TOP 30 PLACEMENT AFTER 3 YEARS. Since its opening by well-known chef Martynas Praškevičius, the restaurant "Džiaugsmas" (which translates to Joy in english) confidently topped the list of the thirty best restaurants and held the first place for two consecutive years. After a three-year break in the project, "Džiaugsmas" relinquished the top spot and is now in second place.
3 WORDS BEST DESCRIBING THE RESTAURANT: welcoming, seasonal, creative
WHY VISIT? The restaurant is for those who crave authentic, good, tasty and understandable creatively presented food. "In Džiaugsmas, we simply cook food. Fresh, seasonal ingredients are important to us, dictating various discoveries in the kitchen. The most pleasing evaluation for us is to see the restaurant full of happy guests who return. That is our daily joy," says chef Martynas.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MENU? Legendary dishes from the restaurant's opening – meatballs, pork ribs, bacon with bread, and in summer tomatoes with berries and pistachio cream. "Of course, depending on the season these dishes change, their garnishes vary, but I can call them legendary," says the restaurant chef. By the way, all the main ingredients here are Lithuanian and come from local farmers, whom the chef knows personally. "My goal in this restaurant is simple – to serve people dishes made from the best quality products grown in Lithuania. I waited for this opportunity for a long time; it was my dream," says Martynas. Another important part of the "Džiaugsmas" experience is sharing flavors at the table; a significant portion of the dishes is designed specifically for sharing and eating with hands. All of this perfectly complements natural wines – this restaurant is an excellent place to try them.
GUESTS RETURN FOR the atmosphere, simplicity, locally creatively presented food, and sincere service.
WHO WORKS IN THE KITCHEN? The chef and ideologue of this restaurant-bistro is Martynas Praškevičius. He is one of the most highly regarded chefs in Lithuania, who not only believes that everything can be learned in the kitchen, but he has proven it. He hasn't worked in Michelin-starred or famous restaurants, but he knew for a long time that he would be a chef and devoted all his attention, time, and talent to this calling. Having worked at the Stereo 45 cafe, the Asian resto-bar Briusly, he later experimented a lot in the culinary project "Destroyers of Kitchen Myths." "Stebuklai" became Martynas' first restaurant with a partner, and "Džiaugsmas" became the second.
Photos by Robertas Daskevičius
