Originally Created For: Unorthodox Travel
Author: Mariam Amini
Original Article Link: An intimate dining experience in Berat – Unorthodox Travel
My recent week in Berat began with a wander round to absorb the fresh new sights and sounds of this picturesque environment.
Albania’s city of a thousand windows sure had a lot to live up to. Its beauty had been boasted during many past conversations with locals and fellow travellers alike.
And while the quaintness of the town and charm of its stacked Ottoman houses certainly didn’t disappoint, it is a different experience that has cemented itself as a highlight.
You see, the stunningness of the streets was always to be expected, but the heart-warming nature of this alternative experience was not.
Hidden within the folds of the city’s old white houses is a yard-turned-restaurant serving some of the finest in Albanian homemade food.
Lili, the owner, greeted us at the door. A bundle of nerves and excitement, he is an animated man with a completely unique energy.
“Thank you for coming,” he repeated several times as he led us to our seats beneath the makeshift wooden canopy created in his garden.
The space is simple, yet delightful. It is rustic and raw in all the best ways. A total of only six wooden tables make up the outdoor space.
The spirit of the family is embedded throughout. Lili handles the serving, meanwhile his wife cooks. Their sixteen-year-old son occasionally helps out. Lili’s father produces the wine.
We noticed there was no music playing as we entered, only the private chatter permeating from each individual table.
At first, it felt almost awkward and perhaps a little too on display. However, as the evening unravelled and we got settled in, things quickly took a different turn.
We ended up exchanging giggles and glass clinks with our neighbouring table. The same could be seen on the other side of the yard.
The atmosphere was intimate, and the food delicious. As Lili ran back and forth from the seating area to the kitchen, you could see the genuine effort and at times slight stress.
Before our meal began, he’d asked us where we were from. He’d asked for our names too, as he had been doing with every single customer that had entered his home since 2016.
Check-ups at each table were frequent, jokes regularly shared. But above all else, there was a humility that hung to the warm and pleasant air.
As Lili rushed around making simultaneous conversation with his guests, he would display bountiful gratitude.
Despite the popularity and praise his venue was clearly getting, he expressed pure happiness for being selected and honour that you had shown up.
We returned to Lili’s the following afternoon, so that I could have a proper chat with him about the origins of the whole concept.
He told me the idea came from his mother, who had been a chef under the communist regime for 36 years.
A lifelong Berat local, Lili understands seven languages. He has eight pets. The menu at his dining casa has not been changed since they started. But why amend a good thing, right?
The only exchange is the contents within the burek, which gets swapped out depending on what’s in season.
The menu itself takes the shape of a wooden blackboard, with images and chalked out prices, which each time Lili himself individually presents.
And at the end of every meal, he pours some shots of raki for a collective toast, one for each visitor and one for himself.
I honestly can’t tell you what I enjoyed most about the experience. From the authenticity of the setting, to the flavourful taste of the traditional dishes being served, it was all a pleasure to partake in and behold.
However, the boisterous yet modest nature of the host in particular stands out. As he thanked us for coming, yet again, he chanted: “In Albania, everything is possible.”
His parting words to us as we said goodbye were this: “Just smile. Don’t forget to smile.”