Our first dinner during our Balkan trip happened to fall on the night before my birthday so what better way to celebrate than with a memorable meal at Noel?

This one Michelin starred restaurant in Zagreb was the perfect pick. Since many fine dining restaurants are typically closed on Sundays, we chose to celebrate both the night before and the day of my birthday with an indulgent experience at Noel. The tasting menu changes seasonally and we were excited to see what Chef Mario Mandarić had in store.

Despite it being a Saturday, the atmosphere was surprisingly calm due to a massive concert that evening featuring the controversial Croatian rock star Marko Perković Thompson. I kicked things off with a mocktail, a refreshing tea and fruit blend (though I wish I remembered which fruit).

The trio of amuse bouches set the tone beautifully. The crispy potato chip sandwich was stuffed with a horseradish and cheese mixture with fried parsley topped with a dollop of sturgeon caviar. The mini beignet was stuffed with sea bass belly with a beurre blanc sauce. Lastly, the adorable tartelette was filled with scallop tartare and finished with thinly sliced apples. All three bites were balanced and full of flavor.

A comforting dish with a base of green peas, butter sautéed langoustine, leek confit, and a frothy broth made from leeks and coconut milk. Rich and soothing with layered textures.

It looks like the milk bread craze has made its way to Croatia! Classic pillowy softness served alongside crisp grissini and a dish of butter. A solid bread course.

This dish leaned heavily into roasted hazelnut flavor, which we enjoyed, though the miso was a bit overshadowed. The pickled asparagus provided a nice acidity to cut through the richness.

This was one of their signature dishes that was an optional addition to the tasting menu that we shared. The dry aged trout was paired with a unique French wine sauce, slightly sweet and fruity, but we found the sweetness a touch overpowering for the fish. It was topped with fennel flowers, fennel oil, and trout roe. The highlight was the trout tartare cones (they served us two of those) served in crispy mini baskets with pickled apple, horseradish, dill mayonnaise, and more trout roe. Very tasty.

Since I don’t eat mushrooms, they replaced the mushroom course with another signature dish called sorbula and honestly we cannot complain. Time for a caviar bump!

Their signature dish had sourdough croutons on the bottom with a soft boiled egg and finished with a spuma made with egg yolks, cheese, and a particular wine that I didn’t catch. Rich, creamy, and absolutely indulgent…a standout dish.

Tender mackerel rested on a refreshing mixture of apples and cucumbers surrounded by vinegar gels and a light herb foam. While bright and clean, it didn’t quite evoke the bold spicy and sour punch of a traditional Thai tom yum.

Delicious morsels of cappelletti pasta were stuffed with sweet langoustine. The white asparagus foam was delicate and underneath the pasta was a rich langoustine bisque made from the shells.

The last savory course was another favorite where the perfectly cooked sea bass was nestled in a creamy pil pil sauce (a traditional Basque sauce) with pickled kohlrabi, caviar, and a Tuscan kale vinaigrette to add some acidity.

A palate cleanser that actually impressed us. The rosemary sorbet wasn’t overpowering and sat in an elderflower syrup, adding floral sweetness and a light finish before dessert.

This dessert had layers upon layers of flavor. It featured an almond biscuit streusel as the base, topped with strawberry tartare, strawberry ice cream, and a vanilla spuma. A crumble infused with strawberry and mint added a fresh contrast while a drizzle of strawberry balsamic sauce tied everything together. Sweet, tart, creamy, and crunchy all at once, it was one of our favorites of the evening.

Inside the strawberry dessert.

The meal ended with petit fours: white chocolate praline with cauliflower cream; orange juice soaked madeleine; cherry pâte de fruit; and chocolate truffle with pistachio. These bites wrapped up the tasting experience with finesse.

Our dinner at Noel was the perfect way to kick off our Balkan adventure and celebrate an early birthday I won’t soon forget. Neither of us had strong expectations for Croatia’s fine dining scene so we were genuinely and pleasantly surprised. The seasonal tasting menu combined Croatian ingredients with global techniques delivering a range of comforting, refined, and imaginative dishes. While not every course was a standout, several were memorable so my rating is an 8/10. If you find yourself in Zagreb and are looking for a Michelin experience that feels thoughtful yet unpretentious, Noel is worth a visit.