July 2021
Dining Review: Giannino – Rovinj, Istria (Croatia)
Our final dining slot in Rovinj! This was a tough spot to fill because at a certain point, all the restaurants start to sound the same – finding a unique characteristic to make a decision was getting tricky. Luckily, Giannino rose to the top of the list and while they are still serving up a similar seafood menu, we were hoping it would be different enough from our other meals.
We arrived to a small corner in the streets where Giannino had set up a lovely outdoor space. They also have an indoor space, where I assume their pre-covid operations occurred – but this outdoor space was really nice. Once again, very grateful to have reservations ahead of time as we witnessed many people getting turned away without one.
Cossetto Malvazija
I was so excited to see this wine on the menu! This was one of the vineyards on the list that I wanted to get to but due to the location and the fact that we were wine tasting over a weekend, we were unable to get to Cossetto. I did not even think that the wine tasting journey would continue at a restaurant – and at a restaurant as far south as Rovinj. It was really excellent wine and I wish we could get this bottle at home.
We each were boring and got a mixed salad but it was something that our bodies craved. They were enormous (excellent value) and very fresh!
Pljukanci local Istrian pasta with shrimps and little scallops
Delicious pasta and seafood mix. Pasta is hand rolled, chewy, perfect for absorbing the seafood broth. Would highly recommend.
Octopus tentacles with potato cream
The final dish I was looking to try on this trip was octopus tentacles so I was pleased with my ordering habits thus far to allow me to try all the things I was looking forward to on this trip from a seafood perspective. This was an incredible dish – the octopus was cooked perfectly with some crunch on the outside but tender on the inside. The tomatoes were a great addition and I loved that they were seared as it complimented this dish. There was creamed potatoes under the octopus and what I liked most is that they did not dominate the plate and were a manageable portion, as well as being delicious. And lastly, there was smoked paprika scattered throughout the plate that brought a great smoky flavor. I absolutely loved this dish!
Two dessert kind of night to send off Rovinj – Mille-feuille and semifreddo
We have had some fantastic Mille-feuille on this trip and this dish was no exception. Multiple layers of cream and pastry and fruit – it was lovely and light. The staff indicated that the semifreddo was the best ever so of course we had to also give that a try. Compared to the other semifreddo we had in Motovun, this was definitely the winner. It was super creamy and the nuts filling were plentiful. I can understand why the staff endorse this dessert!
I am so happy we ended up finding Giannino’s as it was such a great meal offering their own flare on the seafood scene in Rovinj. It had a more polished feel in the presentation that did not detract from the quality and the flavor all without a premium cost. Highly recommend!
