Mrizi i Zanave

1016 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

4/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

September, 2018

Product name

Mrizi i Zanave

Product country

Fishta

Product city

Fishta

Travelled with

Reasons for trip

On the drive from Kruja to Shkodra in northern Albania, we stopped for lunch in Fishta. But this was no ordinary lunch: it was at the restaurant “Mrizi i Zanave”:http://www.mrizizanave.al/, visited by Rick Stein in episode three of his TV series ‘Venice to Istanbul’.

We parked under a vine clad arched structure, with grapes and gourds hanging down. We followed a steep flight of steps, adorned with potted plants, into the restaurant. At 12.40pm on a weekday it was buzzing, and it was clear that reservations were a must, as nearly all the tables were occupied.

The table was large for three of us, but we soon found out why as the food was served, dish after dish. There was no menu, but with such a varied assortment of foods, I’d defy anyone, except perhaps a vegetarian, not to enjoy it.

This is a list of the plates presented:

Starters:
Individual dishes of white creamy Burrata with basil pesto and cherry tomatoes
An olive wood sharing board with two types of filo-pastry pie cut into squares and cheese
Four small bowls with two unidentified vegetables, capers and what we thought were Kalamata olives, which turned out to be marinated quails’ eggs
A charcuterie board with two meats and two cheeses, one of them having a red wine washed rind (not easy to say)

Mains:
Long skewers of diced pork
Half a duck
Succulent pieces of kid
Grilled mixed vegetables
Deep fried vegetables in a tempura batter
Halved baked potatoes with a cheese dip

However, delicious as all this was, the star attractions were the puddings which arrived in a theatrical manner one by one.

Puddings:
A pastry tart full of cream and figs and a caramel dressing with an individual bowl of berries. One looked like a cherry but when our driver looked it up, Google gave the translation “pear as if”.
Coffee crème caramel with coffee beans being dispensed on high from a roaster
A hollow pink iced ball which, when smashed with a spoon, revealed a delicate pink pudding inside
A cylindrical ice lolly with a real rose stem as the stick which was held upright in a stone
Honeycomb and fudge served on a plate decorated like a spider’s web

We left two hours later feeling rather full. The service had been good and very friendly, and it was an amazing experience. The meal, with half a litre of wine, was around an incredible €25 per person.

Afterwards we looked around the outside and saw a fantastic children’s train tractor with tiny carriages made from oil drums, painted with children’s characters and with a steering wheel. There was also a small shop, a communist era bunker with plants growing on top of it, a menagerie of goats, sheep, cows and a donkey. Strings of bright red chillies were strung up to dry in the sun and a huge wooden crate contained a pile of watermelon.

This was a truly memorable experience and a far cry from the simple dishes served to and cooked by Rick. Our dinner that night was a packet of tortillas!

Helen Jackson

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.