Features

Dubrovnik Restaurant brings authentic Croatian cuisine to Westchester

Dubrovnik Restaurant is expanding its menu with a brunch section.

Mussels “Buzara,” with a sauce of garlic, white wine and parsley. Photos/Taylor Brown

Named for the city in Croatia where Zeljko Tomic, owner of Dubrovnik, was born, the restaurant offers a variety of Croatian-inspired dishes including roasted meats and grilled fishes and slow-cooked produce.

“People are traveling from Connecticut, New Jersey and Long Island to eat in this restaurant because it is the only authentic Croatian restaurant in the metropolitan area,” said Judy Klym, of Stamford, Connecticut.

New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson said that he’s always had a wonderful experience at the restaurant, and that Dubrovnik is one of the best reviewed and most enjoyed restaurants in the city.

“[Dubrovnik has] clearly has attracted happy customers from throughout the region,” Bramson said.

Dubrovnik is located at 721 Main St. in New Rochelle, and the brunch menu, titled “Nona’s All-Day Sunday Buffet,” is served from noon to 2 p.m. on Sundays for $45 per person. For an extra $15, customers get unlimited mimosas.

Nada Bernic, general manager of Dubrovnik, said the new buffet-style brunch menu was designed to give customers a chance to try a variety of Croatian dishes for a fixed price.

“We want people to experience our flavors,” Bernic said. “We thought… if we offer that in a buffet menu, [customers] would have a chance to explore and taste different things.”

The new menu consists of dishes like grilled wild salmon, marinated anchovies and teleći ordrezak, sautéed veal cutlet with arugula.

Along with the main courses, the Mediterranean-inspired menu includes breakfast bread, homemade desserts, soups and salads.

“[Dubrovnik is] attracting many people originating from the same Mediterranean region because of the popular, healthy, coastal Mediterranean cuisine,” Klym said.

What really makes these dishes so unique is how they are prepared.

Fresh fish is purchased daily from the market, and the food is cooked on an open wood burning fire in the back of the restaurant, which Bernic says adds to the authenticity of the dishes.

“Croatians cook meals on the open wood burning fire, and it gives a unique flavor to the fish,” Bernic said.

The wood burning fire is in the back of the Dubrovnik restaurant.

Antonio Selendic, executive chef at Dubrovnik, leads the kitchen, where dishes are prepared with olive oil, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.

Bernic said they try to not include anything in their dishes that would add more calories.

While the fish is prepared over the fire, produce is cooked “under the belt” for three hours.

This is a slow cooking process, where produce is put in a cast-iron dish with olive oil, salt and pepper.

“The food comes out so juicy, so flavorful, [and] so delicious,” Bernic said.

For a full list of what Dubrovnik has to offer, visit dubrvonikny.com.