It’s even evident in the name of the restaurant at the Hotel Triglav - Restavracija 1906 - (“1906”, the year in which the hotel opened) which once offered hospitality to famous guests such as Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Overlooking the lake, the hotel was re-opened in 2009 after restoration work carried out by its current owners, Danja and Zdravko Rus, who have brought the building’s historic charm into the present day. This mix of old and new can also be seen in the cuisine served at the restaurant, thanks to Aleš Fende, the chef at the helm here, and the astute input from Danijel Galjot, the Food & Beverage Manager. The latter is also an experienced and enthusiastic sommelier and mixologist with a particular eye for gin pairings, who has even written a book on the subject. Meanwhile, another book jealously guards and preserves the restaurant’s historic recipes and provides inspiration for the chef here, especially in the winter months when he has more time for studying and experimenting.
High season at Lake Bled is from May to October, a period when tourists arrive from as far away as the United States, although the majority of visitors come from France, Germany, Austria and Belgium. The cuisine here is modern and varied yet also honest and homely in flavour, with home-made pasta, ravioli, soups and pâtés featuring on the menu, alongside specialities such as smoked trout aspic, smoked tongue and the 1906 soup made from dried porcini, chanterelle mushrooms, Kranjska sausage and buckwheat, making the restaurant one of the hotel’s key attractions. There are different tasting menus available (from 3 to 8 courses), which showcase light, fresh dishes made from natural ingredients (for example, hazelnut soup with chestnuts and truffles, and nettle parfait with lardo and egg yolk), alongside other more varied recipes which combine different flavours, nuances and traditions (such as the Mediterranean-influenced amberjack fillet with home-made ravioli and mandarin, in which the citrus flavours add real character to the dish).
The Triglav also played a very important role in the professional careers of Michelin-starred chef Uroš Štefelin and his business partner Marcela Klofutar – another interesting chapter in the history of this building that is full of fascinating stories.
It’s fair to say that Bled is a region of great chefs – and, without a doubt, we can include Simon Bertoncelj at the Hotel Toplice’s Julijana restaurant among these. This highly elegant hotel boasts a terrace jutting out over the lake, from which it is separated only by a footpath. The cuisine here is regionally focused yet also shaped by international influences with famous names such as Gordon Ramsay, Marc Meurin and Bobby Bräuer all having left their mark. One of the restaurant’s mantras is to combine cutting-edge techniques with regional flavours, so that local ingredients are interpreted from a contemporary and international culinary perspective. Every single dish demonstrates a fine balance of flavours – a good example is the saddle of veal with artichokes, leafy vegetables, duck, toasted hazelnuts, apricot jelly and balsamic vinegar dressing, in which a hint of freshness and delicate sweet tones contrast with the full-bodied character of the dish
Other signature recipes include giant cuttlefish steak, roasted aubergine, potato ravioli, spring onions and fish sauce and delicious lamb chops in a breaded crust. This creative, contemporary cuisine provides a real visual impact and is made from ingredients sourced via a short supply chain, resulting in timeless dishes on a visionary menu that earned the restaurant the “Michelin Plate” award in both 2020 and 2021. Dishes include fine ingredients such as goose and duck liver and top-quality cuts of beef, as well as fresh local vegetables, cheese and dairy products, and freshwater fish such as trout from local fish farms. This focus on the region can also be seen in the use of produce awarded the “Bled Local Selection” label.
One of its house specialities is the Bled cream millefeuille prepared from an original recipe dating back over 65 years. For Simon Bertoncelj, the Julijana restaurant also marks a personal achievement. He began working here over 20 years ago as a commis chef, making his way up the career ladder to his position at the helm in the kitchen and beyond – his role also takes him to other properties in the group which runs 18 different hotels throughout Slovenia.
Illustration image: Lake Bled
