If you live in Jacksonville, it’s likely that you’ve met a person of Bosnian heritage. In fact, Florida is home to more than 28,000 Bosnians, and Jacksonville has the largest community.
If there’s one thing we can all learn from Bosnian people, it’s that passion for life doesn’t end with their dialogue. To them, having passion and emotion woven into everyday living is what makes everything worthwhile — and if you ever meet a Bosnian in person, you can pick up on the subtle and obvious ways they express this truth.
After spending some time with Adnan Korjenic, a Bosnian from Banja Luka and owner of Balkan Cafe, I witnessed his family’s passion for delivering an extraordinary dining experience.
The first sign, naturally, is the food: the quality, preparation and how it tastes (which is damn good!). All the meats for their Eastern European sandwiches are made fresh daily; nothing is kept for the next day. The salads are beautiful in both taste and presentation, like all fresh vegetables ought to be. Some say you can judge a restaurant on how they treat their vegetables. If that’s the case, you’re in good hands here!
Good veggie handling aside, we can all think of restaurants (even white tablecloth ones) that get everything right — then end the meal on an unfortunate note by serving you a bad cup of coffee. Here’s good news: this does not happen at Balkan Café. Adnan explained to me that he strives to make every espresso as though he was making it for himself — talk about hospitality at its finest! For our resident coffee snobs, you’ll be happy to know Adnan recently switched from a European bean to a local bean from Lucky Goat Coffee Co., out of Tallahassee. We at Explore Jax can attest that it’s delicious.
The final cup of coffee is nothing without a sweet complement, and the family’s passion is also found in their heavenly desserts. Adnan’s mother makes a variety of traditional Serbian cakes several times each week. We tried the Bajadera Torta, which is a cold layered cake: one layer is dense with chocolate, the next has a delicate hazelnut texture and the final layer is silky-smooth. It’s undoubtedly Adnan’s mother’s attention to detail — plus the fresh, organic ingredients and true love for her craft — that make those corporate grocery store cakes seem lackluster in comparison.
Balkan Cafe has been open for 13 years, and it has always been a family affair. Adnan runs the front of the house with his sister; his father handles the grill (while wearing black sunglasses, like all ultra-cool grillmasters); and his mother prepares the scrumptious desserts.
Some places rely solely on décor to set the vibes, but here at Balkan Cafe, the vibes are all from the heart. Adnan’s hospitality — as well as the rest of the family’s — shines through in every aspect of the experience, right down to folding napkins, boxing to-go orders and welcoming old friends and new guests with equal warmth as they walk through the cafe door. Watching it all unfold, one realizes it is those small details and personal touches that make a meal at this café feel like a uniquely elevated experience.
Thanks for taking the time to read this post. Until next time.
– Esther Curry
Balkan Cafe
8595 Beach Blvd #305
Jacksonville, FL 32216
(904) 998-9333
https://www.facebook.com/BalkanCafeFlorida/
Contributors:
Writer: Esther Curry
Photographer: Esther Curry
Editor: Denise K. James
Balkanski car ćevapa
Is this the full name for the Cevapa? 🙂