The new discovery on our trip to Slovenia is the Majerija estate in the municipality of Slap in the Vipava Valley. It is so special that we would like to share the story of this house, which dates back to 1700: owner Matej Tomažič, who is also the head chef, shows us around the restaurant. He remembers: years ago, when he drove past this house with his girlfriend (now his wife), she told him that one day she wanted to live here. On that day they were standing in front of a dilapidated building. After years of saving, they decided to take a big step and buy the run-down building together with its land. Today you can no longer tell that it was once in ruins. The rooms have been completely renovated, designed and modernised with incredible sensitivity, without losing sight of the old details. Matej tells us that the building is listed, but that he was determined to add a small hotel. "Do you see the vegetable garden outside?" asks Matej. We nod and follow him down a staircase. Beneath the garden. And lo and behold, ten rooms open up, each named after one of the herbs growing in the garden above. In the middle of the herbs, large glass panels let light into the rooms below. A beautiful, hidden place – after just one evening, Majerija (the "dairy farm") had stolen our hearts.
But that's not all. Matej and Nataša Tomažič spoil their guests with a menu that smells of wind, sun, fresh herbs and the Karst. In a kitchen that once housed eighteen cattle and two pairs of oxen, and in the dining room at farmhouse tables with crocheted tablecloths, they offer a blend of tradition and modernity. Majerija is not just a restaurant but a culinary excursion that enchants even the most discerning gourmets – precisely because the plates hold what nature offers at that time of year. Every course is a treat for the palate, and the wines chosen by the chef do the rest.
Our sensational menu:
- Beef carpaccio, mild goat cheese, strawberries, green asparagus and pine nuts
- Cream of spring herb soup with wafer-thin baked strudel pastry decorated with flowers
- Bean soup with pasta from grandmother's recipe
- Wild fennel parcel, porcini sauce and chickpeas
- Herb maltagliati, lamb bakalca, tomatoes and crispy spinach
- Roast suckling pig shank with traditional spring vegetables
- Venison fillet in a coffee and herb crust, polenta muffin and peas
- with a traditional salad from the garden
- Homemade vanilla ice cream in rum, beetroot powder and meringue
- Variation: vanilla ice cream in Traverica (!)
With it came the following wines:
With the starters, a Zelen from Sveti Martin, a dry, medium-bodied white wine from the Sveti Martin vineyards on the ridge between the Vipava and Branica valleys. Soft lemon yellow; a striking nose of apricot, lemon, dried herbs and white flowers. Dry on the palate, with light, ripe acidity and a lovely long finish. Then things got interesting: Matej recommended an unusual red blend. The name: UOU Grjanc 9. The winemakers: a consortium of several winemakers, based on an idea by Marinko Pintar. The incredible story: with great care and dedication, the consortium has revived abandoned vineyards, cleared, renewed and strengthened them so that they can enjoy a second youth in their later years. The vines, in vineyards almost 90 years old, repay this with distinctive character. The blend we enjoy with our menu is made from no fewer than 9 grape varieties from 9 different vineyards. Merlot, Refošk, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cipro, Malo Črn, Barbera, Syrah, Gamay and Vranac combine into an absolute delight for the palate.
