KONOBA TAURIS, SIPAN (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

One day on holiday we decided to take a short ferry ride over to the adjacent island of Sipan to go and have a little wander and check out the sites. After hitting the island and exploring the south side we took the bus over to the westerly port of Luka to hit the beach and enjoy a couple of beers. After a hard days swimming in the crystal clear ocean and sunbathing we headed back round to the port and sat down at Konoba Tauris, looking for a bite to eat.

The port of Luka is beautiful, particularly on the clear sunny day that we arrived. The horseshoe shaped dock is peppered with an array of small hotels and restaurants whilst boats and ferry sit peacefully in the sea, bobbing up and down on the waves waiting for their passengers. Konoba Tauris is located at the head of the horseshoe and with the glorious weather it seemed only right to once again take a seat outside. We ordered half a litre of wine to go with our meal which arrived at our table in no time and cost literally pennies. If you like your sweet wine then you can definitely get your fill here. It went down a treat, probably a bit too easy as we were a bit tiddly when we left!

It was early evening when we arrived so we weren't super hungry so we left starters and headed straight for the mains. Our vegetarian main today was once again a tomato based pasta as tends to be one of the few options for vegetarians in the region. Once again however, it was delicious. Simple and effective, the spaghetti was cooked perfectly whilst the tomato sauce portion may look stingy but there was enough to enjoy with all the pasta and it was so packed with flavor that you notice at all. That is the quality of the region's produce shining through in the food again; it was yummy and perfect for a early evening dinner time treat.

I once again decided to go with the catch of the day, just to see if the fish on Sipan could match up with the ones I've enjoyed on Lopud and I was not disappointed. It was a swordfish steak and when I say steak I really mean steak as it was quite the thick chunk of meat that was placed in front of me. It was heavenly! Beautifully grilled so it had those eye catching char marks, my knife slid through the steak like butter and it melted in my mouth in the same manner. Every mouth full was a joy to behold. It didn't really need the random bits of veg plonked on the side of the plate as they weren't particularly that interesting and the steak on it's own was more than enough for a filling meal.

Not that we were that full as by this time the wine had kick in and so had our hungry eyes as we dipped into the dessert menu for a little sweet treat. I decided to go for the flourless chocolate cake. Don't worry, Sipan is not a hipster haven with this gluten free option, it's just a classic recipe of Konoba Tauris and to be honest, you wouldn't be able to tell it didn't have flour if you weren't told. It was so chocolaty and chewy like a good chocolate brownie with a layer of sticky soft chocolate covering the top just to ramp it up for all the chocolate lovers out there. Served with cooling vanilla ice cream, it was lip smackingly brilliant.

For our second dessert we went for this warm apple pastry. It looked so appetizing as it arrived at the table, the flaky filo crumbling away from that chunky apple filling. As we cracked through the pastry with a satisfying crunch the smell of the warm apples wafted up to our noses and it smelt amazing. It tasted immense as well, the apples being stewed just enough so that they were still holding their shape but soft enough to chomp through with ease. It was one of the best desserts we enjoyed on our whole holiday and worth going back to Sipan for alone. The ice cream on the side slowly melted from the warmth of the pastry too to create a delicious vanilla sauce. An absolute joy.

With happy faces and full bellies we headed off to explore the rest of Luka before we had to head off to the ferry back to Lopud. Konoba Tauris may look unassuming and quite touristy when you look at it from the outside but don't let appearances fool you. Inside is some amazing food that warrants them appearing so high up on Sipan's list of best restaurants on Tripadvisor, the highlight being those two stunning desserts. It may be hidden in a small corner of the world but should you ever find yourself with an opportunity to visit Sipan then make sure you hunt out Konoba Tauris, take the bull by the horns and give them a try. You won't be disappointed!

Konoba Tauris's website is pretty old but you can check it out by clicking here! Or you could just book a holiday and fly there now (go on you know you want to!)