I must admit that every so often I tend to get complacent and begin to foolishly believe that I’ve seen it all, but then something keels up to remind me that I have not seen anything yet; on this particular occasion it was one of Ljubljana’s culinary gems.

Nestled in an old town part of Ljubljana Spajza is a restaurant not to be missed. A house built-in 1847 displays a façade full of antique décor and furniture.  It is no wonder Spajza was featured on Discovery Channel’s documentary about Slovenia a few years ago.

The moment I walked in that cool summer afternoon I instantaneously entered into the setting of a romantic novel.  I really couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful afternoon and choosing to eat in the courtyard was a great decision.  The sun was shining, the planters and maple trees were lush in full bloom flaunting striking colours of green.

Soon after being escorted by the Maître D’ to a white linen adorned table my wife and I immediately fingered our way through the menu selecting our favourite dishes and spent the next couple of hours indulging in authentic Slovenian delicacies.

To begin our Slovenian feast we shared a warm starter: the home-made spinach gnocchi with monk fish, honey mushrooms and truffle, which instantly melted in our mouths.

As I’ve mentioned in other restaurant reviews I’ve never been a big fan of Italian dishes but gnocchi dish prepared by the chef at Spajza easily blew my mind.  Each soft dough felt like little pillow flushes in my mouth filled with the creamy sauce fit for the gods.

My main course was the venison fillet with blueberries served alongside a silky potato pure.  This delicious and classically styled dish paired with a sweet-tart blueberry sauce succulent enough to soak with the homemade domácí bread.

This dish provided an aromatic punch and an engaging color contrast to the succulent and tender meat.

My wife’s main course was the rabbit fillets with bacon, cherry tomatoes and cappers.  This was a delectable piece of meat; very lean, without game flavor and the bacon was a great addition for some lovely fat and flavoring.

Although I do not have much of a sweet tooth I could not resist the temptation and for dessert I ordered a sinfully-rich homemade brownie fresh out of the oven.  Cakey on the outside and fudgey in the middle!

My wife, however, opted for a more unconventional dessert: a pineapple and tomato mousse.  This delicious, soft mousse cake was fresh and one of the most refreshing, colourful and summerly desserts imaginable.

The service at Spajza was impeccable, matched only by an array of ambrosial Slovenian dishes, accompanied by one of Slovenian’s excellent wines.  If your voyages happen to take you to the Slovenian capital consider making reservations and treat your senses to a party!