But it seems new (old) times are ahead: Figovec, an inn which had been for centuries a synonym for Ljubljana cuisine, opened its door in the form which seems to have been destined for it – serving traditional Slovenian food. Times of Indian curries (Curry Life Figovec, 2015) and cheap Spanish tapas (Lizarran Figovec, 2016) are over. The inn with 250-year tradition is serving roast veal legs, goulashes, and fried liver again.

The credit for that goes to the Slovenian House with the parent branch at the Cankarjevo nabrežje (Cankar embankment road). Its owners have decided to replicate their concept of 100% Slovenian, from prosciutto to wine and spirits, and EMO dishes, in the inn which for the residents of Ljubljana has always been an iconic place.

An inn with tradition
Figovec, opened in 1776, is (and has always been) an institution, an iconic inn with perfect position on the outskirts of Ljubljana, where horse and carriage drivers stopped to refresh in the 18th century. In the 19th century France Prešeren used to lean on the bar (as his friend, the publisher Andrej Smole, whose mother ran the inn, was also born in the inn), and in the 20th century our grandparents used to frequent the inn for a lunch of foal goulash.

The new Figovec most certainly leans on the old tradition with their menu; they offer nostalgic dishes, but also the dishes which seem to be added to the menu due to the slightly forcefully introduced project »The Tastes of Ljubljana« of the omnipresent ethnologist Janez Bogataj. They are offering the regular dishes from the Slovenian House, e.g. wooden trays with (geographically protected) cold cuts and cheeses, Figovec pate, and štruklji (made of dough with various types of filling).

There is also beef tongue, soups (beef with noodles, Styrian sour soup), potatoes with cottage cheese, štruklji with bear garlic cream sauce. Figovec used to be famous for its goulash; now it is replaced with bogracs goulash, Prestor explains. It seems that the overly sensible team is slightly prejudiced and still isn't ready to serve horse meat or horse goulash, which used to be customary in Figovec. Instead of risotto you can order “barlotto”, a type of barley stew they make in the area of Šmarna gora, and they are especially proud of their signature dish, fermented turnip dressed with homemade dressing and smoked bacon.

As it is the right time, the winter menu offers a dish with Kranjska sausage, black pudding with traditional side dishes of sour cabbage and turnip, and »žganci«.