| The misspelled title may be an error in the | | | | entered the place to order something or pick up |
| language translation on the part of the foreign | | | | take-out food. As soon as my plate was placed in |
| owner or a plan to draw attention. His probable | | | | front of me I said, "This is ridiculous." The meat |
| flaws in spelling, he makes up for in charm. | | | | was eight inches in diameter and fell a couples |
| Branislaw Butina is a short man with brown rustled | | | | inches out of the sides of the special homemade |
| hair and a quick smile. It's not about him though, | | | | bread and over the edge of the plate. |
| it's about the food. One of few places to get | | | | After looking at Pedja, Butina, and back again, I |
| genuine Baltic food in St. Petersburg, The | | | | tried to figure out why he had brought me steak. |
| Mediteran Restaurant will have people from that | | | | I knew that's not what I was expecting. Politely |
| region coming back and those of other ethnicities | | | | speaking to me in English he said it was ground |
| like me, in disbelief at the portion sizes and | | | | meat and Butina had a secret for making it this |
| wondering about the recipes. He is not willing to | | | | unique texture. I kept saying as I cut through the |
| disclose how he makes his ground meat based | | | | sandwich trying to form manageable bites, "This is |
| dishes look like real steak. | | | | steak." |
| A Serbian neighbor and some of his other | | | | Served with pepperochini, red onions, and sour |
| converts tried to explain the size of Butinas's | | | | cream I wanted to stop eating but could not. |
| Pljeskavica. I said, "That's what they all say." He | | | | There seemed to be a lot of spices infused into |
| and I took our bicycles to the 4th Street | | | | the meat, as a matter of fact, Butina had asked |
| restaurant ready for refreshment. In the cooler | | | | me how I handled spice before he made it |
| behind the counter I spied Pepsi, the old-fashioned | | | | perfectly for me. The meat seemed airy but not |
| way, in the small glass bottles, perfect to start. | | | | spongy; I wish I knew how he did it. He would be |
| Since I couldn't read the menu very well and I did | | | | happy to sell the meat after he had prepared it, |
| not know what was good, Pedja ordered for me. | | | | but he wasn't going to tell us how he did it. As an |
| There was another Serbian man sitting at the | | | | American that has enjoyed Indian, Lebanese, Thai, |
| counter and the three of them talked and talked | | | | Italian, Hungarian, Greek, and maybe some other |
| in their language giving me plenty of time to | | | | kinds of ethnic food, I felt the story about this |
| occupy myself looking around the place. It | | | | Baltic treasure had to be told. People should go to |
| definitely lacked a woman's touch but that did not | | | | The Mediteran Restaurant and experience these |
| take away from the good atmosphere. It was | | | | flavors. |
| small with about six tables and with mismatched | | | | The name can be deceiving, before my friend |
| chairs. Imitation plants stood in the corners. The | | | | taught me otherwise; I would expect Greek or |
| walls held pictures without much thought to real | | | | Italian cuisine. I was surely ignorant but if you are |
| decor. | | | | also, check this place out. I ate as much as I could |
| The cabinets behind the guest counter where | | | | and still had a full meal left. -notes to follow- |
| Butina began preparing our meals were bright | | | | Mediteran Restaurant |
| purple. Attached to the front were his | | | | 6500 4th St N |
| advertisings of cappuccinos and espressos. I had | | | | St. Petersburg FL 33702 |
| cappuccino for dessert, it was great. | | | | 727-526-4466 |
| A family with two teenagers ate their meal at | | | | Mon- Sun 7am-9pm closed Tue. |
| one of the small tables and many times people | | | | |