Hisa Franko Makes for a Memorable Anniversary

Early last year Tom and I started researching some of the chefs highlighted in Netflix's show Chef's Table.  We know a few people who have journeyed to Modena, Italy to dine in Massimo Bottura's Osteria Francescana.  It is a three-star Michelin restaurant and Chef Bottura was the very first chef featured when Chef's Table premiered.  While researching Hiša Franko, the restaurant that features Ana Roš's artistry as a self-taught chef, featured in Season 2 of Chef's Table, we discovered it was less than three hours away.  We devised a plan to visit her restaurant in October as our anniversary gift/trip/experience.  We made reservations in March and waited in anticipation for seven months!

Hiša Franko is located in the Soča Valley and is less than 8 kilometers from the Italian border of Udine province -- closest good-size Italian town is Cividale del Friuli.  The restaurant has its own hotel so we were able to stay onsite the night of our reservation.  They set us up in a wonderful room that worked great with the boys.  We were near an exterior staircase and had quick access to green space for Colt and Henry.

Henry is licking his lips - he's ready for a very special dinner!

Stretching the boys' legs before a looooooong dinner

It was a gorgeous early Fall day.  We are both ready for our anniversary dinner!

Not only were the boys welcomed into the hotel but they were also welcomed into the dining room.  We knew this ahead of time so the boys got baths the night before and they even got dressed up.  Colt wore his bow tie and Henry wore a sweater.

The boys were absolute champs.  Our eighteen course dinner started at 7 p.m. and finished at 11:15 p.m.  We quickly learned that an individual course on the menu could sometimes include two to three different dishes.

The boys laid at the table the whole night with only one brief stretch break for a quick potty.  The staff was absolutely amazing -- so warm and welcoming.  At the end of the night they brought both Colt and Henry bowls of scrap meat from the kitchen.

The various positions of young Henry - I took pictures throughout the evening

Receiving a much deserved and appreciated reward for their hours of good behavior

Our dinner at Hiša Franko has to be one of my most memorable dining experiences to date.  The restaurant had recently transitioned to its Autumn menu so we got to try some of their newest dishes.  In addition to our meals, we did a wine service to share.  They only serve Slovenian wines, which I thought was a wonderful complement to the menu, which features local foods.  I also had never had Slovenian wine so it was a nice introduction.   

Our meal began with what is called "Finger Bites" - five of them - each individually plated.  Below I'm using the exact descriptions from my menu.

1. Rye tartelette, smoked pit cheese, parsley, chantarelles and roasted parasol mushrooms, and dehydrated squash blossom
2. Plantago taco, wild plants, elder blossom and hazelnut miso
3. Cauliflower and snail caviar
4. Fermented cheese and smoked chocolate (shaped like a birds egg in a nest) - you don't eat the crust
5. Lamb brain and preserved berry bigne - I can't say I have ever eaten brain but we went for it.  As I read through the menu ahead of service there were definitely a few things that raised my eyebrow but I ate everything.  

First impressions were the food was very layered and complex - the flavors felt concentrated and heighten to their peak level.  The plantago taco was Tom's favorite of the finger bites.   

After Finger Bites, we transitioned into "Table Bites" and first up was Natasa Duric - spelt sour bread with molasses cultured butter with bee pollen.  Course 6.  Oh so good!  I'm pretty sure we asked for seconds.

The molasses cultured butter with bee pollen

Bread was followed by:
7. Amberjack - cooked delicately like tuna and served in salami broth
8. Surf and Turf with mortadella consomme with scallop and tomato (top right) and then old bread, mussels, mortadella mousse and cuttlefish lard  (bottom photo)

9. Local figs were served with coffee yogurt, foie and sage
10. Ravioli with game goulash and hedgehog mushroom sauce, and black trumpet mushrooms - this had a very nice, earthy, gamey taste.  Tom really liked it. 
11. Lamb and crab - A lamb and crab wrap (the green leaf wrap at the bottom of the photo - it's hard to see) and lamb broth with a poached egg and anchovy cream.  The light in the room was mainly candlelight so taking food photos was a bit tricky.  I did my best.

12. Rainbow trout fried in corn with porcini buttermilk and salad of wild flowers and porcini
13. Pumpkin roasted in butter with tonka flavored beurre blanc and sea urchin (bottom left photo)
14. Brown beans with Livek - cabbage in different textures, pig snout sausage and smoked trout
15. Roebuck served with horseradish "cheese" and horseradish triple cream, an edible pinecone and pickled pine sprouts.  This dish was so good.  Probably one of my favorites.

16 - Apple and goat milk croissant filled with rosehips, with roasted apple ice cream and beewax English cream on the side, which is not pictured.  It looks like a potato but its apple.  Very creative!

17 - Featured here is a parsnip, apple, walnut and pork crackling dumpling glazed with pork fat.  A smoked pork creme brule in the glass jar, and then a cocktail of whisky, apple, smoked ice

18 - Preserved lemon, brown butter and bergamot curd

Last treat was a vervienne - a local herb that they turned into a hard candy.  Hard on the outside and liquid inside.  It was the first time they were serving it and Ana brought it around personally to all the tables.  We captured a quick photo.

We had six different wines with dinner.  Wine one was a sparking wine called Victorija by Slavcek.  Up next was a Sauvignon by Šumenjak.  I REALLY liked this one.  Then came a rosé from Batič.  Wine 4 was a Pinot Noir from the region of Vipavska Dolina by Pasji Rep and then a Rebula Reserve by Slavcek, and then finishing up with Khmer from Reia.

A couple of our different wines

I loved this moody photo Tom got towards the end of the evening.

The next morning at breakfast we got a tasting of various Tolmin cheeses.  It had been offered as part of dinner but we opted to have it with breakfast.  I don't think we could have possible eaten another thing the night before!

So that was our memorable dinner and dining experience at Hiša Franko.  It was a great way to celebrate our anniversary.  Below is a photo of us before we started dinner.

And here we are near the end -- that is one satisfied and happy hubby next to me :-)

Happy Anniversary Baby!  Here's to another great year.