Where to Stay When Visiting Dubrovnik

The Pucic Palace: We chose this historic hotel for a number of reasons, and we were thrilled with our choice. First of all, it is one of the very few hotels that is located right in the middle of the heart of Dubrovnik’s old town, so we were able to step out the door of our hotel and start exploring the historical part of the city and all that it has to offer without using any transportation. Second, it only has a handful of rooms, so it felt personal and cozy, unlike some of the huge resort-type hotels around Dubrovnik outside of the old town, which count dozens or even hundreds of rooms.

The Pucic Hotel also offers a wide variety of amenities, such as two restaurants, outdoor seating right next to the city’s lively daily farmer’s market, and a concierge who will assist you with suggestions and bookings for local restaurants and activities. Finally, the history of the hotel really added to our overall experience. Constructed in the 17th century as a palace for the Pucic family, it changed owners many times and survived an earthquake and two world wars. Eventually, it was fully restored, converted into a hotel, and opened to guests as the Pucic Palace in 2002.

What to Do

Tour the Old City of Dubrovnik: Walk along and atop the famed walls, visit the famous Pile Gate at the entrance to the old town, take pictures of the gorgeous Rector’s Palace, and take pictures of the cathedral you may recognize from Game of Thrones. You can spend hours wandering the old city, and we recommend doing it the day you arrive, to appreciate this historic city.

Take the Cable Car to Srd Hill: The cable car is affordable and fun–the views from the top of the hill are spectacular. You will revel in the sight of the gorgeous Adriatic Sea, the islands around Dubrovnik, and the walled city and surroundings of Dubrovnik. It’s the perfect low-key activity to do when visiting Dubrovnik.

Embark on a sunset cruise: We booked a boat tour with Explore Dubrovnik to watch the sunset, and it was truly spectacular. It was a private ride past old and new bridges, seaside towns, and summer villas and included a bottle of sparkling wine, blankets, and dreamy sunset views.

Where to Eat

Bowa: True to its name, the best place we dined while visiting Dubrovnik was easily Bowa (which stands for ‘Best of what’s around’). It is actually more of an experience than just a lunch! Through their website, you book an entire afternoon excursion. This includes pick up by speedboat from a small harbor called Brsecine, which we took an Uber to. Our VIP transport ferried us to a stunning bay called Vrbova, where we were escorted to our private open-air cabana, complete with a large dining table, chairs for sunbathing and lounging, and glasses of champagne. Our lunch consisted of several courses of food: fresh oysters, cheese and fruit platters, salads, marinated vegetables, fried tofu, and wine. In between courses, we walked down to the shore and swam in the warm waters, and enjoyed sweet, refreshing frozen pina coladas that were made to order even though we did not even have to order them. It was, quite honestly, the most perfect day.

Arsenal Restaurant: This picturesque restaurant in the old town serves gorgeous Mediterranean fare, including burrata with homemade pesto and greens, marinated zucchini drizzled in balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with hunks of tangy feta cheese and decadent truffle pasta drenched in a cream sauce.

Pizza Mirakul: For a casual pizza dinner while visiting Dubrovnik, stop by this spot in the old town. They have cheesy pizzas, baked lasagnas, fresh salads, and loads of Croatan wine.

Stara Loza: The salon at Stara Loza, also in the old town, has a gorgeous interior with floor-to-ceiling windows, an exquisite chandelier as the dining room focal point, a terrace, and equally stunning food. The views of the old town from the terrace are magnificent. For the food, indulge in items like tempura fried vegetables with savory bell pepper cream, spinach and ricotta gnocchi, local cheese, and delicious desserts.

Posat: For a fine dining experience outside of the old town, visit Posat. The elegant venue has a charming atmosphere and the most delicious Mediterranean dishes, including mushrooms au gratin, ravioli in an herb sauce,

Gelateria Dubrovnik: The perfect evening ends with a scoop of heavenly gelato from this family-owned business. The Toblerone flavor is magical, as is the white chocolate with biscuit and fig with hazelnuts.

Where to Drink

D’Vino Wine Bar: Stop by for a glass (or two!) or Croatian wine at this old-town wine bar.

Buza Bar: This charming cliffside bar in Old Town was our favorite; we stopped by several times for a beer or cocktail and views of the Adriatic. It’s literally built into the rocks below the fortified walls, so skip the high heels and enjoy the views!

Cave Bar: If you want to check out some of the surrounding areas while visiting Dubrovnik, visit the Cave Bar in Lapad, an upscale neighborhood that is full of resorts and restaurants. The Cave bar is glamorous and fun, with good spaces for Instagram-worthy pictures.

Visiting Dubrovnik: The Verdict

Dubrovnik is the perfect place to visit if you want to explore the streets of a historical city: indulge in copious amounts of fresh Mediterranean fare and marvel at the shimmering Adriatic sea.

The post Visiting Dubrovnik: Food, History, and the Adriatic Sea appeared first on The Dining Traveler.

I have not done much travel in the Middle East, so a layover in Doha, Qatar seemed like a good opportunity to see a different part of the world. While I didn’t really know what to expect, Doha was lovely surprise – there was delicious food and plenty to do for a day. Here are my tips is you happen to have an overnight layover in Doha as well.

Where to Stay

Al Bidda Boutique Hotel: Downtown Doha is mostly concrete and skyscrapers, so I recommend staying in the Souq Waqif, which is the old part of town. Souq Waqif means “standing market” which is fitting because the area is consists of a huge market with shops selling clothes, handicrafts, ornaments, spices, jewelry, and more. The area also includes a series of Tivoli hotels called the Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels.

