Conte Restaurant Perast

Relaxed guitar music in the background and noticing service, more than anything else, completed the well-crafted experience from the very first moment we walked in. We didn’t expect anything less from an establishment with such a long history and one of the most substantial wine menus in Montenegro.

First up is a shrimp and fish carpaccio with arugula, the creamy flesh sliced paper thin. The result is a winning combination of delicate and refreshing summer delicacy, with fresh Mediterranean herbs and spices adding to the experience. Next, we got to taste a delicious zucchini carpaccio suffused in pumpkin oil and seeds which tasted like it came straight out of their vegetable garden.

Now it was time for the main courses. The carte du jour offered numerous seductive options, always with the Adriatic Sea as the celestial point. We ordered octopus and it came, grilled in a zesty walnut and honey sauce, and was noticeably tender with a savory almost meaty flavor, probably more akin to red meat than seafood.

The prawn-stuffed gnocchi that followed arrived in perfect texture, not too soft and too firm, drizzled with creamy shrimp sauce, and enhanced with fresh garlic and olive oil. The mussels a la buzzara were a generous portion of chunky mollusks cooked in parsley, garlic, and white wine, and served with warm bread.

The knowledgeable and attentive waiter convinced us to try a local specialty for dessert – Perast Cake. We somehow found space for this addictive and absolutely delicious almond cake, rich enough to share with someone, with delicate notes of vanilla, pine nuts, lemon, and cherry liquor that only added to the indulgence.