“You can’t miss us; we are right on the river front.” Now that’s not a common sentence you hear when describing a restaurant in Dubrovnik, but this is no common restaurant.

Located on the banks of the Ombla River this “new kid on the restaurant block” not only has unique views but also nature’s air-conditioning. Bright and flowing, and no I am not describing the Ombla now, it has quickly forged itself on the Dubrovnik restaurant scene. Restaurant Bogo, or to give it its original name Konoba Bogo, is a breath of fresh air.

“And as you can see we have plenty of space to sit inside,” said the friendly waitress as she greeted me. I nodded my head in agreement, it was hard to argue with beauty of the high-ceilings, the wooden theme and the walls of windows, but my eyes were already wandering. Through the large windows I spotted a little piece of paradise. “Yes, it is very nice…would you mind if I had a look outside,” I answered.

Three things hit me as I walked out onto the terrace, a) it was much cooler than the rest of the city, b) I had never eaten with a view like this before and c) the olive trees that lined the terrace were stunning. “They are hundreds of years old,” came a voice from behind me. Ah, they had obviously seen that I was admiring their mini olive grove. “It must be nice sitting out here,” I changed the subject. Whether for a morning coffee, light lunch or romantic evening meal the terrace would have been my choice, and a different perspective on the Dubrovnik countryside.

Enough of the location I wanted to get done to the real business…show me the menu! I am definitely a fan of short menus. Those novel length menus which advertise a mind-boggling array of dishes just makes me feel one thing, nothing here is fresh. I only had one problem, where should the gastronomic adventure begin?

I would describe the menu as a fusion of traditional Mediterranean meals with a modern twist. Although that word “fusion” seems a bit tired now, so let’s just say – traditional values, modern ideas. They have a show-cooking kitchen and a grill that is larger than my apartment. Fish, meat, pasta, risotto…it might have been a short menu but it was also terribly tempting.

I plumped for a solid starter, Dalmatian smoked ham, cheese from oil, olives, cherry tomatoes…well you know the deal. The smoked ham immediately caught my eye, well rather my taste buds. The story that unfolded was an insight into the care and preparation that Bogo will soon be famous for. “We never slice the prosciutto with an electric slicer we only use hand sliced prosciutto,” commented the owner. I had to ask why! “Because the electric slicers produce heat when slicing which takes away some of the flavor from the prosciutto,” he explained. It seemed obvious, but also extremely meticulous. And the result was absolutely delicious.

And then there was the wine list, oh boy! “Don’t forget we also have a unique list of craft beers from tiny breweries,” added the waitress with a smile. This was going to be a long afternoon, but I am sure there were worse places to be on a sunny day in Dubrovnik. To slightly misquote Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Bogo, I will be back!”

Contact Info
Address – Konoba Bogo, Gorava 41, Dubrovnik
Phone – 00385 (0) 95 333 5335
Web - www.facebook.com/BoGoDUBROVNIK