My travels are not complete without experiencing some cuisine altitude—haute or basse!
This has always been my ultimate quest in the last years, well, aside from visiting farmers markets and ogling at stunning archirecture. It is to find a restaurant or a bar in my holiday destination with a view. Naturally, the higher the location is, the better.
In Belgrade I did some good research online and I found one, the Restoran Caruso (Caruso Restaurant) which is coincidentally located on the same street where I was staying. Just across Zepter Hotel at Terazije Avenue. It is however a restaurant that is not very easy to find. There are no signs outside and you will have to enter this drabby nondescript building and take the elevator to the top. I had to check a few times if I was on the right building and the right elevator because it felt like I was going to an office and not a restaurant.
I arrived at the rooftop and saw the hallway entrance to the restaurant. I am indeed in the right place.
Because it was still winter (end March), the restaurant kept the transparent thick plastic covering its terrace. Of course, nobody likes it but I can understand that they kept it closed. The view from the terrace of the restaurant is pretty nice. You can see the whole Terazije stretch, the beautiful and iconic Hotel Moskva (Moscow Hotel), the sloping Terazije Terrace Park), the Sava River and the neighbourhood of Novi Beograd (New Belgrade) across the river.
I can even see the building of my hotel as well!
I started my lunch by ordering a small personal bottle of prosecco. I love my bubbles during lunch. Whilst sitting there enjoying my glass of bubbly, I cannot help but think of Blondine. She would love to sit here, and I know she will giggle and say, ‘We managed to get the best table! And wow, look at that view! Oh, I like it here.’ Then she would click her glass with mine and sip it. She loved the good life and we clearly agreed on this.
This weekend though, I missed her a lot. I kept thinking about the places we would have explored and enjoyed together. The many glasses of prosecco, champagne and chardonnay that we would drink and say cheers to. ‘Bottoms up!’ She would always say.
The friendly waiter brought me back to the present world by reminding me what I would like to order for lunch. I told him I am taking the fried squid salad with feta cheese. He said it is a good choice. Hmm, I do wonder if all waiters say that?
I came around during the peak lunch period so there were quite a number of people but it was not that busy at all. I heard other languages and English being spoken. There is definitely a mixture of tourists, locals and business people. Dinner could be a different case I guess and I am sure you will have to reserve in advance to secure a table on the terrace.
Oh, and it must be lovely up here during summer when the plastic covers are raised. Ah, fresh air and the skyline of Beograd.
My reverie was cut short when my grilled squid salad came. I did not expect to have a generous serving of grilled squid on it. Since there was no bread that came with the salad, I asked for some but unfortunately they only have muffins. So I ordered a piece.
The salad was fine, nothing that spectacular really but it was good enough. The dressing could have been more sweeter though, perhaps use honey balsamic vinegar, instead of sprinklimg some orange fruit and using this as a base for the dressing which clashed with the feta cheese. Too sour. The grilled squids were delicious though. I cannot find fault in them. Of course, the view was all that I came for.
I have decided to take my coffee somewhere though in the heart of the old town. I need to walk this lunch because my waistline is growing.
Overall a successful lunch with a view in Belgrade.
Travel Period: March 2016
Destination: Stari Grad (Old Town), Belgrade, Serbia
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Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)