Theatrium
Where food and creativity take center stage and deserve an encore
Located in the lobby of a theatre with a kitchen taking the centre stage in a spacious winter garden, this restaurant is a stage where guests watch the preparation and live performances of the chefs.
The Interior is sublime in dark purple with wooden tables and chairs which add warmth to a clean, minimalist space. Tables are lit by spotlights to give food and cocktails the main role on the stage. The table setting is minimalist, without tablecloths or napkins underneath the cutlery or glasses.
Chef Filip Horvat started out very young, and after a couple of Michelin-type internships got an opportunity to cook the way he sees haute cuisine.
Guests describe his cooking as modern and creative, with international influences.
Theatrium accommodates up to 80 people.
What is served
Theatrium’s menu consists of 6 hot and cold starters, 2 soups, 10 mains, and 4 desserts. Ingredients used are seasonal and international, with an impressive offering of wines by the glass.
The wine list is divided into champagne, white wines from Croatia and Slovenia, red wines from Croatia, Slovenia, France, Italy, and Germany and is concluded with a selection of Croatian dessert wines.
The menu and the dishes display ample creativity, while the service shows potential for improvement. Everything is forgiven because the aromas of the food are amazing.
The dishes are interesting and well balanced, with impressive precision, which got them a recommendation by Michelin, 2 forks from Falstaff, and 3 chef’s hats from Gault & Millau.
What our chefs had
Our meal was started with dried porcini butter served on homemade bread with wild yeasts amuse-bouche.
We continued with a celery and goose liver tart, combining caramelized celery with roast duck liver, served on duck jus and wasabi and white chocolate sauce.
Next, we had traditional French onion soup, but this one was improved with a splash of Delamain cognac, known for delicate floral flavors, with sleek notes of vanilla, opening to a fine interplay of fruit and acidity laced with a touch of licorice and pleasantly pungent goat cheese crunch.
Our main dish was a playful take on Beef Wellington, called Fish Wellington. A nice filet of white fish was packed in the dough, with a smear of mushroom sauce, a bergamot sauce, fish jus, and tempura radicchio. Interesting combinations of flavor, well balanced, even with the radicchio bitterness.
Desert was a rice pudding with honey, pomelo, orange creme, tangerine gel, and salty caramel.
We had Tomac Diplomat sparkling wine as an aperitif and a glass of Schieferterrassen Riesling Geranium. The wine was crisp and salty on the palate with intensely ripe but precise fruit, and a salty finish.
One starter, 2 mains, one dessert, and 2 glasses of wine came to 53 euros for one person.
