A couple of weeks ago, I texted my wife on my way home after a night out with friends, asking if she wanted anything.
“Surprise me with something interesting to eat,” came the reply.
Hmmm. While Jelsa has plenty of good restaurants, coming up with something interesting for someone who had lived there her entire life was not going to be easy.
“Follow me,” said Leo at Villa Verde, and he took me into the divine little square in the centre of the riva, which is slowly becoming one of the most chilled places in town.
In the corner, final preparations were underway for the opening of a new establishment I have been very much looking forward to – U Smokve. Run by Irena and Ambi, she the powerhouse behind great projects on the island since she moved here a couple of years ago, including the Humac Etno Festival and the Dalmatian pine reforestation programme, they decided to set up a little snack bar offering healthy options, with the majority of their ingredients coming from their organic garden nearby.
My mission explained, pizza maestro Tonci set to work in the kitchen, creating a wholemeal pizza topped with delicious fresh offerings from the organic garden. Within minutes, I was on my way, delivering my surprise, with very appreciative results. Very tasty.
U Smokve is now open, and while it is not a restaurant per se, but more of a snack bar, the vibe is fabulous, and the food decidedly healthy. Yesterday’s lunch.
And the homemade cheesecake was a definite winner, as are the homemade smoothies.
The menu is not extensive (better choice in the evening after six), but there is definite quality all the way through, and prices are more than affordable. There are some quality island wines which I have not seen cheaper on any wine list on Hvar, and with a large beer at 15 kuna, the drinks are cheaper than most cafes in town.
One of the things that is interesting living in a tourist town like Jelsa is watching friends suddenly deciding to do something like open a restaurant. U Smokve is done from love and for lifestyle, and I suspect they will do rather well. The good news is that they plan to be open all year, something Jelsa badly needs. People who have already discovered the chilled atmosphere are already coming back. Have you tried it yet?
Learn more on the U Smokve Facebook page.