The group of nine hotels are all walking distance from one another; all of them are opulent and Arabian-themed. We chose to stay in the Al Bidda boutique hotel, which featured a gorgeous lobby restaurant, massive rooms with a sitting area, walk in shower and stand alone tub. Service was impeccable, and all of the Souq Waqif hotels have any kind of amenity you could possibly want. It’s the perfect place to stay during a long layover in Doha, Qatar.

Where to Eat

 
There are plenty of places to eat during a long layover in Doha, Qatar. Most of the Souq Waqif hotels have a restaurant. Since you can walk in between the hotels you can choose to eat any of the restaurants. Considering how hot it is I do recommend that you take advantage of the free golf cart transport between hotels. Hotel staff will make a quick call and a chauffeured cart will appear in front of the hotel in a matter of minutes!

Al Terrace: We took a ride over to the Al Mirqub hotel from our hotel, where we had a decadent lunch at Al Terrace. The Lebanese restaurant serves delicious Middle Eastern fare; we stuffed our faces with hummus, pita, fresh salads, falafel, potatoes, fresh juices and more.

Spice Market: Because we wanted wine with our dinner, we jumped in an Uber to downtown. Qatar is largely a dry country, but Western-owned hotels are permitted to serve alcohol. We enjoyed spring rolls, dumplings, curries, fried rice and wok fried vegetables in an ornate, romantic setting.

What to Do During a Long Layover in Doha, Qatar

Experience the Souq Waqif

Take your time and wander through the souq at your leisure. Even if you don’t buy anything it is fun to wander through the market and see all of the interesting items for sale. Stop for an ice cream… or an iced coffee! I highly recommend a cold treat because Doha is brutally hot! Even in October it was 107 degrees! The market opens up at 4pm, due to the heat, so it’s a great pre-dinner activity.

Visit a Spa

One of the best things you can do during a long layover in Doha, is to get a massage! During the day, when it is too hot to be outside, I highly recommend treating to yourself to some spa treatments at one of the Souq Waqif hotels. I got a massage and it was delightful. There are steam rooms and gyms you can use, and the quality of the massage was surreal. I got to choose the scent of oils used, and the atmosphere was tranquil and relaxing.

The Verdict

The opulence of Doha alone is something to marvel at. From service to cleanliness to art and architecture, you will marvel when visiting this city. A long layover in Doha, Qatar is certainly not a waste and is undoubtedly an incredibly unique experience!

The post An Opulent Layover: Doha, Qatar appeared first on The Dining Traveler.

A bit about Jordi:  he joined ThinkFoodGroup in 2013. Prior to working with ThinkFoodGroup, Jordi worked with restaurants including CAL XIM as well as Michelin-starred Restaurant MOO, the first Roca brothers project outside of Girona. At MOO, Jordi served as Head Sommelier, working alongside Josep Roca, one of the most talented sommeliers in Europe. For Jordi, wine pairing is one of the most important parts of being a sommelier as it shows a guest that wine and food always go together and brings their dining experience to another level.

1. What makes wines from Rioja special? 

Rioja was the first D.O.Cualificada in Spain, and it exemplifies a lot of wine tradition and culture. There are also different styles, 3 different climates and subregions, and again history. As a sommelier, we value the identity a lot, so when there’s a classic Rioja in the blend, it’s easy to recognize. It’s a style where the wine stays in an American old barrel and then 1-3 years in bottle depending on the style. The wines have more tertiary aromas, tobacco, coconut, cedar, mushrooms, with delicate texture and long finish. The perfect icon is Lopez Heredia.

2. How do you decide on your wine selections? 

I wanted different styles, and wines that are really versatile with food. Rioja is mostly known for red wines. But whites and rose are growing in the region. I always say that with reds there is a traditional Rioja and modern style, where the aging process is determined by the winemaker.Normally French barrels are used, different volumes and less aging time in bottle, more fruit forward and fresher.Ganko is the perfect example, it uses a different blend of Garnacha and Graciano. I wouldn’t say it’s a Rioja, to me it’s more Burgundy Pinot Noir driven.

3. There’s a perception that wines from Rioja are mostly red. Can you share some of your picks for rosé and white wines from the region?

As far as whites, I recently and the opportunity to taste Honorio Rubio (the Añadas and Lias Finas) in New York and fell in love. Of course there’s also Tondonia Reserva or Gran Reserva, Placet from Palacios Remondo,  Remirez de Ganuza, Remelluri.For rosé, the Clarete from Ontañon, the Bandol from Rioja is a classic style blending white and red grapes.

4. What are your favorite wine pairings at Jaleo? 

• Manzanilla Pasada Pastrana with fried egg with caviar
• Torta pascualete with Amontillado Lustau Almacenista Puerto de Obregon
• Arroz negro with De Nit from Raventos i Blanc 2014
• Arroz de iberico with Agustí Torelló Barrica Gran Reserva 2008
• Pulpo a la Gallega, mencia, Ultreia St Saques 2015 from Raúl Pérez
• Bacalao amb samfaina, Dido Universal 2014 predominant Garnacha.

5. Jaleo at Crystal City has a wine shop for guests to take their favorite wines at home. What are your top recommendations?

The post Interview: All About Rioja Wine Pairings appeared first on The Dining Traveler.