Kafana Rivijera, Budva 09-2018

One of the key decisions when planning Montenegro was whether to stay in Kotor or Budva. The lack of beaches in Kotor (not absolute, but the online reviews are mixed - to be fair I thought it was actually ok) is what attracts people to Budva. Budva is supposedly bumping in summer, but once September hits it quietens down a lot.

Before whaling it on the beach, lunch beckoned. I really wanted to eat at Portun. Sadly the opening hours on their front sign didn't correlate with them opening. And so after waiting specifically for them to open, then realising they wouldn't be, I was despondent. The waiter from the restaurant across the path (perhaps opportunistically) suggested eating at Rivijera instead. He didn't know when Portun would open. But they have the same owner. Ok...

Rivijera has a nice outdoor seating area with a canopy overhead that allows sun to filter through. It is certainly pleasant. I was happy to find that Njeguski stek featured after wondering where I would get to try it since missing out in Zabljak (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/konoba-luna-zabljak-09-2018).

- Njeguski stek 400g (pork steak, smoked ham & cheese, cream cheese, homemade baked potato) €15.5 - pork heavily cooked and not very flavoursome or tender. Saved by the parts with cheese and prosciutto which added a big salty flavour hit;
- Special of seafood pasta €13 - black fat pasta cooked in a tasty tomato and slight spicy sauce featuring crisp prawns good calamari. Not al dente.

The food tasted nice. The pork was somewhat disappointing (a common theme in places that only know to cook meat extremely thoroughly). Portun was open by the time we finished lunch. I hope their opening times are more consistent if I'm back in Budva.