Mlinarica Brewpub: Beer, BBQ And Dad Jokes
After two days in a wasted, jet lagged haze, I’d recovered enough to start my regular exercise routine again. It still includes drinking. I would run from my Airbnb on central Trg Bana Square to Mlinarica Brewpub, about four kilometers to the north.
I went there for lunch on the final Sunday in May, which was one day before my birthday. You can reach Mlinarica Brewpub directly from the center square. Although I ran the three kilometers straight up Medvescak Street, it can be walked in 30 minutes. Or if you take public transportation, trams 14 or 15 to Jandriceva station go there.
Milinarica has the look of an old traditional Balkan café: all well-worn, hand-carved wooden construction. They have been a well-regarded restaurant in Zagreb for years, and only recently started brewing craft beer in 2016. A square steel chimney poured barbeque-scented smoke out from the rooftop. In front of the restaurant a giant, seated wooden troll guarded the property.
It was packed both inside and outside. I had to wait around 15 minutes to get a table at the outdoor terrace. The waiter, a young guy, apologized for his poor English. Despite the language barrier – and the busy restaurant – he was friendly.
Without looking at the menu, I ordered cevapcici and a “svjetlo lager.” I was expecting quality Balkan BBQ, known as rostilj. My waiter put in my order for the spicy Balkan sausages and quickly brought me their house lager. It was made like a classic Czech lager: bitter and malty, with a light lemon aroma.
Svjetlo pivo = light beer
Tamno pivo = dark beer
Mlinarica is recommended since it’s one of Croatia’s few brewpubs. My cevapcici was juicy and spicy, and the lepinja bread it came with was soft and fresh. The restaurant was full, so the food took a while to arrive, but it was fine. I had time to order their Hazy IPA. It had a little green vegetable flavor, but was still quite tasty. Later, I washed the lunch down with a rakija that the waiter gave me “on the house.”
Dad Jokes And Beer “On The House”
After traveling Croatia for a month, I returned to Zagreb. When I dined at Mlinarica Brewpub for the second time, it was even better.
Today Mlinarica wasn’t busy. The server, a chubby, cheerful, middle-aged guy, came up to me when I entered, and dramatically waved his hand around the empty restaurant. He told me, as a foreigner, I needed a reservation, but he “could make it work.” He winked at me, chuckled, then lead me to the patio outdoor. If he weren’t from Croatia, I would think his name was Norm, Rand, or another typical suburban American Dad name.
I ordered two savory roasted ‘raznjici,’ or as they are known in English, shish kebabs. I drank two beers with it and posted some photos of the meal on Instagram. Clearly someone was watching their social media. Within five minutes, the server came out with a pint of pinkish beer. “We know you, American spy,” he said slyly, then handed me a pint of their Sourise grapefruit sour beer, again “on the house.”
The Sourise, my first sour beer from Croatia, was an experience. And the restaurant wasn’t busy, so I didn’t have to wait. But what really made the experience was the server’s hilariously accented, corny Dad Jokes. He was prompt with bringing my beer, but kept teasing me I had to wait, “10 more minutes.”
When I asked for my bill, he roared, “Your bill is one hundred and twenty…American Dollars! Haha!”
Good one, Dad.
In fact, it was 120 Croatian Kuna, or an affordable 19 US Dollars for two big shish kebabs and two beers (plus two free drinks.) Although I can’t guarantee free drinks for future tourists, I can guarantee good beer, BBQ and Dad Jokes here.
