Bota, the Oyster and Sushi Bar Dubrovnik

Bota, the Oyster & Sushi Bar Dubrovnik, is an excellent place to have a sushi in Dubrovnik. OK it’s not like I’m the ultimate sushi connoisseur, but I am a huge aficionado.

Sushi is one of the reasons I miss Canada occasionally. Don’t get me wrong, you can eat excellent sushi at Takenoko or Tekka in Zagreb. But it’s expensive. And we don’t live in Zagreb any longer.

We visited Dubrovnik on business last week, and after reading so many great reviews about Oyster & Sushi Bar Bota in Dubrovnik’s old town, we had to try it out.

Oyster & Sushi Bar Bota is tucked away in a small street near the Cathedral. It has a lovely terrace with high tables and stools, and a pretty view over the Cathedral (a part of it).

There are only ten tables or so, and if you plan to eat here, be sure to make a reservation. Food is amazing, a fusion of Dalmatian and Japanese cuisine. Fish is so fresh. Service is impeccable, and the prices are fair considering the quality of ingredients and Dubrovnik standard prices.

Our experience at Bota, the Oyster & Sushi Bar Dubrovnik

We arrived around 6.30 pm, our table was set. The terrace was otherwise quiet. As the night started setting, the terrace got full. And the best part of it, the terrace was full of Japanese tourists (apart from us). This was a good sign.

The waiter, Toni, suggested following his lead. The restaurant had a busy weekend (busier than the staff anticipated), and they didn’t have everything from the menu on offer. Bumpy start, you would think. But we were actually happy to take Toni’s suggestion. We rarely choose from a menu when in a restaurant, as we prefer to take the host’s lead. We were set for one of the most delightful meals ever.

Our meal at the Oyster & Sushi Bar Bota

First, we had a plate of raw oysters and tempura oysters. This was the first time I’ve eaten oysters prepared in any other way but raw. And I’ve loved it! Finally, I found a way to actually enjoy oysters. I can eat them raw, but I’ve never figured out what the fuss is all about. I am not particularly crazy about raw oysters.

Next came a plate of spring rolls, shrimp tempura, agemaki fantasy roll in tempura, special roll Bota (scampi sushi rolled in tuna), Philadelphia roll, smoked tuna prosciutto, and tuna carpaccio. The rolls were great. And we really liked tuna prosciutto and carpaccio, but for us, the spring rolls were the highlight of the plate. It sounds perhaps half ridiculous considering that we were served delightful fresh tuna, but that’s just us. The dough was fluffy, the filling rich and tasty. A real treat!

Next came the repetition course :). We asked a waiter to bring more spring rolls, and more fantasy tempura rolls, ’cause we liked them the most. However, we were curious to try something new too. We were served the tuna belly teriyaki over the white rice. They call this piece of tuna, tuna pancetta. It’s apparently the best part of tuna. It was delicious. Tuna was quickly turned on a grill. The meat was simply melting in the mouth.

We drank local white wine, Karaman’s Malvasija dubrovacka 2012. We love this wine and drink it whenever we find it on a wine list.

The desserts were limited, the choice of only three desserts (but at least one of the three was a chocolate cake. Yay!). Another two desserts were a classical Dubrovnik cake called rozata (Dubrovnik version of a custard pudding), and rice pudding.

The price of a meal at the Oyster & Sushi Bar Bota

The meal wasn’t cheap. It was 40 € per person. But we drank the best local wine (that brought up the bill significantly), and we ate perhaps more than anybody should be allowed to eat for one meal.

The Bota, Oyster And Sushi bar Dubrovnik, we highly recommend. We are already looking forward to going back there.

Contacts

Contacts: Oyster & Sushi Bar Bota | a: Od Pustijerne BB, Dubrovnik | t: +385 20 324 034 | Website | Tripadvisor