The Tuna, Sushi & Wine Festival Started in Grand Style

Taste of the Adriatic Sea, its blue and white fish, those offered by Zadar companies Pelagos Net Farm, Jadran tuna, Kali tuna, Cromaris, and Marikomerc from their cages, top culinary teams from Biograd's Ilirija, joined by colleagues from Zagreb's Takenoko sushi restaurant, transformed into literally thousands of small but excellent bites at Arsenal on Friday, irresistible even to the most rigorous critics. Describing the food offering is easiest like this: There was everything! Good! From Japanese classic sushis, nigiris, and hosomakis to typical Mediterranean bites with tuna, anchovies, Cromaris's gilt-head bream, sea bass... The brilliant Marikomerc octopus carpaccio gained a partner of equally prepared, an absolute novelty, cuttlefish.

The relaxed gourmet atmosphere, enriched by excellent wines from Zadar winemakers, was further relaxed by the lively presence of Danijela Martinović, and Ilirija proved and demonstrated that it can easily handle even the most demanding culinary challenges.

The festival continued in the same rhythm on Saturday morning at Petra Zoranić Square. Zadar's Saturday buzz moved to this square, so long lines formed in front of the Picnic food corner, Cromaris with brilliant sushi masters Mladen Križanović and our fellow Zadranin Ivan Bašić, and those held by the Magura team and Burgers & More powered by Pelagos Net Farm and Jadran tuna. Among them were local people, but even more numerous were the tourists who filled the city for the warm Saturday morning. The preseason entered our doors in a grand style!

And they all enjoyed wines exclusively from local Zadar winemakers, authentic cocktails, even non-alcoholic ones for children, as well as globally renowned oils from Pakoštane by Ante Vulina and Tomislav Čudina, cheeses from Žampera from Dugi Otok, products from Solana Nin... Musical support to the good atmosphere was provided in a pleasant and recognizable manner by Elena Stella with Ante Jeličić Trio.

Both events were opened by Minister of Tourism Nikolina Brnjac and the director of the main organizer of the event, Iva Bencun.

This year's festival program continues in the same rhythm on Sunday at Petra Zoranić Square, with the main culinary star being the brilliant sushi master Mladen Križanović. And in the evening, a musical delight follows – the concert of Damir Urban.