Džakarta Tošin Bunar Review
Luka and his Mira are great friends who we have visited numerous times and my wife worked with Luka for many years. Recently we spent an evening at the claimed oldest restaurant in New Belgrade, Džakarta Tošin Bunar (locals call it Jakarta). I say claimed, as there have been residents in the region that is now known as New Belgrade since Roman times. Since 1512 it has been back and forth between the Hapsburgs and the Ottomans many times. So, while there could have been a café there at some point the real historical beginning of what is now New Belgrade started after World War II. They began draining what was literally swamp land in 1938 but the construction of anything significant did not begin until 1948. There is a story that a tavern with a similar name has been in the same location since late 1700 though we might be pushing it there.
New Belgrade was a planned community after the ideas of Le Corbusier with apartment complexes that include ground floors shops for the community and parks between the buildings. There are today, 72 blocks or areas that include several apartment buildings that you can pretty much find everything you need within a short walk. In Block 63 where we live now with my mother-in-law, there are 20 restaurants, six grocery stores, an outlet mall, a hospital, an electuary school countless little clothing, electronics, gift and printing shops. There is a McDonalds, a DHL office, the fitness center I go to, the ballet studio that Ella goes to and an outlet Mall within a 10-minute walk.
One of the best things about going to a Serbian Restaurant with good friends is that you get to order several items and share, getting to try a number of dishes. Džakarta Tošin Bunar is a great place for this for sure. A traditional Serbian cuisine that specializes in grilled meat. We shared several great dishes over the course of the evening including Pork Belly, Pork Ribs, Mućkalica hot peppers in oil and cabbage.
Serbia has long been known for its pigs. Many of my posts will talk about pork which is never a bad thing. The pork belly melted in your mouth good and the pork ribs were falling off the bone. I highly recommend both. Mućkalica is a stew made of barbequed meat. Typical meat from different animals but also can be from the same just different cuts. We all had a couple of Rakias to liven thing up and get the conversation flowing, and a couple of bottles of domestic wine. Serbia does not have bad wine it is just not complex. Very simple table wine that you will enjoy with the local food. One thing you will find is that Serbs will pair white wine with meat dishes. The white wine is actually the best in Serbia.
If you are in New Belgrade and want to try traditional Serbian food I would start here as a go-to option. They have a lovely patio as well which is especially nice this time of year in Belgrade with cool mornings warming up throughout the day and the bluest sky you can imagine.
Prijatno!
Up next: “Buying a Condo in Serbia Part II”
You will have to point us to some options as in the years I have been coming except for a few white wine exceptions that has not been the case