Situated in the lush Soča valley with magnificent mountains as a backdrop, “Franko’s house” boasts a beautiful, welcoming, simple yet elegant ambience from the moment you enter the small room near the entrance where guests can enjoy an aperitif before their meal. Very few cuisines reflect the personality of the chef like that of Ana Roš Stojan. Her strong, determined, extrovert and contagiously friendly character is perfectly mirrored on a long tasting menu, on which dishes have intensive and decisive flavours with no half measures. Each course is a true discovery, in which local and Slovenian ingredients and traditions are skilfully combined with influences from elsewhere in the world with grace, good taste and the chef’s own inimitable style. Following on from the “50 shades of Life” menu (dedicated to the chef’s age), this year’s menu is entitled “50 shades of Red”, a colour which symbolises all the hard work at Hiša Franko, from the red of passion to the cuisine and the service of the brilliant and well-trained young staff. The wine-pairing choices are excellent, with three different options: one based on more classic wines, another which allows guests to explore natural wines and highly individual labels, and a third non-alcoholic option featuring home-made drinks. Among the house specialities which are nearly always present on the menu, don’t miss the corn beignet with fermented cottage cheese and smoked trout roe, and the hay-baked potatoes with fenugreek and roasted yeast-infused sour cream – the latter is a very simple dish that offers an interesting take on a childhood favourite. Should you decide to spend the night here, the copious and highly colourful breakfast is equally recommended.