October the 30th, 2024 – Our recent work trip east took us first to the amazing Materra, but the surprises didn’t stop inside the hotel complex itself. Meet the Black Pig Restaurant, an ode to the cuisine of Slavonia.
If you know much about Slavonian cuisine, you’ll know it’s meat heavy, rich, varied and something the local population are immensely proud of. If your knowledge runs a bit deeper, you’ll know of the symbiosis between the famed Slavonian black pig (Crna slavonska svinja), and the entire eastern region of this small yet gastronomically remarkable country.
The Slavonian black pig is often affectionately known as the fajferica, and it came to be following the successful pairing of the Berkshire breeds and the Lasata Mangulica in the wider Osijek area back in the 1800s. The meat of the Slavonian black pig is versatile, being used for fresh pork to cvarci (pork scratchings/crackling), ham, sausages and of course, Slavonia’s much loved kulen.
Indeed, the Slavonian black pig is a four-legged icon of eastern Croatian gastronomy, and it only makes sense to name such an incredible restaurant after it.
the black pig (crna svinja) – an ode to slavonian cuisine
Our second night’s stay at the glorious Materra Hotel saw us venture out of this zen world within a world that is the complex itself, but we didn’t have to go far. In fact, we were a mere stone’s throw from the hotel, as the Black Pig restaurant is situated within the wider grounds. A very short but pleasant walk alongside the perfectly cut grass tenderly cared for by a tireless robot, took us to the walkway to the Black Pig.
Passing the trees donning their dazzling autumnal colours and a children’s playground equipped with all things pig related, we arrived at the red brick building that is home to the Black Pig restaurant. The Terra Negra event room, and a country club of the same name can also be found there. Despite only being one storey in height, the Black Pig is a spacious place. A perfect blend of rustic and modern greets you as you enter, with plenty of tables offered without anyone ever feeling remotely squeezed in. There are actually 100 seats inside, but the layout is so well done that you’d never be able to tell, with a further 80 outside.
A beautifully designed bar area, a tempting display of Dobro meat and a wine tasting section sit alongside the vast dining area itself, providing an effortless merging of everything that makes Slavonia’s gastronomic scene what it is. All this coupled with a name that couldn’t possibly be more perfect – we knew we were in for a treat.
a varied menu of carefully crafted dishes
The staff at the Black Pig were not only excellently trained and friendly, but were a wealth of knowledge when it came to the regular menu and the specials. Also local people, it was refreshing to be introduced to the restaurant’s wide but thankfully not overwhelming offer by waiters who had undoubtedly grown up eating similar foods throughout their lives in the east.
The only issue we actually encountered at the Black Pig was that everything looked so incredible that we found it difficult to choose. In fact, for the starters, we failed to choose and opted for a bit of quite literally everything. Beginning with clear guinea fowl soup with semolina dumplings and root vegetables, as well as the classic tomato soup, we then moved on to snails roasted in butter, veal carpaccio, guinea fowl pate with pomegranate cream and irresistible homemade bread.
We’d have enjoyed more starters, as there is a choice of both cold and warm ones to choose from, offering everything from Slavonian black pig to local cheeses, to pumpkin gnocchi and ravioli stuffed with goose liver. As difficult as it was, we decided to leave plenty of room for the main course.
Once again – the only difficulty we ran into was choosing. Opting for the pork loin Rossini was a fantastic choice, but there’s a wide variety to choose from here as well. A wide array of steaks will satisfy all meat lovers, and there are several takes using the meat of the famed Slavonian black pig, which is only right in a restaurant bearing the same name.
After the amazing pork loin Rossini (I’ve never eaten meat so well prepared or thick), it was time for dessert. You won’t be left disappointed in this regard either, as there’s plenty to choose from – from classics like chocolate cake to ice cream with pumpkin seed oil and seeds, crispy blueberry pie, apple pie, to cheesecake with honey and pumpkin powder. For those of us who require gluten free options, you’re covered there, too.
Peruse the menu yourself and let your mind (and taste buds) wander.
local wine and firm Croatian favourites
The Black Pig isn’t all about… well, black pigs. You might be able to tell from the above described menu. It isn’t solely about food either, as wine plays a huge part in the Croatian dining experience as a whole, and that’s as much the case in Slavonia and Baranja as it is along the more spotlighted coastline.
An enormous array of wines from across the country are available, and you’re guaranteed to find something that suits you and your meal perfectly. Wines from the rolling hills of continental Croatia to the flat plains of the east, and from the steep slopes of Dalmatia to the hilltop vineyards of Istria and even across the border in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be enjoyed. The very knowledgeable staff at the Black Pig will find you the perfect pairing with your chosen dish.
Naturally, you can also enjoy an array of waters, soft drinks, beer, spirits and more. Take a look if you want to be thoroughly impressed at this incredible honouring of both red, white and dessert Croatian wines.
experiencing eastern croatia through the stomach
The way to the souls of most people is through the stomach, and nowhere encompasses this better than the Black Pig in the rural heart of Slavonia. As I mentioned before, despite being constantly forced to live in Dalmatia and Istria’s very long shadow, eastern Croatian gastronomy is rich, varied, earthy and astounding.
This ode to the Slavonian black pig, which came into existence back in the 19th century not far at all from these very premises, says more than enough about what the restaurant stands for. Employing local staff who grew up on local food provides a deeper background than fantastic cuts of meat simply being placed on a plate in front of you, and the use of local produce constantly gives back to the region of Croatia that was once the hyper fertile breadbasket of the entire region.
Slavonia is up and coming. It has a long way to go, having been forced out of the limelight for such a long time for the alluring delights of sunshine and sea. It may not have a lot of the randomly allocated trump cards that the coast gets to bask in, but that makes its mission to stand out all the more impressive.
Slavonia is a hard working man and his land, and it has been for generations. Nowhere is this better celebrated than at the Black Pig restaurant.
