The Mala Kapela tunnel separates Lika from the Ogulin region and continental Croatia. When a tunnel crosses south, passengers will first notice the restaurant and hotel Lika. Many will not even know that they have come to the site of the beautiful Lika gastronomy.
This hotel is opened by the couple Mile and Anamarija Binički in 2014. We talk with Mile in the presence of two hotel managers. Ivica Mesić was the former mayor of the Brinje municipality, while Krešimir Javor arrived from the nearby town of Otočac. As we wait for lunch, we have the first glasses of rakija, we come up with jokes and find out about the fascinations of many Koreans and Italians who come to lunch at the Hotel Lika. There is no joke here - even the Italians say they did not have a better pizza in their life! Most visitors will get ready-made meals on offer, but for groups and individuals, we suggest to order in advance Lika specialities. We had a unique opportunity to try traditional Lika foods which fascinate with its look and taste.
First of all, we were astonished at the size of Lika plate, consisting of the Lika poles (half-cut potatoes that hundreds of years were used as the main source of energy for people in this region), cured meat products such as sausages, bacon and bacon, and domestic Lika smoked cheese, and famous škripavac, which delights all with its freshness and recognizable "creaking" under the teeth. This magnificent plate can be lunch itself, given the many ingredients that Lika people knew well in their diet. Of course, the meat was not so much represented, so the potato poles were filled with some bacon and only some cheese, but maybe it was even sweeter then! In addition, we've been trying some wonderful greaves, big and fat, who are the Lika’s forerunners of chips!
The mountainous and karstic parts of Lika can hardly give the idea of a fish, but the Gacka River is nearby and a world famous source of trout, which was once baked in a miller’s style, rolled in corn flour and baked in a pan on the pork fat. This treat is rarely done today, but the trout are still welcome at the domestic table. Ours was just what it should be, soft and juicy inside, with crunchy and salty skin outside.
And what would be the Lika table without lamb, that symbol of Lika’s gastronomy? We got Lička maramica, lamb chops baked together with potatoes and vegetables in baking paper, so as not to lose the juiciness of the meat. This delicious gives a scent of Lika, with Pramenka lamb, potatoes and vegetables that make up the Lika’s diet backdrop. And while at the table we talk about personal preferences of Lika cuisine, it is not easy to forget about the noble Pramenka that raised the generation of Lika people.
After all the Lika fiest, it is almost unbelievable that there was a place to find for plum dumplings, a delicacy favourite everywhere in continental Croatia, especially in Lika, known for its Bistrica plums, the national pride of Croatian fruit growers. From it, the widely known rakija Šljivovica is produced which, precisely because of the Bistrica, has its own special taste.
And if you need to rest a bit, it is best to choose one of the 22 rooms on both sides of the highway. It's easy to find them because Hotel Lika is – the Doors of Lika!
Restaurant Lika Jug / Lika Sjever Odmorište Brinje, autocesta A1 (Ili prilaz iz Brinja, Lovačka cesta bb) +385 53 646 040 (Lika Jug ) +385 53 646 050 (Lika Sjever) info@restaurant-lika.com www.restaurant-lika.com
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