Pileći Ražnjići u Slanini: A Chicken-and-Bacon Offensive
At Vidin Kapija in Niš, pieces of chicken arrived wrapped in bacon, their browned surfaces crossed by dark grill marks. Thick-cut fries filled much of the rest of the plate.
The kitchen had answered the question of what to add to meat with more meat.
These were pileći ražnjići u slanini: bacon-wrapped chicken skewers. Each piece had its own strip of bacon around it, so the two meats came together in a single mouthful. There were enough of them lined up on the plate to make the small garnish of leaves and tomato look rather outnumbered.
A strong start
The meal began with rakija in a small stemmed glass. Serbia’s fruit brandy is strong, and I had heard that some people drink a glass of it to start the day. Mine was starting a meal instead.
The salad brought considerably more greenery than the garnish on the main plate. Baby spinach leaves rose above pieces of apple and cheese, with red pomegranate seeds scattered through them. The apple and pomegranate gave it a sweet-and-sour character that suited the richer food beside it. It was a thoughtfully put-together bowl, and a good reason to pause between mouthfuls of chicken and bacon.
Chicken is good. Bacon is good. Add the two together and grill them. Anyone who had learned addition could have predicted the result.
It was, in the simplest possible sense, twice as good.
The fries were the less predictable pleasure. Thick, irregular and still wearing their skins, they had a sweetness that made them stand out even on this plate. They were among the best I had eaten. For all the business of wrapping one meat in another, the potatoes were a serious rival.
A connection in Nagoya
When it was time to pay, the waiter asked whether I was from Japan. A visitor from Nagoya had been in recently, he told me. That led to Piksi: Dragan Stojković, a Niš native who spent years at Nagoya Grampus, first as a player and later as manager. The waiter spoke of him with a little pride.
The waiter said he was happy I had come and wanted me to visit Niš again. If I arrived hungry, they would be waiting with more good food than I could finish. Before I left, he introduced me to the owner, and we shook hands.
The meal I had just eaten had already come close to being more than I could finish.
I was looking forward to finding out what the next one would be like.
Location
Restaurant
Restoran Vidin Kapija
At Bulevar Nikole Tesle 1 in Niš
Bulevar Nikole Tesle 1, Niš 18000, Serbia
Practical Information
- Dish
- Pileći ražnjići u slanini / bacon-wrapped chicken skewers
- Visitor note
- Some listings use street number 5 rather than 1. Use the restaurant’s Google Maps pin above, or call to confirm the entrance.
- Phone
- +381 60 4477777
Information last checked: September 25, 2026 (Address listings and phone checked; the street-number discrepancy remains unresolved. Current price, opening hours and menu availability not confirmed.)
Conversation
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