This was called Burek. For our meal, we chose the cheese with spinach. After cutting into the crust, I bit into the crunchy, flaky pastry to reveal a very flavorful and zesty filling.
We then continued our meal with a Sopska Salata, a cool and refreshing starter. The basic ingredients are sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and sliced green peppers, with a topping of ground Feta cheese.
Our next course was a tour-de-force of grilled meats called Mjesano Meso or Mixed meats. One of the meats was called Cevapcici. Considered one of the national dishes of Serbia, it is made of ground beef, lamb and pork, formed into the shape of a sausage and grilled. Another Serbian specialty served on our platter was the Pljeskavica, made of the same ground meats. These were shaped into large patties, stuffed with cheese and grilled. Also included with our platter was the Sudzukice veal sausage, along with slices of grilled chicken breast. This carnivore's feast was accompanied by the traditional Ajvar, a bowl of chopped onions and Kaymak. We all dug into the platter. The flavor of the meats was outstanding, and very well-seasoned. Served with our meal was a basket of round, thick circles of pita bread called Lepinje.
For dessert, we ordered a confection of Turkish origin. This was the Baklava. Always one of my favorites, I enjoyed the rich and sweet yet slightly bitter flavor of the walnut filling. The buttery crust was slightly crunchy and yielding.
Another dessert was the excellent Palacinka crepes. Another one of my favorites from my trips to Croatia, the Rakija Grill version was delicious and addicting, filled with Nutella Hazelnut spread and garnished with raspberry jam and chocolate syrup.
To end my meal, I ordered a cup of rich, thick and potent Turkish coffee called Turska Kava. This was brewed in a traditional conical-shaped copper pot called a Dzezva. In a small dish were cubes of sugar to sweeten the bitter, muddy brew.
To bring a final ending to my fantastic and nostalgia-evoking feast, we ordered three kinds of Rakija: one Loza grape, one apricot and one Golden Quince Rakija called Zlatna Dunja. All three were very potent and full of flavor!
To call my experience at Rakija Grill a mere restaurant review would be a gross understatement. My visit to this place was more of a pilgrimage and a journey back in time. Between the mouth-wateringly authentic foods, the homy and rustic atmosphere and the fantastic service, this all combined to make my experience at Rakija Grill something special, that made me feel warm and welcome.
